Fresh out of college, Clara Stewart asked me to take on a $500,000 mortgage for her.

When I refused, she turned around and bought an $800,000 villa in full, for another guy.

Holding up the property deed, she told me:

"Jayden, the truth is, I'm actually rich. I've been pretending to be poor to test you. Unfortunately, you failed. I'm disappointed in you. Let's break up."

I simply smiled and walked away without a second thought.

The irony? I'm the son of the richest man in the country.

I was pretending to be broke, too.

Fast forward four years, we met again at the National Wealth Summit.

Clara had just barely made it into the top 50 on the list, clinging to the arm of Henry Brown as they entered.

She spotted me in simple clothes with no visible brand, holding a child in one arm and the keys to a Porsche Cayenne in the other.

Thinking I was someone's driver, she sneered:

"Jayden, you really went all out just to see me again? Let's be real, you're just a driver now, and I'm on the wealth list. We live in completely different worlds. Don't waste your time fantasizing."

I did not bother replying.

Honestly, I was only there because my billionaire dad insisted.

I had finally cleared a day to spend with my son and now I had to waste it on that.

Clara Stewart strutted into the waiting hall, her arm linked with Henry Brown, who was decked out in a sharp suit.

As they breezed past the side room, Clara's gaze landed on me, tucked away in the corner.

Today was supposed to be my day off, a rare chance to spend time with my son. However, my father, Jim Lawrence, had roped me into attending the Wealth Summit.

With my wife out of town, I had no choice but to bring my kid along, planning to duck out after a brief appearance once the meeting kicked off.

I was dressed down in comfy clothes, jingling the Cayenne keys to keep my son entertained.

To Clara, I must have looked like a hot mess, playing chauffeur and babysitter all at once. She made a beeline for me, her voice dripping with scorn as she said, "Jayden, look at you, running errands for others. You're nothing without me.

"What a shame that you couldn't pass my test. You could've been the one by my side."

She squeezed Henry's hand as she went on. "However, hey, I should thank you. You made it possible for me to find someone who really loves me."

Henry flashed her a soft, reassuring smile. "Jayden's probably kicking himself now; poor guy can't spot a good thing when he sees it.

"He got what he deserved, though. No surprise he's ended up this way."

He turned to a staff member walking by.

"We've got VIPs here today. How can you let just anyone in? What if there's trouble? Are you ready to handle that?

"Go on. Get this driver out of here."

Little did they know, my simple outfit was tailor-made by top-notch designers.

I had been so swamped taking over my father's company over the last couple of years that I had not been around much. They had not seen me, and based on their shallow take on my looks, they fell for Henry's story hook, line, and sinker.

The staff's voice was icy as they said, "Sorry, sir, this area is for authorized personnel only."

I stood my ground, my voice steady, saying, "I'm here for the summit too. I have every right to be here."

They paused, probably recalling those quiet types who turn out to be somebody important, and decided not to mess with me.

Clara, on the other hand, burst into laughter like she had heard the funniest joke ever.

"Ha! You? A college kid scraping by on scholarships is on the wealthy list? That's a good one!

"And you claim you're here for the summit? Is your name even on the list?"

My name was not there, of course. The Lawrence family had put my father's name down.

It would not switch to mine until his retirement this year.

Clara saw my hesitation and turned to the staff, smirking. "This guy? He could've been my husband if he'd passed my little test back in the day.

"Poor people will always be just that, obsessed with money, blind to the big picture, letting every golden chance slip through their fingers."

I was early; the real VIPs had not arrived yet.

The early birds were those hovering around the hundred mark on the wealthy list. A few recognized Clara and joined in her mockery.

"He really blew it, didn't he? To lose a catch like Ms. Stewart, who's as rich as she is pretty. He must be sick with regret."

"They dated for four years in college, and he still couldn't lock down that kind of luck. Tsk."

However, something flickered across Clara's face, and her smile faded.

Back in college, Clara had chased after me with a passion.

We had both hidden the fact that we came from money and had loved each other like any normal couple for four years.

I had passed 98 of her challenges, juggling jobs, donating blood, falling out with friends, getting hurt, turning down a surefire shot at grad school...

It was not until I realized Clara was only playing poor that everything clicked. Every single challenge I had faced was a trap she had set.

Yet, she lavished gifts on Henry, another guy, like cars and houses, as if they were nothing.

I was done then. Heartbroken, I turned down her 99th game and ended things before heading overseas.

The crowd did not catch the shift in Clara's expression as they kept slinging insults my way.

She cut through the noise with a frosty command.

"Enough. Get him out of here. I can't stand the sight of him."

The staff, done with caution, moved in to throw me out.

I broke free from their grip, my voice a low growl.

"Back off. Don't touch me. I'm here with Jim Lawrence, the billionaire. He's my dad!"

Laughter rippled through the onlookers. Henry, smirking, could not resist a jab.

"The billionaire's son? That's a Branford University grad who's practically running the Lawrence empire after just two years back home.

"The only thing you share with him is the last name, Lawrence. You, a chauffeur, pretending to be him? That's just delusional."

He sneered, "However, hey, as fellow alumni, maybe one day you can babysit for Clara and me."

I shot back with a sneer of my own.

"Assuming you can even have kids. And what's your big achievement? Winning over a wealthy widow?"

That struck a nerve. Henry's face twisted in anger.

He had been dying to give Clara a child, to cement his place in her family.

However, his past excesses had taken their toll, and even the most experienced doctor could not save him by then.

Enraged and humiliated, Henry barked at the staff.

"Are you deaf? Get him out of here, now!"

Without another word, they grabbed me and hauled me toward the door.

My son's tears erupted in fear, and I, desperate not to hurt him, fought to free us from their grip.

"I can walk by myself, just don't touch my son!"

However, Clara's face paled, and she blurted out in disbelief. "Jayden, what are you saying? He's your son?!"

"Yes, he's my son."

"You're married to someone else? No way! I don't believe you're over me!"

Her reaction threw me for a loop.

"Why wouldn't I be over you? We've been done for ages."

Clara was not buying it, her eyes locking onto my wrist.

Glancing down, I saw my sleeve had ridden up during the scuffle, exposing my watch.

Clara smirked as if she had caught me in a lie.

"Oh, Jayden, still playing tough. I just knew you couldn't forget me. Why else would you wear the watch I gave you?

"If you come clean now and ask for my forgiveness, maybe I'll consider giving you another shot."

'What she gave me?' I thought, annoyed.

The watch she gave me was a cheap fake, rusted and gone for who knew how many years.

This watch was from my wife, Rowena Smith, who knew I loved that collection. She designed it herself and had it custom-made half a year in advance, a one-of-a-kind in the world.

I was at a loss for words. "Take a good look at these diamonds. You think you can afford any of them?

"This is a gift from my wife, and it's got nothing to do with you."

The diamonds sparkled with an unmistakable high-end shine.

Then, Henry yanked the watch off my wrist, his sneer widening.

"Jayden, how on earth could you afford such a pricey piece? This place is crawling with the rich. You must've swiped it from someone!

"If you're broke and can't even buy a meal, just say the word. You can bag up the leftovers from the party later.

"You think you can get away with stealing? A kid raised by a thief is bound to end up in trouble, maybe even get knocked around," Henry sneered.

I felt a surge of anger at his words. "Henry, zip it! You have no right to talk about my kid like that!"

Henry was about to retort when something clicked. He stared at the child in my arms, recognition dawning on his face. "That's Rowena's kid! Jayden, what's he doing with you?

"Are you planning to snatch him? You're in way over your head!"

The room went silent at the mention of Rowena. She was a big deal, the top investor on the planet. Anything she touched turned to gold. Her wealth was legendary, making even the richest tycoon look like small fry.

The buzz was that Rowena would be there, and everyone there was tripping over themselves for a chance to impress her.

My little guy wrapped his arms around my neck, his voice soft and defiant as he said, "He's my dad. My dad. And you're the meanie."

Henry was not buying it. He lunged forward, trying to take my son. 'If I can buddy up with Rowena, the sky will be the limit,' he thought.

He was so blinded by greed that his face twisted with it. "Hand him over, Jayden. If you're pulling a kidnapping stunt, you won't see a dime, and you'll be behind bars before you know it!"

The crowd started to close in, reaching for my son. He burst into tears, and I held him closer, ready to bolt from that mess. "He's my son. Back off. We're out of here."

However, Henry was in our face, his voice sharp as he said, "Your son? What? Is Rowena your wife? Take a look in the mirror!

"If you want to spin a tale, at least make it a good one. You think I won't call the cops on you?"

I was not scared of his threats. "Go ahead, call them."

"Rowena is my wife. Go on, call the cops. I'll wait right here to see who they'll arrest."

The moment I said that, everyone looked at me like I had lost my mind.

"Your dad's a billionaire, and Rowena's your wife? Jayden, you've lost it!

"Just you wait. I'm calling the cops now. Let's hear what you'll say then."

Henry whipped out his phone, ready to dial the number.

However, Clara stepped in, snatching the phone from his hand, her gaze filled with mixed emotions as she addressed me.

"Let's not, Jayden. We've had our time, and I don't want to go overboard.

"Get out of here before things get worse. I'll give you money. How much do you want?"

Clara thought I was after her cash.

When my dad was at the top of the list of the wealthy, I kept my real identity under wraps to enjoy a quiet life at school.

Once I realized Clara was only faking being poor, I did not give her a second thought.

Her family's flashy new money could not hold a candle to ours, yet she hid who she was, scared I was after her dough.

It was downright ridiculous.

Henry, green with envy over Clara's defense of me, could not help but throw in a jab.

"Yeah, Clara, give him some cash. He ditched you for money in the first place and ran off with some rich foreigner the moment he had the chance.

"He must've been dumped and didn't even get the payout. You're the only one still hung up on old feelings, not turning your back on him."

Clara's grip on the phone turned to stone.

The subtext of Henry's words was crystal clear: anyone who gave me money was only a big, easy mark.

I never saw it coming. After I left the country, wild rumors had started swirling.

However, the rumors never fazed me. I had the real deal: confidence and a love that stood solid as a rock.

Right there, in front of everyone, I laid bare Henry's dirty laundry.

"Henry, you thought you were slick, huh? Living it up with foreigners on their dime while stringing Clara along with your hot-and-cold games. You didn't think anyone would catch on, did you?

"However, I've got to hand it to you. You've got a real knack for fooling women. Clara's been wrapped around your finger for years."

Henry's face flushed with panic as he rushed to deny it. "What are you even saying? That's not true. Clara's the only one I care about.

"Don't even try to mess with us. Clara's already seen through your lies!"

Clara jumped to his defense.

"Jayden, stop it. I won't let you talk about Henry that way. He's not like you. He loves me for who I am.

"He didn't even know who I was when he agreed to take out a loan for $800,000 for me."

I could not help but laugh.

"Oh, Clara, you're so gullible. Henry knew exactly who you were from the start. He was playing you all along.

"Why don't you check out his list of exes? Every single one of them comes from money. You think you're the exception? That's just naive!"