Hi to Your Bride, Bye to Your Child

Leon Vincent, the shark of Warren Street, is the one who raised me.

Twelve years ago, a fire tore through the orphanage and took everything from me. He was the one who pulled me out of the flames and gave me a second chance at life.

To repay him, we make a weird deal—a 99-debt contract. I have to either obey him or be abandoned 99 times. After that, the debt will be cleared.

Every time he goes on a date with some high-society socialite, he'll toss another insanely expensive piece of jewelry into my safe.

In just two short years after turning 18, I've accumulated 96 diamonds in my safe, each one marking the 96 times he's cast me aside.

One day, his fiancee, Elena Harrington, sends me a provocative email.

"Dearest Isabelle, Leon and I are finalizing the wedding invitations. Do you think velvet with gold foil or matte leather would be more elegant? The ceremony's early next month. Can't wait to see you there! Love, Elena."

Right after that, Leon calls, asking me to pack his bags for the summit in Parienne tomorrow.

I simply send the wedding gift I've prepared in advance—a seven-figure emerald necklace—straight to his darling Elena without any words.

That night, Leon returns to the apartment and finds out what I've done. He praises me for being considerate. Late into the night, he pulls me into his arms with rare tenderness.

Nothing is left between us; no clothes, no holding back. He whispers that he wants to give me a special kind of reward, one that only I can carry.

Somehow, Elena discovers my pregnancy. She stands on the balcony of Vincent Estate, screaming like her life depends on it. "Leon, I'm begging you! Don't let her have that baby! If you do, I'll jump!"

The cold and proud Leon begs me, for the first time, to get rid of the baby. Everyone at the party awaits my breakdown, but I just smile softly and nod. "Alright. I will."

He whispers in my ear, "Our marriage is just a business arrangement. I don't even like her. Once we're divorced, I'll give you another baby."

What he fails to realize is that it was never in my plans to keep this one.

There are only three more times left before I pay off this life debt from when he pulled me out of that fire all those years ago.

After the 99th time, I board a ship bound for Azara to join a medical research mission. From that moment on, my life will be mine alone to live for.

Twelve years ago, Leon pulled me out of a burning building and raised me. I decided that after the 99th time he cast me aside, I would walk away for good.

…

I finally stepped into St. Sire Private Clinic in New Lyon. Alone, I scheduled the abortion procedure and signed my name, Isabella Rossi, on the consent form. This was my final chance—to him, and to myself.

At the end of the hallway, a few elegantly dressed socialites were whispering to the nurse, stealing glances at me.

"That's her," one of them murmured. "Leon Vincent's ward in a gilded cage."

"I heard she's extremely ambitious. Did she really think she could compete with the daughter of the Harringtons?"

"She really doesn't know her place, does she? A lowborn orphan girl thinking she can climb the ladder by getting pregnant with Mr. Vincent's child? What a joke."

I didn't even look their way. I kept my head down, held in everything I was feeling, and walked straight out of the hospital.

Back at the penthouse, the butler, Frank, greeted me at the door with his usual formality. In his hands, he held a royal blue velvet box.

"Ms. Rossi, Mr. Vincent just had this delivered for you," he said.

I opened the box, and inside was a 17-carat cushion-cut pink diamond that sparkled so bright it almost hurt to look at.

Frank's eyes lit up with barely hidden envy. "Mr. Vincent always saves the very best for you. You're fortunate, Ms. Rossi."

I gave him a faint smile, walked into the dressing room, and opened the safe. I placed the pink diamond in an empty slot, then stuck a small label beneath it: 97/99.

As always, this was Leon's way of "making up" for either his affection or his betrayal.

Just as I shut the safe, my phone buzzed with a new email. The sender was Elena, Leon's fiancee.

Attached was a photo of a sunset over the Halston River in the background. Leon was shirtless, his muscles sharply defined. His head was lowered as he kissed Elena, who was curled up in his arms.

She was wearing only one of his white dress shirts. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and her eyes were hazy as she looked straight into the camera.

The email read, "Dear Isabella, here's a photo from our yacht party. Leon's body looks amazing, doesn't it? By the way, I attached an invitation to the Vincent family's private celebration. You must come."

…

The next day, Vincent Estate was buzzing. Nearly every high-society name in New Lyon had shown up for this engagement party between Leon and Elena. She raised her glass and flashed me a sweet, victorious smile.

"Everyone, according to the Vincent family tradition, Isabella, as Leon's former ward, should be the one to pour our celebratory champagne and cut the cake for us. Isn't that right, Leon?"

All eyes instantly turned to me. Leon looked at me for a moment, then shifted his gaze to Elena and nodded.

I said nothing and stepped forward.

As I poured the second glass of champagne, Elena suddenly "slipped". The champagne and the massive cream cake came crashing down on me, the icy liquid and sticky frosting soaking and dirtying my expensive gown in seconds.

To make things even more dramatic, Elena let out a sudden shriek. Everyone turned and saw a thin trail of blood running down the back of her left hand, supposedly from a shard of glass.

She clutched her hand, her eyes filled with tears. "Isabella! How could you do something like this at our party? Are you trying to jinx us?"

Leon immediately stepped forward, pulling her into his arms and gently cradling her "injured" hand.

Then, he shot me a glare and spoke in a cold voice. "Elena's been pampered her whole life. She's too delicate for your petty schemes, Isabella!"

His fiancee was trampling on my dignity, humiliating me in front of everyone. And yet, he was the one accusing me of being petty and malicious.

He raised his voice again. "Isabella, apologize to Elena now!"

I glanced at Elena's smug expression from within his arms, then looked straight at her. "I'm sorry, Ms. Harrington."

Around us, guests had begun whispering behind their champagne glasses. "How vicious. She even hurt Ms. Harrington."

"That bitch must be out of her mind, trying to climb her way up by sleeping with her guardian."

"She's just a lowborn orphan Mr. Vincent took in. How could she ever compare to someone as noble as Elena Harrington?"

"She really thought living with the Vincent family made her royalty. No matter how she dresses up, she'll always be a lowborn at heart."

Leon carefully held Elena's hand, gently helping her as they walked off to get her wound cleaned. When he overheard the guests' whispers, his expression darkened.

"Mind your business, and get out of the way!" he barked.

The crowd scattered in an instant. Elena glanced back at me, her eyes full of smug satisfaction.

After the party, Leon caught up with me in the hallway and wrapped an arm around my waist from behind. His warm lips brushed my ear as he whispered, "Don't be mad, my dear Isabella. Just hold on a little longer. Once I've secured control of Harrington Group's assets, I'll divorce her.

"You know I don't love her. I've only ever loved you. Just bear with it a little longer."

Unbeknownst to him, I was thoroughly done. Once I repaid what I owed him, I would leave for good.