My boyfriend gave me away to his arch-nemesis because he lost a bet.

On the same night, I was driven to his arch-nemesis’ house. Before leaving, he expressed remorse, “Anya, just bear with it for a bit. I will come to pick you up in a month.”

That night, the man pinned me to the bed and started unbuttoning my shirt. As he traced his cold fingertips against my collarbone, he said, deep and seductively, “So that’s the scumbag you fell for? Why don’t you be with me instead? I can give you everything you want.”

I leaned forward and kissed him right away.

“Sure.”

“What did you say?”

Damion Gunter was taken aback by how I had taken the initiative to approach him. Judging by the suspicious look in his eyes, he must not have expected me to be so forward.

I repeated my previous sentence, and only then did he seem to return to his senses. He stared transfixed at me and asked in a voice that was close to breaking, “Are you sure you won't regret it?”

I shook my head and assured him, “I won’t.”

From the moment I got into his car, I knew there was no turning back. I had made up my mind to be ready to commit to him.

However, it was he who hesitated. In an unexpected move, he turned around and stepped out of the bed.

I was perplexed. I couldn’t make out the look on his face because his back was turned to me.

“I’ll give you a month to think about it, and if you haven’t changed your mind after a month, I’ll take your word for it. Then, even if you regret it, you’re stuck with me.”

With that, he walked out of the room.

I lay down on the bed and heaved a sigh of relief. However, upon recalling everything that had happened today, a bitter feeling came rushing back.

I knew Noah Dalton liked a good game. I had always been aware that he could be wild and reckless, but I had never expected him to put me up as a wager. I used to believe I was different in his eyes, yet as it turned out, I was just a mere toy he would gladly give away without any thought.

Noah and I had known each other since I was six years old. I met him when a group of robbers killed my mother, who was only trying to save his mother. After that traumatic event, his family took me in out of pity. I didn’t want to take their kindness for granted, so I started taking on some responsibilities around the house to repay them.

Due to what happened to my mother, Noah had always treated me differently. Whatever nice things he got, he would always make sure to share them with me. He was the only source of warmth in my childhood, and for that, I was willing to swear loyalty to him.

Whenever he skipped classes, I would make excuses for him and defend him; whenever he got into trouble, I would take the blame for him. If the teachers punished him by making him write essays, I would mimic his handwriting and do it for him. As long as he said he wanted something, I would never say no.

It wasn’t until he lost a bet and gave me to Damion that I finally woke up—like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on my head.

I stared at him in disbelief, completely speechless. I refused to believe he didn’t recognize my feelings for him all these years. He’d even gone as far as to send me to the bed of his arch-nemesis.

Still, I didn’t resist. This was going to be the last thing I did for him. I saw it as a way to repay him for all the kindness he had given me when we were kids.

Now, we were even.

When I first got to the Gunters’ villa, I thought I’d have trouble sleeping, but I ended up falling asleep shortly after. For the next two days, I didn’t see Damion.

The housemaids were very nice to me, so much so that I wasn’t used to it. At one point, I overheard their conversation and found out about Noah’s engagement with the daughter of the Paytons. I was floored by the news.

I knew that would happen eventually. Ever since Noah turned twenty-five, his family had been looking for a suitable partner for him so that he would get settled down. Since I had decided to move on from him, there was no point holding onto him anymore.

On the third day, Damion returned and mysteriously led me away by the hand.

“Come, I’m taking you somewhere.”

I was confused but followed him regardless.

To my surprise, he took me to a classy bar. After we entered a private box, he put a finger over his lips to signal me to keep quiet.

I was still trying to figure out what was happening when I heard Noah and his friends talking in the adjacent private box.

“Noah, aren't you worried about Anya falling in love with Damion and that she won’t want to come back to you after a month?”

Noah chuckled dismissively and insisted, “That’s not going to happen. You know how loyal she is. She will do whatever I tell her to do. I guarantee she’ll come back to me in a month. Let’s bet on it if you want to.”

“Sure, a bet it is! What are you putting up?”

Noah offered nonchalantly, “If I lose, I’ll let you take a turn with her. Quit acting, I know you want to sleep with her! If it weren’t for Damion ruining it for you last time, you would’ve had her by now.”

The man whom Noah was speaking to laughed hideously. “Alright, it’s settled! I’ll gladly take Damion’s leftovers.”

I was so furious that I found myself shivering with rage. Did I ever mean anything to Noah, seeing how he had put me up for a bet again?

While the men in the adjacent private box were still laughing with glee, I couldn’t take it anymore and stormed out of the bar.

Damion ran out after me. When he saw my red, tear-filled eyes, he sighed dejectedly and said softly, “It's not worth crying over someone like that.”

I wiped my tears stubbornly. “You're right.”

This was going to be the last time. From now on, I’d sever all ties with him. I wasn’t going to let myself be toyed with again.

To my surprise, Noah sent me a long and affectionate text that night to apologize to me. Every word sounded sincere, and it was very touching.

If I hadn’t listened in on his conversation with his friends in the bar, I would’ve believed his lies; I would have believed that he had only done it because he had no other choice, then I would have waited for him to come and collect me. Instead, I sneered disdainfully at the text, blocked him, and tossed my phone aside.

The next day, as if he could sense that I was in a bad mood, Damion took me to the amusement park on the outskirts of the city so I could clear my head. As luck would have it, I bumped into the very person I didn’t want to see.

I was standing by the wishing fountain and waiting for Damion, who was buying tickets, when I turned around and saw Noah with his fiancée, Eloise Payton. I tried to avoid them, but they were marching straight towards me.

Eloise shot me a contemptuous look and hissed, “You’re Anya?”

Stories of Noah’s bet with Damion had spread like wildfire.

I nodded stiffly and was about to leave when she stopped me.

She pouted and expressed with a wry look on her face. “Noah, are you also going to put me as a wager and let someone else have their way with me?”

Noah cried out in exaggeration, “What? I wouldn’t do that to you! You’re not like her. I wouldn’t have the heart to do it.”

“I heard you two grew up together and that you go way back.”

Noah glanced at me with disdain. “Don't listen to those rumors. She was just a glorified nanny in our house. I have plenty of those anyway.”

I was hurt by the way he looked at me. I didn’t spend fifteen years with him just to be reduced to a nanny.

Fine. That made it easier for me to let go anyway.

Only then did Eloise flash a satisfactory smile at me. “I heard Noah has always treated women wonderfully. I’m sure you’ve been treated well enough. If you ever need any help in the future, just say the word. I’m sure both of us will be more than happy to help you.”

If she was trying to be ironic about it, she was not very good at being subtle.

Unfortunately for her, she would be disappointed. The past few days I spent with the Gunters were so much better than the years I had spent with the Daltons.

I pulled a face at her. “It’s fine. Thank you for looking out for me, Miss Payton.”

Noah then pulled her to the side and told her, “Eloise, there’s no need to be so gracious.”

After that, he turned to me, “Anya, you’re now serving the Gunters as a representative of both me and Dalton Corporation. Make sure you do a good job and don’t embarrass us.”

I chuckled sarcastically.

Just like he said, I was just a nanny. Whatever happened to Dalton Corporation and him was none of my concern.

I was about to say something when I felt a hand pressed against my waist before pulling me into a warm embrace. It was quickly followed by Damion's voice ringing in my ears.

“Babe, what are you two talking about? Let me join in.”