After I proposed to Kathy Johnson, my girlfriend of seven years, we went to City Hall to get our marriage license.

Instead, she had her bodyguards throw me onto the street.

Then, she walked through the doors, hand in hand with her childhood friend, Nate.

She didn’t even blink when he saw me sitting there on the ground, shaking with disbelief.

"Nate's son needs a legal guardian to secure his inheritance from the Johnson Group. The fastest way is for me to marry Nate and adopt the boy."

"As soon as the paperwork is finalized, we'll get a divorce. You'll still be the one I really marry."

Everyone assumed that I, the man who had been devoted to her for so long, would foolishly wait. After all, I had already waited for seven long years.

But that night, I accepted the arranged business marriage my family had prepared for me and took a flight to Center City on the East Coast.

I vanished from Kathy's world completely, and no one saw it coming.

Five years later, I returned to Westlake City to visit my family. My wife, Rhea Weyland, was the sole heir to the Weyland family, a powerhouse that practically controlled the entire West Coast economy. She was tied up in a sudden international merger meeting.

She had specially arranged for someone to pick me up from the airport.

But I never dreamed that the "someone" she sent would be Kathy.

The moment she saw me, her gaze immediately fell on the glittering watch on my wrist.

"I can't believe that after all these years, you've stooped so low you're wearing a cheap knockoff."

"Are you done with your little pity party? It's time to come crawling back. Nate's son is starting at an elite private school, and you're just in time to be his full-time driver and bodyguard."

I gently stroked the watch on my wrist.

What she didn't know was that this was one of the more modest gifts Rhea had given me.

After I proposed to Kathy Johnson, my girlfriend of seven years, we went to City Hall to get our marriage license.

Instead, she had her bodyguards throw me onto the street.

Then, she walked through the doors, hand in hand with her childhood friend, Nate.

She didn’t even blink when he saw me sitting there on the ground, shaking with disbelief.

"Nate's son needs a legal guardian to secure his inheritance from the Johnson Group. The fastest way is for me to marry Nate and adopt the boy."

"As soon as the paperwork is finalized, we'll get a divorce. You'll still be the one I really marry."

Everyone assumed that I, the man who had been devoted to her for so long, would foolishly wait. After all, I had already waited for seven long years.

But that night, I accepted the arranged business marriage my family had prepared for me and took a flight to Center City on the East Coast.

I vanished from Kathy's world completely, and no one saw it coming.

Five years later, I returned to Westlake City to visit my family. My wife, Rhea Weyland, was the sole heir to the Weyland family, a powerhouse that practically controlled the entire West Coast economy. She was tied up in a sudden international merger meeting.

She had specially arranged for someone to pick me up from the airport.

But I never dreamed that the "someone" she sent would be Kathy.

The moment she saw me, her gaze immediately fell on the glittering watch on my wrist.

"I can't believe that after all these years, you've stooped so low you're wearing a cheap knockoff."

"Are you done with your little pity party? It's time to come crawling back. Nate's son is starting at an elite private school, and you're just in time to be his full-time driver and bodyguard."

I gently stroked the watch on my wrist.

What she didn't know was that this was one of the more modest gifts Rhea had given me.

...

Stepping into the VIP arrivals hall, I spotted a driver holding a "Mr. Weyland" sign not far away. I was about to walk over, but I froze in my tracks.

Standing at the very front was my ex-girlfriend, Kathy Johnson, whom I hadn't seen for five long years.

Five years, and not a single word from her. Not one phone call, not one text message, and certainly no belated explanation or apology.

And now here she was, her arm linked casually through Nate Reed's.

Behind them, their usual entourage of high society sycophants swarmed the arrivals gate.

One of the rich kids with sharp eyes spotted me and let out a sneer. "Well, well, Kathy, isn't that your clingy ex-boyfriend? What was his name again? Simon, right?"

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise crossed Kathy's eyes, but she quickly masked it with her usual cold indifference.

She gave a small laugh. "I told you he wouldn't make it on his own. He was bound to come crawling back with his tail between his legs."

The group cackled along with her.

"When Simon just disappeared back then, he probably never imagined our Kathy would rise to become the Executive Vice President of the Johnson Group. He must be kicking himself every day. I bet he cries himself to sleep every night."

Another voice chimed in. "But Simon, if you're going to stage an 'accidental' airport run-in, you could at least dress the part. What's with that baggy outfit? My security guard dresses better."

"Don't tell us that after leaving Kathy, you can't even afford a decent suit. You must have really hit rock bottom."

These arrogant fools had no idea that the seemingly unremarkable casual outfit I was wearing was custom-made by a top overseas tailor, hired by my wife Rhea.

It was handcrafted for comfort, every thread chosen with care.

I'd never told her about my family, which is why these idiots thought I was some poor nobody they could push around.

Lately, my own wardrobe had been an afterthought; all my attention was on my pregnant wife.

But in their eyes, I was still the same desperate boy from years ago, always stuffed into a restrictive suit, obsessed with my appearance just to please Kathy.

Five years ago, I left Kathy.

I married a woman who saw me, and loved me, for who I am. In her eyes, I am not an accessory or a bargaining chip, but her one and only husband.

That woman is Rhea Weyland, the uncrowned queen of the West Coast business world. Without a doubt, the "Mr. Weyland" this crowd was so ceremoniously waiting for was me. Unfortunately, not a single person here had the sense to figure that out.

Seeing that I wasn't responding, a man I vaguely knew from the past stepped forward to play peacemaker.

"Simon, it's good to have you back. To be honest, Kathy has been asking about you these past few years, trying to find out where you were."

At his words, the smug smile on Kathy's face froze.

To hide her embarrassment, she contemptuously flicked her hair.

"Nate's son is starting elementary school soon. You can move in tomorrow and handle his driving and security."

Her usual self-righteous arrogance was still there. But I was no longer the pushover she could manipulate at will.

I was about to tell them exactly who I was, but Nate beat me to it, stepping forward.

"Simon, don't feel too bad about it. The fact that Kathy is willing to take you in is a testament to your old relationship. You've been gone for five years. God knows what kind of grubby jobs you've had to take to get by."

"Look at the pathetic state you're in now. Even if she took pity on you and got you a job as an assistant, you'd just bring down the class of the entire company. Don't worry, as long as you behave yourself and take good care of my son, we won't treat you unfairly."

Five years had passed, but Nate's snobbish, condescending attitude hadn't changed one bit.

I raised an eyebrow and shoved my hands into the pockets of my casual pants, saying nothing. I was curious to see what else this group had in store for me.

Kathy clearly took my silence as a sign of powerless jealousy.

Her low, mocking laugh confirmed it.

"Alright. It's obvious he's had a rough time and has no choice but to eat crow. He should be grateful that I'm even offering him a meal."

She stared at me. "Take good care of the boy, and don't get any ideas. Know your place."

"Don't worry, as long as you're obedient, I'll let you stay where I can see you. We have a spare staff room at home. You can move in tonight."

Her words were met with a fresh wave of malicious laughter from the crowd.

"Simon, did you hear that? Kathy is being so generous to you. She's so worried you'll starve to death that she's even providing you with room and board."

"She's just asking you to look after Nate's kid. Compared to the life you've probably been living, this is a godsend. You should be on your knees thanking her."

Nate adjusted his cufflinks, putting on a magnanimous air. "Don't be scared, Simon. If my son is naughty and bullies you, I'll discipline him for you. I promise you won't be mistreated."

Kathy shot me a sideways glance and snorted.

"What's there to feel mistreated about? He's the one who ran off over nothing. Now that he's come crawling back in disgrace, he deserves to be knocked down a peg."

My brow furrowed. To this day, I still found it incredible that in her eyes, getting married to another man for personal gain was just a "trivial matter."

The girl who once stood with me on a street corner in the middle of the night, weathering storms together, was gone. The woman who had smiled and told me I was her whole world was also gone.

Standing before me was just a self-serving opportunist, a hollow shell corrupted by money and power.

But it didn't matter anymore. I had closed that chapter of my life long ago. It wasn't worth wasting another second of my time thinking about.

After all, my wife, Rhea, was pregnant with our second child. I was about to be a father again.

I took a deep breath, pushing the irrelevant thoughts from my mind. Arguing with these fools was a waste of breath.

I lifted my head, looked Kathy straight in the eye, and said calmly, "Well, you're here to pick me up, right? Let's go."

The air grew tense, and the hall fell silent. The group exchanged bewildered glances before erupting into even more exaggerated laughter.

Nate let out a scornful laugh, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. "Pick you up? Are you still dreaming?"

He pointed at the sign. "Open your damn eyes. We're here for a VIP from the Weyland Group. You've probably never even heard of them."

My wife was the sole daughter of the Weyland Group. How could I not know who they were waiting for?

"We are waiting for Ms. Weyland's husband! The queen of finance, known for her iron fist and ruthless tactics, who just happens to dote on her husband to an unbelievable degree. Everyone in our circle knows she was single for years, saving herself for the man who is now her husband."

"Everyone knows the fastest way to get to Rhea Weyland is through her husband. He's the person she values most."

Hearing them talk about Rhea, I couldn't help the gentle smile that spread across my lips.

In the five years we've been married, Rhea has not only expanded her business empire to its absolute limits but has also shown me what it truly means to love and be loved by a powerful woman, to support each other in a deep, mutual partnership.

Nate could never stand to see me happy and would never miss a chance to show off his "worldly knowledge."

"I heard that not long ago, President Weyland was at a top auction in St. Niva and, without batting an eye, bought a priceless sapphire watch, just to make her husband happy."

"That watch is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece worth a cool eight million dollars. The man is the envy of everyone in high society."

He was in the middle of his grand speech when his eyes inadvertently swept over me. His voice suddenly rose. "Wait a minute... That watch looks just like it!"

Everyone fell silent. They held their breath, their eyes glued to the watch on my wrist.

Seeing that I showed no sign of shame at being called out, Kathy's expression hardened. Without warning, she lunged forward, trying to grab my wrist to inspect the watch.

I was quick enough to step back, evading her touch.

Nate, seeing this, sauntered over for a closer look and sneered. "The craftsmanship is definitely better than those high-end replicas."

"A person should know their place. I wouldn't have the nerve to walk around wearing a fake like this, just asking to be ridiculed."

"What, are you going to claim you're the distinguished guest from the Weyland Group? The mysterious Mr. Weyland that President Weyland supposedly spoils rotten?"

As soon as he finished, the crowd erupted in another round of unbridled laughter. To them, the idea was utterly absurd.

Who was Rhea? A business legend who could turn the tides with a flick of her wrist, a ruthless and decisive woman who struck fear into the hearts of her competitors.

And me? In their eyes, I was just a pathetic wretch that Kathy had thrown out like trash five years ago.

In their minds, even if the world were to end, the names Rhea and Simon could never be connected in any way.

Nate smugly lifted his chin at me. "Simon, that replica is actually quite nice. Why don't you sell it to me? I'll give you double whatever you paid for it."

I watched them with cold eyes, hiding my wrist behind my back, and warned in a low voice, "Don't touch it. It was a gift from Rhea."

Before I could finish, Kathy, apparently taking my protectiveness over a "fake" as a personal affront, slapped me hard across the face.

I fought through the stinging pain in my cheek and stared at her with icy eyes.

"Shut up!" she glared at me. "Who do you think you are to say Ms. Weyland's name? Are you trying to start rumors and drag me down with you?!"

Her sycophantic followers chimed in, their eyes burning with hostility.

"Simon, have you lost your mind?"

"This is a huge day for our group. We need to make a good impression on Mr. Weyland for a massive collaboration between our companies! If you dare to screw this up, we'll kill you!"

"Kathy worked her ass off to get where she is. How dare a loser she threw away show up and pretend to be Mr. Weyland? Do you have a death wish?"

I wiped the blood from the corner of my mouth and slowly turned my head to meet Kathy's gaze.

Perhaps my calm, cold stare unsettled her. She frowned, a flicker of unease in her eyes.

Nate, sensing the shift in atmosphere, raised his voice and cursed.

"Simon, you ungrateful bastard! Kathy was kind enough to offer you a lifeline, and this is how you repay her? Have you no shame? Even if you're still bitter, you don't get to joke about something this important!"

Listening to his twisted logic, I felt like I was back five years ago. Back then, no matter what I did, Nate was always there, fanning the flames and shifting all the blame onto me.

At first, Kathy would occasionally argue with him. But over time, she was completely brainwashed and started using the same tone to manipulate me.

Just like always, Kathy gave me a disappointed look and murmured, "You'll never learn, will you?"

But this time, she didn't launch into one of her endless lectures. After a pause, Kathy pulled out a check for two hundred thousand dollars and held it up to my face.

"For the sake of our past years together, I'll let what you did today slide. Take this money and go buy yourself some decent clothes. If you really don't want to be a bodyguard for the child, I'll have the administrative department find you a menial position in a few days."

"Take it. With my current status and wealth in the company, this little bit of change is nothing to me."

I glanced at the check. Then I looked at her.

The condescending posture, the stench of new money in her words... it all made me feel a little sad for her.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, I raised my hand and pushed away the hand holding the check.

I said flatly, "Keep your money. I don't want it."

Ignoring a furious Kathy, I turned and started to leave.

I had only taken a few steps when she rushed up and grabbed my arm, her voice low. "Simon, you won't even take my money? What's that supposed to mean? Are you trying to burn this bridge for good?"

I looked at her. "Since we broke up a long time ago, we should keep our distance. I don't want my wife to get the wrong idea."

An image of my fiercely protective wife flashed through my mind. Rhea would never tolerate another woman getting this close.

But Kathy clearly misunderstood. She glanced smugly at Nate, who was standing nearby, thinking she had seen through my game of playing hard to get.

"In three days, our group's CEO is hosting a top-tier welcome banquet for the representative from the Weyland Group. I was originally planning to take you and show you what a real high-society circle looks like. But on one condition, you have to get rid of that shabby outfit. I can't be seen with you looking like that."

Before she could finish, I cut her off. "No, thank you."

Being rejected so bluntly again, Kathy's face turned ugly. The hand she had raised stiffly fell back to her side. I could almost hear her grinding her teeth.

"Simon, you've certainly grown a temper, but you still have that cheap, unrefined air about you. It's probably for the best that you don't go. I'll take Nate instead."

Nate's eyes lit up at the prospect of attending such a high-profile banquet. He took Kathy's arm, pledging his loyalty.

"Kathy, don't worry. I'll be on my best behavior. I absolutely won't embarrass you at an event like that."

I had zero interest in their third-rate soap opera. I shook her hand off and walked away, leaving them with one last sentence. "I hope you're all still smiling in three days."

Stepping out of the airport terminal and breathing in the cool, fresh air, my mood finally began to lift.

Five years ago, facing an arranged business marriage forced upon me by my family, I made one last desperate attempt.

I ran to Kathy, my girlfriend of seven years, and begged her to marry me first. As long as we were legally married, my family would be powerless.

Kathy readily agreed. But when I arrived at City Hall, full of hope, I found her standing beside her childhood friend, Nate.

"Nate's son needed legal papers. The only way was for me to marry Nate."

"As soon as the boy's situation is settled, I'll file for divorce and marry you. It will only be a month at most. It's all for the child, so don't overthink it."

Watching Kathy and Nate walk hand in hand into the registry office, my heart died completely for our relationship. That same night, I signed the marriage agreement.

A month later, I had a wedding of the century and became Rhea's husband. In our first year of marriage, we welcomed our eldest son.

Recently, my wife found out she was pregnant with our second child.

If it weren't for her wanting me to take the opportunity to visit my parents and share the good news, I would never have set foot in this city again, let alone run into Kathy and her cronies.

Three days later, I arrived at the welcome banquet alone.

Thanks to the exclusive black card Rhea had arranged for me, I breezed through security. I had cleaned myself up a bit but was still wearing a simple suit.

The moment Kathy saw me, her eyes lit up, and a satisfied smile played on her lips. "So you do want me back after all."

"But if you're trying to win me back by playing hard to get, you could have at least dressed for the occasion. This is a complete embarrassment."

I completely ignored her arrogant tirade and walked straight past her, heading towards the VIP head table at the far end of the hall.

I had only taken two steps when Kathy rushed to block my path. "Simon, did you not hear me talking to you? Our company's seats are over here. Where do you think you're going?"

I forcefully shook off her hand, my voice calm. "That's your seat. My seat is over there."

Following my gaze, Kathy looked towards the most prestigious and heavily guarded head table in the entire ballroom. Her face instantly turned incredibly pale.

Nate, who had been holding court with a glass of champagne among other rich kids, noticed the commotion and pointed at me, shouting, "Simon, how did you get in here?! Did you steal someone's invitation?! Security! And how dare you show up here wearing that fake watch and embarrass yourself?!"

His sharp voice cut through the noise, drawing everyone's attention.