Nowa Bar was the most luxurious bar in Tumbrin, with the presidential private room requiring a minimum spend of 88,888 dollars.

At this moment, Caroline was in a bold red dress that accentuated her allure.

She stood at the center of attention among several young, wealthy men.

I know all these men. They were regulars at the bar.

The transformation of Caroline, usually gentle and calm, into an imposing queen shocked me.

Beside her was a familiar male celebrity, Jasper.

The two of them drank from a glass of wine in front of me.

Jasper said, "Caroline, thanks for paving the way for me in the entertainment industry over the years. Let's toast to our friendship."

Another young man teased, "Caroline, I hear you're still dating that poor guy. He probably doesn't know all his earnings are going to support others. I admire your skill in pretending to be sick to force him to break up."

Another person was grinning, "I heard he sold his house and borrowed from everywhere for you. Such a dedicated person. If I weren't a guy, I'd want to marry him."

Caroline surveyed the room and replied calmly, "I'm just playing with him. We'll break up when I'm tired of him."

After saying that, every man pulled out their bank cards for her.

"Caroline, I'm willing to admit defeat!"

"You're awesome. You've been playing with a low-class guy for five years. I can't do it."

"You are not really in love with him, are you? You are the daughter of the Wilson Group, and he is just a low-level worker. The gap between your status is too big, and he is not worthy of you."

At this, Caroline laughed lightly, "After I find a reason to break up with him, I'll date someone else."

The men eagerly jostled to catch Caroline's attention.

"Pick me, Caroline. I'm obedient."

"I'm strong."

This scene overwhelmed me.

After three years of courting and five years of loving, I had placed everything on the line for her, even accumulating debt.

Yet, I was now labeled the "poor man" and "low-level man" by the very people she entertained.

My unwavering love for her had become a mere wager among them.

I could no longer endure this betrayal.

I flung open the door, removed my hat, and tore off my mask in front of everyone.

Caroline was startled, "Honey..."

She quickly shifted to a less intimate tone, asking, "Micah, why are you here?"

I replied with a cold smile, "I work here. Why else would I be here? You claimed to be home watching dramas, yet here you are, drinking with someone else?

"Caroline, do you find cheating funny? You, the daughter of the Wilson Group, have toyed with me, a man from the bottom of society, for five years!

"You've never lacked money, yet you waste my hard-earned cash. To you, money is just numbers. But to me, it's the hope of survival. You heartless woman, I misjudged you."

A group of men in the box stood up, glaring at me, their red wine glasses gripped tightly as if ready to strike.

Jasper sneered, "So you are Caroline's useless boyfriend! Do you know who we are? How dare you yell here? I can ensure you won't see tomorrow's sun."

Anger surged within me. "Caroline! You'd better give me an explanation now!"

As I spoke, the men advanced, surrounding me.

"Get out of the way!"

Caroline's voice was familiar yet chilling.

She approached, looking down at me disdainfully, her gaze as if I were a piece of garbage.

"Micah, I was thinking about how to tell you the truth without hurting your self-esteem.

"But it seems you already know.

"So be it."

My vision blurred with rage. "What do you mean 'so be it.'? Caroline, explain it to me clearly."

Caroline turned elegantly, exposing her smooth back, and coldly commanded, "Throw him out."

In an instant, I was punched and kicked, the pain igniting my adrenaline as I fought back.

The wealthy boys dared to smash a wine bottle over my head, my blood mingling with tears as my vision faded.

I was dragged out of the box.

Before I lost consciousness, I caught a glimpse of Caroline's gaze.

She was looking at me.

Would she feel heartbroken over my injuries?

Probably not.

My heart felt like it was being sliced open, tears and blood flowing together.

My years of love had finally gone to waste.

I was thrown into the bushes outside the bar, and the rich guys urinated on me as they walked away.

The night wind stung.

It was painfully cold.

I might as well have died like this.

Someone said that at the end of life, memories flash before your eyes like a kaleidoscope.

I remembered the moment I first met Caroline.

She wore a light white dress and long hair in a thin ponytail, smiling brightly under the willow tree by the lake.

In that instant, she became an indelible light in my heart.

Fate later made us deskmates.

I recalled buying a cup of coffee. Caroline said she was thirsty and drank from the straw I had used.

She showed me two hair clips and asked which was prettier. I chose pink, and she bought it.

The long pavilion on campus witnessed our first date.

The crowded supermarket marked our first hand-holding.

We embraced for the first time under the starry sky, amidst the sound of fireworks on Christmas Eve.

At the Ferris wheel's peak, I confessed to her.

In the movie theater, her head rested on my shoulder.

And in our humble rented room, we made love for the first time until dawn.

...

"Honey, tonight I'm making you the crab cake I just learned to cook!"

It was my favorite dish, especially in the fall when crabs are at their freshest.

I had hoped this fall would be bountiful, but I didn't foresee the heartache it would bring.

I expected to enjoy her hand-cooked crab cakes after a long day.

But instead, I witnessed her drinking with another man in a bar.

To my shock, her relationship with me was just a bet.

They betted on whether Caroline would spend five years with me.

Overwhelmed with grief, I laughed bitterly before losing consciousness.

When I woke up again, it was two days later.

My body was full of tubes, and the instrument was monitoring my heartbeat. I was temporarily out of danger.

"Micah, you finally woke up," a familiar voice said.

"Lucia, am I still alive?" I asked, slowly opening my eyes.

Lucia said, "Of course! As I rushed out of the bar that night, I found you were freezing and almost stopped breathing. Luckily, I got you to the hospital in time. The doctor said that if we had come any later, you'd die."

I managed a weak smile. "Thank you, Lucia, for saving me."

Lucia was the manager at the bar.

She had always treated me well and saved me in time. I owed her my life again.

Why would I say that?

It wasn't my first fainting spell.

Lucia hesitated to speak, "Micah, the doctor said that you have overdrawn your body too much, and your organs are aging like someone in their seventies or eighties. You can't work so hard anymore, you must rest well."

I smiled bitterly and said, "Lucia, I know my health problems, I know my condition, but I still have a loan of ten thousand dollars to repay every month.

"I can't stop."

Lucia said she would help me find a solution and let me rest well.

But I knew my time was running out.

This health crisis from overwork felt like a ticking time bomb.

I feared I didn't have many days left to live.