They threw me out without a second thought. I stood at the entrance of the banquet hall, staring at the city lights stretching into the distance.

I stood there as memories flooded back, years collapsing into moments. I remembered the first time I saw Lillian.

She had big, loose curls and wore bold red lipstick. Her gray business suit fit perfectly. She was stunning.

The more I got to know her, the more I realized her personality matched her appearance. She was passionate, determined, and full of fire.

Lillian told me her dream was to become a CEO, to achieve financial freedom and escape the fate of being just a housewife. She said her life was meant for ambition and success.

That version of her had completely captured my heart. So I worked up the courage to confess.

"Lillian, will you be my girlfriend? I'll treat you right. I'll spend my whole life making you feel like a princess."

Lillian looked down and asked, "Then, would you be willing to take care of our home? For me?"

Her eyes locked on mine, bright and unwavering. Everything around us seemed to fade away, as if only the two of us existed, along with the pounding of my heart.

"I will. For you, I'd do anything, even if it meant dying."

I meant every word, and she could see it.

She smiled. "I will."

Hearing those words, I cried from sheer joy and pulled her into a tight embrace. "Lillian, I'll make you the happiest person in the world."

Lillian nodded. "I hope you mean that."

After that day, Lillian moved in with me. Lillian's situation was different from mine. Her parents had passed away when she was young.

She'd been on her own since college. When she moved in, she held me and cried.

"Thank you, Gavin. Thank you for giving me a happy home."

From then on, I handled all the cooking, laundry, and housework while she focused on her career. We were happy.

When we graduated from college, she decided to start her own business. I offered to work part-time while still managing the household. Lillian hesitated but eventually agreed.

I gave her everything I earned, and Mom handed over her entire retirement fund. Lillian took it all and poured it into her startup.

Unfortunately, the business failed. She ended up drowning in debt.

She came to me in tears. "I'm so sorry, Gavin. I've ruined everything."

I pulled her close. "It's okay, Lily. We'll get through this."

I talked it over with Mom. She borrowed money from relatives while I picked up every odd job I could find. Between the two of us, we scraped together just enough to cover the debt.

Afterward, Lillian held me close. "Meeting you was the luckiest thing that ever happened to me. I promise I'll make this right. I'll give you and your mom the life you deserve."

I believed her without question.

The debt weighed on us constantly. Every purchase required careful thought. We couldn't even afford meat without calculating the cost down to the last cent.

At first, Lillian managed to keep her spirits up. But eventually, the weight of it all crushed her.

Every night when I came home from my shifts, she'd greet me with cold silence. I'd quietly tidy up the house and eat whatever leftovers were in the fridge, trying not to disturb her.

When I didn't react to her mood, she'd explode.

"Look at other husbands! Successful. Providers. Now look at you.

"Do you know who the most pathetic man in the world is? You!"

I swallowed my tears and finished my meal, then headed back out for another shift. She had no idea how many times I'd collapsed from exhaustion while trying to pay off her debts.

That night, I didn't sleep at all. The next morning, I got up early and cleaned the entire house before she left for work.

A few days later, Lillian told me she wanted to start another business. She asked me for money. But I had nothing left to give.

When I couldn't produce what she wanted, she turned on me. "You're the most useless person in this house. All you do is clean. What else can you possibly offer?"

The words lodged in my throat. I couldn't respond. She simply stormed out, slamming the door behind her.

To raise the money she needed, I took on even more work. I delivered packages during the day and hauled freight at night. The relentless schedule destroyed my health.

Several times, I pushed myself so hard while moving cargo that I coughed up blood. But I couldn't afford a hospital visit. Mom noticed how terrible I looked and broke down crying.

I tried to reassure her. "Mom, it's fine. Lily's going to give us a better life."

She nodded, desperate to believe me. I never imagined she'd stage a car accident behind my back.

By the time I reached the hospital, she was barely clinging to life. She grabbed my hand, her grip weak. "Take care of Lily, son. I just want you to be happy."

"Don't leave, Mom. Please. I'm calling Lillian. Just hold on..."

I dialed frantically, but she didn't pick up. By the time Mom took her last breath, Lillian still hadn't answered. I collapsed over my mother's body, sobbing until everything went dark.

When the insurance payout came through, I gave every cent to Lillian. She wrapped her arms around me. "Gavin, I promise I'll take care of you and your mom. We'll be happy."

Tears streamed down my face. "Mom's dead. This money is from her life insurance. She said she just wanted us to be happy."

Lillian staggered back. She reached out and wiped the tears from my face. "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I was buried in work that day and didn't see your calls.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise."

She held me as I broke down.

Lillian took the money and launched her second venture. This time, she succeeded. Almost overnight, she became one of the wealthiest women in Carrington's elite circles.

That was when I met Morgan.

The first time Lillian brought me to meet him, she couldn't stop praising him the entire way there. She kept calling him her best friend, so I assumed he was a woman.

Only when we sat down did I realize he was a man.

Morgan introduced himself with easy confidence. "Nice to meet you. I'm Morgan Sullivan.

"I just got back from abroad. Lily and I grew up together, and I'm her closest friend."

He emphasized "closest" deliberately. The hostility was obvious.

When it came time to order, I reached for the menu. Morgan snatched it away with a laugh. "Gavin, you've never taken Lily to restaurants, have you? You probably don't know what she likes."

Instead of defending me, Lillian just smiled. "Gavin stays home. We don't eat out much."

At her response, Morgan looked at me with undisguised contempt. "In that case, I'll cover the bill. I could never let a woman pay."

Lillian sipped her coffee and said nothing. Her silence was worse than any insult. I merely forced down a few bites and left.

Lillian caught up with me outside. "Morgan has depression. Just be patient with him."

So she knew all along. She knew he was deliberately humiliating me, yet she still chose his side.

I looked at her coldly. "Will you marry me?"

She didn't answer right away.

After a long pause, she finally answered. "My career isn't stable yet. Let me get things settled first, and then we'll get married. I promise."

"Okay."

Then I waited five years.

I thought she'd become my bride. I even prepared a surprise. She'd mentioned wanting a one-carat diamond ring, so I saved up for months to buy it.

I pulled the ring from my pocket and hurled it into the street. People scrambled to grab it. Then I opened my phone to call a ride home and saw Lillian's latest post.

"Grateful to have someone who's always been by my side. Here's to a beautiful marriage." The photo showed her hand intertwined with Morgan's, both wearing wedding rings.

I liked the post.

After that, Lillian sent me a message. "Gavin, Morgan has depression. I'm worried he'll hurt himself. Please just let him have this. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

In the past, I would have agreed without hesitation. But something had shifted. A marriage built on compromise would never bring happiness.

Out of the corner of my eye, a woman approached me. She held out her hand.

"Will you marry me?"