Scott had always felt like a sanctuary to me.

That was why I had sacrificed so much—scrimping, saving, and suffering—just to keep him afloat. I truly believed I was building a future, cultivating a family of my own.

But the scene unfolding before me shattered that illusion.

"Just remember who really matters," Scott's mother lectured, her voice low. "Fanny has waited years for you. Once you grab that diploma, dump that city woman and come home to marry Fanny."

Scott hummed in agreement as the waiter approached. He ordered with abandon, pointing at the priciest dishes on the menu. When his parents advised frugality, he waved them off.

"Relax. I'm loaded."

Once the waiter retreated, Scott leaned in, his voice dripping with smugness I'd never heard before. "It's Christmas. Eleanor knows I send money home this time of year, so she wired me an extra thousand today."

His parents exchanged shocked glances. "How does she make that much?" his father asked, eyes narrowing. "Is she doing something dirty on the side? Looking at the photos you sent... she doesn't look like a decent girl."

Rage boiled in my gut. My hands trembled under the table.

I was the top student in my department, a recognized talent. Yet simply because I was attractive, they assumed I was selling my body?

"She's a top design student," Scott explained, though his tone lacked any real defense. "One sketch fetches a few thousand, easy."

A fair explanation—but his next words poured salt into the wound.

"Anyway, order whatever you want. Eleanor is usually too cheap to bring me to a place like this."

The restaurant was a popular spot near campus—mid-range for most, but a luxury I couldn't afford. Between maintaining my scholarship, freelance work, and sending money to my foster parents, every cent was accounted for. I starved myself to subsidize Scott.

And here he was, burning through my hard-earned cash to feed the very people plotting my downfall.

Bile rose in my throat.

I gripped my phone, staring at the notification from the notary office. The staggering inheritance was the only thing keeping me from flipping the table—a parting gift from my biological parents, divine intervention revealing Scott's true face before it was too late.

Just as I debated confronting him, his father spoke again, voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper.

"If that woman is so good at making money, squeeze her for more. Have you heard of those online loans? Use her information to take some out. Your brother needs tuition money, too."

Scott didn't object. Beside him, Fanny seized the moment, pressing against his arm.

"Scott," she whispered, sickeningly sweet. "Mom and Dad booked a hotel for us nearby. I... I'm ovulating right now."

Her shy admission clarified exactly what kind of people I was dealing with—archaic, feudal, morally bankrupt. And the fact that Scott didn't pull away meant he was exactly the same.

A twisted sense of gratitude washed over me. Thank god I was witnessing this today.

What will you do, Scott?

"We can talk about the breakup later," he said finally.

He hadn't rejected Fanny's obvious invitation. But his next sentence revealed a level of calculation that made my blood run cold.

"I've almost convinced Eleanor to sleep with me. Once I take her virginity, she'll be trapped. I'll string her along after graduation to keep the cash flowing. Even if you give birth to a son, Fanny, we'll need someone to pay for the formula. It's the most cost-effective way."

A chill settled deep in my bones.

I had never realized a human face could hide such rot.

I stared at the notary documents on my phone, the legal text blurring as laughter erupted from the next booth. They were already celebrating a future funded by my money.

A cold knot of hatred tightened in my chest.

Breaking up with Scott wasn't enough. I wanted restitution. I wanted to claw back every cent I'd wasted on him.

More than that, I wanted to ensure that once I was done with him, he'd never crawl out of the hole I dug.

I finished my meal in silence. Once the trio left, I paid and shadowed them into the night.

I watched from a distance as Scott and Fanny disappeared into a cheap motel near campus. The neon sign flickered ominously. It was the exact same place Scott had tried to lure me years ago.

The memory hit me, bitter and sharp.

Back then, Scott had just gotten paid from a part-time gig. He'd taken me to a KTV, where we sang until we missed curfew.

He'd gripped my hand outside this very motel, putting on his most earnest face. "Eleanor, I know it looks rough, but it's better than the street. We can make do for one night."

I'd hesitated, uncomfortable with the grime coating the windows.

Sensing my reluctance, he'd pivoted to the gentleman act. "I just want you to rest. I promise, no other intentions. You take the bed. I'll sit in the chair—or wait outside."

I was naive enough to believe he was just broke but trying. I couldn't bear the thought of him suffering, so I'd dragged him to a 24-hour internet café instead.

I spent that night reviewing notes under harsh fluorescent lights. Scott sat beside me gaming, but he kept glancing over, sighing. "El, if the chair's too hard, we can still go to the motel. I just want you comfortable."

I'd smiled, touched by his "concern." "It's fine, really. This gives me extra study time."

Looking back, I'd been such a fool. He hadn't been concerned about my comfort—he'd been frustrated his cheap plan to get me into bed had failed.

I shook off the past and checked my phone.

I wasn't going to an internet café tonight. I hailed a cab to the finest hotel in the district.

Lying on plush, high-thread-count sheets, a realization hit me.

My money should be for my enjoyment.

Scrimping to support a man was the height of stupidity.

I took a long, hot shower, scrubbing away the grime of the day. When I emerged wrapped in a fluffy robe, I checked my phone. Scott had blown it up.

I scrolled through the barrage of missed calls and texts.

Where are you?

I'm done with family stuff.

Let me take you shopping.

He was anxious. Good.

After letting him stew, I selected a screenshot I'd prepared—a partial view of the inheritance transfer—and hit send.

I followed it with: The notary office contacted me. My biological parents died in an accident. They left everything to me. I've been handling the procedures.

The backstory was tragic, though I felt little grief. My biological parents had spent years searching for me after my grandmother abandoned me for being a girl. My adoptive parents' struggle to conceive had sparked their search.

They'd found me eventually and begged me to come home, but I'd refused. Stubborn.

Who could have predicted an accident would claim them both, leaving their entire estate to the daughter who wouldn't even visit? The notary's notification arrived the very day I'd planned to reject them for good.

Scott knew about my adoption. Not the wealth.

I imagined him staring at that screenshot, greed flaring in his eyes, pupils dilating at the zeroes.

His reply came seconds later.

Where are you? I'm coming right now.

I didn't give my location. Still with the legal team regarding the company acquisition. It's complicated.

He pivoted instantly, his text oozing fake concern. Don't rush. Take it slow. Just be safe, okay? Let me know if you need help.

He didn't ask about the company details. Not yet. The old me would've thought he was being respectful. Now I knew better—he was recalibrating. He needed to solidify his position as "supportive boyfriend" before making his move on the assets.

I went silent for two days.

Let him panic. Let him wonder if his golden goose was flying away.

When I resurfaced, he messaged immediately. My parents haven't left yet. They really want to meet you properly. Dinner?

A cold smile crossed my lips. I wouldn't miss it for the world.

Scott chose the venue—a restaurant with exorbitant prices and a reputation for luxury.

When we sat down, his parents snatched the menus. They didn't read the descriptions—just scanned for the highest prices and pointed.

"We'll take this," his mother said, tapping the most expensive seafood platter. "And this. And a bottle of that red wine."

They ordered like royalty, confident the bill wasn't their problem.

I kept a plaster smile throughout the entire ordeal. No matter what extravagant dish they pointed to, I nodded. Truffles? Abalone? Imported wine?

"Order whatever you like," I said, watching them gorge themselves.

Midway through the meal, Mrs. Whitney finally stopped eating long enough to probe for what she actually cared about.

"So, the company your parents left you—have you finished the paperwork? I heard it's quite substantial. The inheritance must be... significant."

I glanced at Scott. The screenshot I'd sent him earlier showed a bank balance in the tens of thousands—a deliberate lowball. In reality, the liquid assets alone totaled thirty million, not counting the real estate.

"What exactly does this company do?" Mrs. Whitney pressed, grease shining on her lips. "Is it fully yours now?"

I took a delicate bite, masking my disgust as naked greed flared in her eyes.

"It's a tech startup," I lied smoothly. "I have the inheritance rights, yes. But the management... I'm still waiting on the shareholders. I'm thinking of selling some equity to the board. Might be easier to hold a minority stake and live off dividends."

The effect was instantaneous. Scott's parents exchanged looks of pure, predatory hunger.

Mrs. Whitney practically vibrated. "My son is truly blessed to have a girlfriend like you. Sensible and wealthy. You brought your ID, didn't you? Today's an auspicious date. Why don't you two head to the courthouse right now?"

There it was. The Whitney family's strategy to swallow my inheritance whole, laid bare.

I blinked innocently. "Not today, Auntie. I have to rush back to the office after this. My parents' company generates huge profits, and several shareholders are fighting to buy me out. I need to be there for negotiations."

Greed makes people stupid. They wouldn't risk upsetting the golden goose while the money was still being counted.

I finished my meal slowly, watching them mentally spend my fortune. When I was done, I grabbed my purse and stood.

"Uncle, Auntie, I have to run. The board's waiting."

They beamed, practically pushing me out the door to secure "their" fortune. But after closing the private room door, I didn't leave. I slipped into the empty room next door, put on my headphones, and connected to the Bluetooth recorder I'd left under their table.

Their voices came through crystal clear.

"She's actually that rich," Mrs. Whitney marveled. "A company that size... she must have properties, cars, everything. Son, you absolutely have to lock this down."

Scott's voice dripped with arrogance. "Don't worry, Mom. She loves me to death. I could snap my fingers right now, and she'd drop a multi-million dollar meeting just to come back. I have her completely under my thumb."

I scoffed silently.

"Keep things normal with Fanny for now," Mrs. Whitney instructed, her tone dropping to a whisper. "Once you marry Eleanor and get the assets, we're set. Even if Fanny finds out later, or Eleanor finds out about her, who cares? Divorce takes time. If Eleanor tries to leave, we'll squeeze half her property first. Enough for our whole family to live like kings."

"What's a little property settlement?" Scott scoffed. "I want the company. I want to be CEO. That's better than a one-time payout. I want control."

I knew it.

Scott wasn't just a leech—he was a parasite looking to take over the host. Even knowing his true colors, hearing him plot to usurp my parents' legacy made my blood run cold.

He truly never disappointed my lowest expectations.

I waited until sounds of movement indicated they were leaving, retrieved my recorder, then made my way to the exit.

By the time I reached the lobby, the show had started. The Whitneys were surrounded by staff at the front desk.

"Three thousand dollars?!" Scott shrieked, his voice cracking. "What dishes cost three thousand dollars? Are you robbing us?"