This time, she was determined to break the habit. She wouldn't go there again.

Nikki tried on the ring and went home alone. As she passed by the bar, a group of drunken men blocked her path.

"Well, if it isn’t the fake Bray daughter."

"The Hewitt brothers are throwing a bachelorette party for the real one tonight. Didn’t you know?" One of them sneered. "Since you couldn’t climb your way up to the Hewitt family, why not settle for us instead…?"

They were infamous playboys in the circle. In the past, they wouldn’t have dared to look Nikki in the eye when the Hewitt brothers were around. But now, emboldened by alcohol, their lecherous gazes raked over her as they surrounded her, hands reaching out to grope her.

Nikki frowned, inhaling sharply. She turned to leave, but they forcibly stopped her. Panic surged through her as she struggled, desperately hoping for someone—anyone—to help.

Then, a voice rang out behind her.

"Let her go!"

It was Howard.

Relief flooded Nikki’s face as she looked at him, gratitude in her eyes. But the moment she met his gaze—along with Brad and Lora’s—her heart sank.

There was no concern.

Only disgust.

"Sister," Lora sighed, her delicate features tinged with disappointment. "Even if you can't marry Howard or Brad, you shouldn’t throw yourself at random men..." Her voice was soft, almost pitying. "I may have grown up poor, but even I know that a woman should keep her dignity. Are you really willing to degrade yourself like this—just to retaliate against me? Or is marrying into a wealthy family worth losing all self-respect?"

The tears that had welled in Nikki’s eyes from the earlier assault froze in disbelief. "It wasn’t—"

Brad cut her off with a sneer. "I think she’s just desperate enough to take whatever she can get."

His voice was cold, dripping with disdain. "Nikki, I really misjudged you. For years, you clung to me and my brother, and I could at least respect your persistence. But this?" He let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "You realize you can’t get into the Hewitt family, so you throw yourself at the first pack of dogs you find? When I think of all those years I spent with you as a kid, I feel sick."

Howard stepped forward, his expression unreadable but his tone cutting. "So this is the person who said she wanted to change her marriage partner?" He scoffed. "Lora was right. You really are cheap."

On the crowded street, passersby had already gathered, whispering among themselves, their gazes filled with judgment. The socialites who followed the Hewitt brothers smirked, adding fuel to the fire.

"She really is a disgrace. A fake through and through."

"Acts all innocent on the surface, but flirts with men behind closed doors. Who knows how many people she’s slept with already? She’s nothing compared to Lora!"

For three years, Nikki had fallen from her pedestal, from the life of a wealthy heiress to rock bottom. She had endured countless rumors, endured being looked down upon.

But this—

This was the first time Howard and Brad had humiliated her so openly, without a second thought.

Her lips quivered, but before she could say anything, she met their eyes.

There was no hesitation. No regret. Just sheer contempt, as if she were nothing more than filth beneath their shoes.

It was suffocating.

Her mind reeled back to the past—the laughter, the warmth, the way Howard and Brad had once looked at her with genuine care. But those memories shattered against the harsh reality of the present.

The crowd’s taunts grew louder, their laughter cutting through her like a blade.

And the two men who once meant everything to her stood silently, making no effort to stop it.

Then—something cold from her hand.

The diamond ring.

It landed with a sharp clink, jarring her back to reality.

Right.

The man she was going to marry wasn’t them.

That thought alone was enough to steady her.

Nikki swallowed back her emotions, lowered her gaze, and without a word, turned on her heel. Tears clung to her lashes, but she only let out a cold, bitter smile as she walked away.

Howard’s expression darkened. His brows furrowed as he called after her.

"Don’t you have anything to say?"

"Sister, that diamond ring on your hand is gorgeous!"

Lora’s eyes sparkled as she caught sight of the dazzling gem. Without hesitation, she grabbed Nikki’s hand, gasping in awe. "Is this the Graff Pink Heart diamond—the one and only in the world?"

Then, her tone darkened. "Could this be the wedding ring that Howard and Brad prepared for me? It’s stunning..."

Nikki winced as Lora’s grip tightened painfully around her fingers. Before she could pull away, Brad—who had been standing nearby—noticed Lora’s interest. Without a second thought, he forcibly yanked the ring off Nikki’s finger and handed it to Lora as if offering a prized possession.

His voice was filled with irritation. "Brother, when did you even get a wedding ring? Are you seriously thinking about marrying this fake, who shamelessly flirts around?"

Howard’s sharp gaze flickered between the ring and Nikki’s face. His voice was cold and firm. "That’s impossible."

Lora blinked innocently. "Then... Could it be that one of those playboys from earlier, or maybe some other man, gave it to my sister?"

Nikki watched as Lora slid the ring onto her own finger. Ignoring the pain still stinging her hand, she quickly reached out, her face turning icy. "Give it back! It’s mine!"

But just as her fingertips grazed Lora’s, Howard seized her arm with a bruising grip. His eyes were dark, his voice laced with warning.

"It’s only been a few days, and you've already latched onto someone else? Nikki, are you really this cheap? Have you forgotten how you were just begging to marry us?"

Brad scoffed. "Maybe she bought it herself to force a marriage. Whatever. Lora likes it, so let her wear it. The wedding isn’t happening anyway—no need for you to keep a ring."

Nikki’s composure finally shattered. The emotions she had been holding back burst forth as she watched Lora—safely shielded behind them—smiling sweetly, admiring the ring in her hand.

Her breathing grew heavy.

Then, unable to contain herself any longer, she lunged forward.

"That’s my ring! Give it back!"

It wasn’t just a wedding ring—it was the last glimmer of light in her life.

The symbol of David’s trust and kindness was brought to her from across thousands of miles of ocean.

The only warmth she had left.

Lora shrank back, trembling. She looked at Nikki with wide, fearful eyes, hiding behind Howard as if she were some helpless victim.

Before Nikki could even reach her, Brad and Howard blocked her path.

Brad’s expression darkened. With zero hesitation, he shoved her backward—straight onto the street.

"Are you insane? It’s just a ring! After everything you’ve stolen from Lora over the years, you still have the audacity to fight her for this?"

Nikki stumbled, losing her balance.

A car screeched to a halt just inches from her, the blaring honk making her heart pound in terror.

Brad’s eyes flickered with surprise for a moment, but his annoyance quickly returned. "If you hadn’t fought like a lunatic, none of this would’ve happened. Stop acting pitiful."

Howard strode forward, grabbing her by the wrist and yanking her back, but his face was twisted with fury.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Throwing yourself away like this just to force us into marriage? And now, you’re even willing to risk your life?"

Lora hesitated before pulling the ring off her finger and tossing it aside.

"Sister, I… I don’t want to take anything from you. But please, stop forcing Howard and Brad!"

The diamond ring hit the pavement with a sharp clink, rolling away as tiny reflections of light danced across its surface.

Nikki clenched her teeth, ignoring the pain from her swollen ankle as she staggered forward. Her bloodshot eyes locked onto the ring.

She reached for it.

But just as her fingertips brushed the pavement, a foot shot out and kicked her down.

She hit the ground hard.

Laughter erupted.

It was one of Howard’s so-called friends.

"Hahaha! Look at her!"

"Howard, I invited her for drinks tonight, but she acted all high and mighty, pretending she was too good for us! And now? She comes crawling back, diamond rings in her hand, trying to force a marriage?"

He sneered, shaking his head.

"Didn’t expect this bootlicker to be so desperate!"

Nikki’s forehead slammed into the ground, and a blinding white light flashed in her vision. Pain shot through her skull as she slowly opened her eyes, the sound of laughter around her fading into a distant hum.

At that moment, only one thought consumed her.

Thank God... the wedding ring wasn’t lost.

She lay sprawled on the pavement, reaching out with trembling fingers, just inches away from the ring—when a pair of spotless leather shoes suddenly appeared in front of her.

Brad bent down, plucking the ring from between the bricks, and stared down at her with a smug expression.

"Nikki, what kind of pathetic show are you putting on? You scared Lora to tears."

"My ring..."

Brad studied her pale face and the miserable state of her body, his brows knitting together in slight distaste.

For a moment, it almost seemed like he was offering her the ring. His fingers extended toward her, stopping barely a centimeter away from her own.

Then, just as her breath hitched in hope, his lips curled into a smirk.

Straightening up, he casually tossed the ring into the air. It spun in a gleaming arc under the night sky—before plunging straight into the fountain in the middle of the street.

Right at that moment, the timed music played, and with a loud bang, the fountain erupted, sending powerful jets of water spraying in all directions.

Nikki’s eyes widened in horror as she watched the ring vanish beneath the surging water. Her whole body went rigid, a freezing sensation crawling through her veins.

She lifted her gaze to Brad in a daze, her breath caught in her throat. It was as if all the blood in her body had turned to ice.

Brad, no longer wearing his smug expression, had already turned away to console Lora gently.

"Don't worry, Lora. I'll order an even better one for you tomorrow. That fake ring was cheap anyway—I mean, Nikki wore it."

Lora huddled into Howard’s arms, her voice soft and pitiful. "Sister scratched my hand just now... It really hurts. She’s so scary. She’s never like this in front of Mom and Dad."

Brad’s voice dropped to a commanding tone. "Nikki, come here and apologize to Lora!"

But as he turned around, his expression shifted.

Nikki wasn’t standing there.

She was struggling to get up, her body covered in dust and grime. Her hair was disheveled, her clothes a mess, one of her high heels broken.

Then, barefoot and pale, she suddenly sprinted into the fountain.

Desperation fueled her movements as she plunged into the icy water, her hands frantically searching every crevice, every gap between the tiles—like a madwoman chasing a ghost.

Brad and Howard watched, momentarily stunned.

"It’s just a ring," Brad muttered, frowning. "Why is she acting like this?"

His brows furrowed deeper, his voice dropping in disbelief. "She just wants to marry me... doesn’t she?"

Howard’s sharp gaze swept over Nikki’s trembling figure. He noticed the deep scratches on her legs from earlier, the way her red-rimmed eyes stood out against her ghostly pale face.

The freezing winter air turned the water on her heavy coat into sheets of ice. Yet, even as her entire body grew numb, she didn’t stop searching.

She didn’t even hear the onlookers whispering.

"Tsk tsk... She’s really willing to do anything just to marry one of them."

"Pathetic. No dignity at all."

Spit landed near her, followed by mocking laughter.

But Nikki heard none of it.

At that moment, nothing else mattered.

She had to find that ring.

The one David gave her.

Over the years of chasing after the Hewitt brothers, she had already lost every shred of pride.

This wedding ring—this last, ridiculous token—was all she had left.

Her final scrap of dignity.

Brad and Howard exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.

Lora suddenly clutched her chest, her lips trembling. "I feel a little faint... I was so scared just now..."

Both men instantly snapped to attention, their focus shifting back to her. Without hesitation, they picked her up and hurried to the car.

Meanwhile, Nikki remained in the freezing fountain, her fingers numb, her entire body trembling violently.

Yet she kept searching.

Her wide, tear-filled eyes scanned the depths of the water, even as her frozen tears crystallized against her skin, turning into layers of salt.