I didn't expect to see my boyfriend, Liam Smith, at the banquet.

He wore a suit I had never seen before. In this setting, he was the center of attention.

I watched as he poured a one-million-dollar glass of red wine into the pool.

He mocked, "Is this kind of wine even worthy for Jane to drink?"

Just three days ago, he timidly asked me if he could borrow ten thousand dollars.

I stared blankly as his arm wrapped around a young girl's slender waist. The girl kept waving her hand. "Mr. Smith, you don't need to buy these for me. I don't need them."

I saw her surrounded by luxurious jewelry and haute couture dresses from the auction.

I had only seen these things online.

Her cheeks were flushed with shyness. Her eyes were sparkling. "Mr. Smith, you're too good to me."

Liam circled her waist and tapped her nose. "You're so happy. Shouldn't you make me happy too?"

Amidst the laughter, he saw me.

Liam looked at me calmly, seemingly not surprised at all. The girl looked at me curiously. "Mr. Smith, do you know her?"

Liam smiled. "Yes. She's the clingy one I can't get rid of."

The girl looked at me with some disgust, holding Liam's arm cautiously.

I just stared at him in a daze.

I had been with Liam for three years.

In those three years, I worked three jobs to support him, until I developed a stomach ulcer. I wore the most worn-out sneakers to buy him the Air Jordans he liked, just to see his surprised face when he received the gift.

For him, I sold the keepsake my sister left me, only to find out it was just the price of a glass of wine to him. And he was from a rich family.

From beginning to end, he had been playing me.

He seemed like a god, watching me struggle and humiliate myself to please him. It was as if watching a joke.

I suddenly felt exhausted.

Amidst the laughter, I took off my silver ring and threw it in the trash. I heard someone ask if they should follow me to prevent suicide. Liam mocked, "She wouldn't dare."

But in the next second, he suddenly pushed the girl away and said in disgust, "Don't get so close to me. You're filthy."

It started raining heavily without me noticing.

I walked numbly in the rain, feeling like what had just happened was a dream.

A car stopped beside me. The window rolled down, revealing a familiar face. "Get in."

I didn't move.

He shook the jade pendant in his hand.

It was my sister's keepsake.

I got into Adam Williams' car.

Adam drove a Ferrari. Such a flashy car matched his personality.

The rain pounded on the car windows. Inside, it was warm and safe, like another world.

The car's air conditioning made me a bit cold. I instinctively curled up, and Adam handed me his jacket.

I didn't expect to meet him here.

Adam was the CEO of my company. I was just a low-level employee. I didn't think we had any connection.

But I knew Liam hated him.

I had seen news reports about Adam on Liam's phone. I asked him why he cared about my boss. Liam snorted. "I just hate how arrogant he is."

Liam was always so cold and detached. I rarely saw him so emotional. I remembered Adam then.

They seemed to have a grudge.

I followed him to the villa. He told me where the bathroom was. I didn't move. He raised an eyebrow. "Are you afraid I'll force myself on you?"

He was smiling. I felt utterly ashamed.

Yeah, how could he.

A man like him had countless women. Why would he?

When I came out after the shower, he was waiting for me. There was a plate of spaghetti in front of me. It looked delicious, but I didn't eat it.

I asked him, "Mr. Williams, how did you get that jade pendant?"

Adam sat loosely beside me and said casually, "I saw you at the pawnshop and bought it. You were crying when you sold it. If it's so precious, why sell it?"

I didn't know what to say.

It was left to me by my sister.

Even in the toughest times, I never thought of selling it. But how could I bear to let Liam suffer?

Not long ago, he told me his grandma was seriously ill and needed a hundred thousand dollars.

"Alice, help me. Or my grandma will die."

He looked so anxious. His eyes were teary, and my heart softened immediately. I said hesitantly, "But I only have a little over ten thousand in savings... I'll borrow some."

I sent countless messages and only borrowed five thousand. Seeing Liam's troubled look, I touched the now blackened red string around my neck and said through gritted teeth, "Don't worry, I'll take care of it."

"Alice, you're so good."

Liam hugged me.

His body had a pleasant smell, which reassured me.

I had no family left in this world. Liam was my boyfriend. I wanted to give him everything good and couldn't bear to see him troubled.

But I was a joke.

The one and only in the world.

I took the jade pendant and carefully put it around my neck. "Mr. Williams, I will repay you," I said.

"I don't want money. You know what I want," Adam said.

Adam said, gently touching my cheek.

Unlike Liam's slightly cool body temperature, his fingertips were hot. My body trembled.

I instinctively turned my head, but I quickly realized I couldn't repay this money.

I mustered up the courage and gently grabbed his coat.

Adam threw me onto the bed.

When he pressed down on me, I was so nervous that I couldn't stop trembling.

The unfamiliar aura made me shiver. I clenched my teeth. After a long time, he finally sighed softly.

He pinched my chin.

"So nervous?" he asked in a low voice.

His eyelashes brushed my cheek, making me even more nervous. For some reason, I suddenly started crying. The tears kept flowing.

"Do you hate me that much?" Adam asked, sounding a bit helpless.

"I... I'm just scared."

I knew it was lame of me, but I couldn't control it. Adam reached out and gently wiped my cheek. His palm was broad and warm.

For some reason, I was quite afraid he'd get mad and hit me.

But then his tone suddenly softened, "It's my fault for scaring you so much."

What was he saying?

I widened my eyes, feeling a gentle kiss fall on my lips.

I never knew a kiss could be so gentle.

Because Liam rarely kissed me.

Honestly, it's embarrassing to say, but I was the one who pursued Liam.

I saw him being beaten up at the bar entrance for not being able to pay, so I took him home.

He looked at me profoundly and suddenly smiled. "You like me?"

His smile was so bright that I was stunned.

Then, somehow, we ended up together.

I liked Liam a lot, even though his temper was a bit strange.

He would get angry for no reason and sometimes look at me impatiently. I thought it was because his parents had died when he was young.

We were the same kind of people.

In this world, we would be each other's only lover and salvation.

Looking at Liam was like seeing myself, yet we were so different.

I didn't want him to walk the path I had taken but to live in sunlight and love.

So, when he said he wanted to drop out of school, I immediately offered to support him.

Liam raised his eyebrow and said, "You'll support me? Do you know what you're saying? Do you have that much money?"

"No matter what, you have to stay in school."

He suddenly smiled and gently patted my head. "Alice, you're so good to me."

But I never expected to become such a big joke.

I was his doormat, just a joke for his idle moments.

Thinking this, I suddenly felt a destructive courage. I didn't care about giving myself to Adam since no one in this world loved me anyway.

My hands trembled as I tried to take off my clothes, but Adam laid me down on the bed.

His forehead touched mine as he said, "Sleep."

"You... You don't want to..."

"I'm not that bad," he said.

I thought Adam would leave, but he lay on the bed holding me.

I was not used to sleeping with him. Liam and I had never slept together.

Adam had a crisp scent. His arms were so tight around me, making me uncomfortable.

He said hoarsely, "Sleep."

I didn't know what would happen if I didn't sleep, so I quickly closed my eyes.

I didn't understand why Adam let me go. Maybe he had too many women and suddenly found me boring.

Even I didn't expect to fall asleep so quickly.

And that's how I ended up living in Adam's villa.

I didn't know what my status was and didn't dare suggest leaving. After all, I owed him a hundred thousand dollars.

I wasn't naive enough to think that sleeping with him for one night would clear my debt.

When Adam wasn't around, I cleaned his house thoroughly. I thought he would be happy, but he frowned and grabbed my hand. "What are you doing?"

"You... You don't like it? Or do you think I didn't clean well? I'm sorry."

I knew I was clumsy.

Although I came from a poor background, I was not good at housework and was always scolded by my dad as worthless.

Liam was very clean and needed his clothes washed every day, so I naturally helped him with that. One day, as usual, I ironed his clothes, and he suddenly got furious.

"Alice, did you do this on purpose? Don't you know this fabric can't take high heat? Do you know how much this costs?"

Although I didn't know what had happened, I quickly apologized and never dared to touch Liam's jacket again.