Chapter 1

"What a shameless, poor loser."

After five years apart, Luke Bolton humiliated me in public just like that. But the idiot had no idea he was mocking the wife of Gideon York, the richest man everyone wanted to win over today.

Luke walked into the hotel lobby with Cindy Gale on his arm. The business elites around us quickly recognized him, and their faces lit up as they swarmed Luke.

"Mr. Bolton, I never thought I'd see you here at the Alliance Summit. You got your company listed in just five years. That's very impressive for someone so young!" one man said.

Another asked, "Are you here to win Mr. York's support, too?"

Luke gave a small nod, and a murmur of understanding rippled through the crowd. More than half of the guests here had been waiting all day to win the favor of the richest man.

Someone's attention turned to Cindy, and they asked, "This must be Mrs. Bolton, right? The two of you are perfect together!"

Cindy leaned in even closer to Luke. Her smile was gentle.

She said, "It's not official yet. We plan to sign the papers and hold the wedding after the company becomes an industry leader. We'll send you invitations then. Do come and celebrate with us."

Luke's expression turned awkward for a moment, then he forced a half-hearted smile.

"We've both been busy with the company. But we've been dating for years, so the papers and wedding are just formalities."

Another round of congratulations followed.

I listened from the side, feeling a little surprised.

They hadn't gotten married yet?

Luke had proposed to Cindy just days after we broke up. If he had been so eager to gain the Gale family's support, he would have sealed the deal a long time ago. So why was it delayed?

After all, strategic marriages were a crucial way to solidify power in the world of the rich.

Just then, a hotel security guard walked over to me with a stern expression. A quick glance at his name tag told me his name was Bruce Wall.

Bruce said, "Ma'am, this is an eight-star resort. It's not a place outsiders can just wander in."

He swept a disdainful gaze over me, and his lips curled up in a contemptuous smile.

I had just been playing on the beach with my son, Anderson, so my clothes were covered in sand.

Now, I stood drenched and disheveled in the fountain. The stamp on the back of my hand that marked me as a guest had faded, so it was no surprise that they misunderstood me.

I quickly explained, "Sorry, my son's precious gift fell into the fountain. I'll go back to our room once I find it. I'll pay for any damages caused. My room number is—"

Before I could finish, Bruce cut me off impatiently.

"You're just some penniless lowlife who clearly sneaked in. Stop pretending to be a guest and get out!"

His sharp voice quickly drew the attention of everyone around.

"How could someone as lowly as her even be here?" one of the guests murmured.

"She's got some nerve to sneak into a hotel that's hosting a top business summit. Isn't she afraid of getting arrested?" another guest said.

Just then, Luke glanced over, and our eyes met.

He froze on the spot.

"Elisa?"

Bruce looked at him in surprise and asked, "Mr. Bolton, do you know her?"

Luke's expression hardened, and his tone turned scornful.

"She's just a poor student my father once sponsored. I don't really know her."

With that, he looked away. It was as if one more glance at me would dirty his eyes. That was the same look he had given me when he drove me out of his life.

Hearing that, Bruce grew bolder and reached out to shove me.

He said, "So that's how it is. I've seen plenty like you. You received help once and think you can live off men forever."

I dodged his hand. Growing impatient, I said, "I told you I'll leave once I find it, and I'll pay for any damages."

Bruce sneered. His expression was full of scorn.

"Pay? You?" He pointed at the fountain's sculpture. "Do you even know what this is? It was hand-carved by a renowned artisan from Panole, and it's worth 37 million dollars.

"Does someone as poor as you even know how many zeros are in that amount? You couldn't afford it even if you sold yourself."

He reached out to grab me again.

Perhaps 37 million dollars was a huge sum to him and enough to surprise most people. But to me, that kind of small change was nothing.

"That's enough." Luke, who had been heading to the elevator, suddenly turned back.

As he walked over, he was expressionless. His gaze was cold. It was as if he were looking at a stranger.

"What are you looking for? How much is it? I'll give you the money," Luke said to me.

"Stop trying to get my attention like this," he added in disgust. "These cheap tricks won't work on me. I'm not interested in people like you."

Cindy tightened her grip on Luke's arm. She kept a sweet smile on her face, but her eyes gleamed with triumph and malice.

She said, "Elisa, Luke and I are getting married soon. I know you're bitter about being dumped, but someone poor like you could never be part of upper-class society. There's no way you and Luke could ever work out.

"So instead of making a fool of yourself here, why don't you leave quietly and keep what little dignity you have left?"

I merely smiled slightly and kept my tone sincere.

"I hope the two of you have a wonderful life together."

With that, I ignored them and crouched down to keep feeling around the fountain.

It was the first birthday gift Anderson's father had gotten for him, and it meant the world to my son.

"What will it take for you to leave?" Luke asked sharply. "Or are you asking for more?"

He pulled out his phone impatiently and said, "Fine, I'll arrange a position for you at Bolton Group's Effron branch. Start next week, and never show up in front of me again.

"Only Cindy will ever become my wife. Those two years with you were just a show of pity to someone weaker.

"This job should be enough for you to start over. Find an ordinary man who suits your status and stop wasting your time on me."

Suddenly, his finger stopped mid-swipe.

The information on his phone drained the color from his face.

"What happened to your old records under Bolton Group? What crime did you commit to get your personal records wiped out?"