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Through the crowd, Milo recognized my voice and let out an excited bark.

I froze, instinctively wanting to run.

Lucian pinned Milo in place before he could bolt toward me and snapped, "Stop her!"

"I have no idea how these people slipped in. Since it's Milo's birthday, don't draw blood. Just break one of her legs."

His voice dripped with contempt as he looked down at me.

I was awkwardly down on one knee, my mouth gagged, able to make only muffled sounds.

Lucian didn't recognize me through my disguise, but he still hesitated for a split second when he saw my tears.

"Enough. She looks familiar. Just throw her out."

Lucian's men snatched my wallet and tossed me onto the street.

My whole body ached as if I'd been run over. Thankfully, a passerby was kind enough to get me to the hospital.

The nurses pressured me to pay, so I pulled out the joint savings card I shared with Lucian.

We had an agreement: every month we'd both deposit money into it, and once we'd saved enough, we'd move into a bigger place.

I would never have touched that card unless I had absolutely no other choice.

But swipe after swipe, the balance came back zero.

My hands wouldn't stop shaking. In a panic, I checked the transaction history to see where all the money had gone.

The last purchase was six thousand dollars for a new outfit for Milo.

That was money I'd scraped together penny by penny, working eight jobs from dawn to dusk, skipping breakfast and dinner through the gnawing ache in my stomach.

Just before the nurses gave me a final ultimatum, a transfer from my father came through, along with a message:

[Audrey, if you go back on your word again, I won't be merciful.]

I wouldn't go back on my word. Not anymore.

I had turned my back on my family for Lucian, swearing I'd endure any hardship by his side.

Looking back now, I'd been laughably naive.

After settling the bill, Lucian and I arrived home almost at the same time.

When he walked through the door, he was holding a pair of shoes so filthy they were barely recognizable.

They were the ones I'd worn to the heir's banquet earlier that day, the ones I'd just taken off.

They were caked in mud and bloodstains, with splatters of food from the banquet.

Lucian frowned. "Audrey, these shoes still look wearable. Why'd you throw them out?"

I looked at the brand-new outfit on Milo, then at the designer distressed sneakers on Lucian's feet, and finally let out a bitter laugh.

"In your eyes, is this really all I deserve?"

Lucian's frown deepened. "Audrey, what's wrong with you?"

He stepped closer to pat my head, but then he noticed the gauze on the back of my head and the scrapes covering my body.

"You're hurt?

"Who dared lay a hand on you?!"

A dangerous fury flashed through Lucian's eyes, but he seemed to remember the role he was playing and softened his voice.

"Audrey, we don't have money. Life is hard enough without picking fights.

"Keep that temper of yours in check. Nobody out there is going to put up with it the way I do, got it?"

He didn't even ask what happened. He just assumed it was my fault.

I lowered my head, too disappointed to speak.

Lucian took my silence for shame. He moved closer and pulled me into his arms.

"There, there. Just be more careful next time.

"Audrey, it's been a while since we..."

The embrace I once craved now made my stomach turn.

I shoved him away.

"Get out."

Lucian's face went through several changes, his eyes shifting from hurt to fury.

"You look down on me too now, don't you?! You think I'm never going to make it either, is that it?!"

I looked at him, my eyes filled with nothing but sorrow.

If I looked down on him, I never would have spent ten years living this miserable life with him!

I just couldn't understand. I'd been so happy, so convinced that our hard work would lead us to something better.

Why had he made a fool of me? How could he stand by and watch the woman he claimed to love suffer like this?

Milo sensed something was wrong and padded over with a soft whine, licking my hand.

Lucian yanked him back and walked out without looking back.

The door slammed shut, and the apartment sank into dead silence.

I slowly crouched down, buried my face in my knees, and the tears I'd been holding back for so long finally fell.