Chapter 1

Tessa Shoreman was pale from her surgery. When she heard the wild laughter coming from inside the ward, her face turned whiter.

No anesthetic was used for her kidney surgery, which was done on the black market. She was still reeling from the fear and intense pain of having her flesh sliced open.

However, the pain was nothing compared to what she was feeling in her heart.

Henry Jennings was dating her just to punish her? Even his identity was fake.

Tessa's hand trembled as she took out her phone. She typed in Henry's name to search for his information. Massive information about him poured out instantly.

"The heir to Jennings Corporation graduated from Harvard at 20. His net worth is in the billions, and he's been engaged to Serene Chord, the heiress to Chord Group, since they were young."

Tessa had no idea that Henry was someone of such stature.

Tessa had been silly enough to believe that he was an orphan just like her, who was too poor to pay for his university fees.

Henry had appeared heroically to save her from being sexually harassed while she was working part-time. After that encounter, he started wooing her relentlessly.

Tessa thought she was a lucky woman to have met someone who shared the same background as she did. They found warmth in each other during the hard times and became each other's family.

It never occurred to her that this was all a sham.

He had gotten close to her just to help Serene, his childhood sweetheart, punish her.

Their relationship was nothing but a lie.

Tessa looked at the face in the smoky environment inside the ward. He was like a stranger to her. She listened to the jeering and insults thrown at her from inside, feeling like a complete clown.

She did not notice that her face was covered in tears. The heavy bag filled with cash seemed to be mocking her stupidity. Tessa had paid the price for believing a liar with her kidney.

A nurse passing by felt concerned for Tessa.

"Do you need any help, miss?"

Tessa snapped out of her sadness. Someone was about to walk out of the ward. She quickly thanked the nurse and weakly dragged herself to hide in a washroom nearby. The mirror reflected her pale face. She was as white as a sheet.

Her mind kept replaying the last two years she spent with Henry.

Tessa wanted to make sure he ate healthy foods, so she made time to tutor kids for extra income to afford it aside from her three other part-time jobs. She did not want him to tire himself out, so she took up the burden of paying for their monthly rent.

Even today, she sold one of her kidneys for money to treat his cancer.

However, two years of unconditional love had only brought her jeering and insults. She had given him her heart, only to have it stepped on and crushed beneath his foot. What a joke she was.

Tessa wiped away the years from her face. She took out her phone and called her lecturer, Lawrence Werner.

Lawrence wanted to nominate Tessa for a university placement overseas half a month ago. However, Tessa did not want to have a long-distance relationship with Henry back then, so she rejected the offer without hesitation.

Now that she knew the truth, there was no need to give up her future for Henry. She no longer wanted to be a part of his game.

"I'd like to take that placement to study overseas, Mr. Werner."