《My Lover Didn't Put a Ring on Me》全部章節：第 1 章 - 第 9 章

Reid's POV"I'll wait for you until I'm 35."That was the promise a 25-year-old Reid Harding made to Maren Hale.That year, to get back at her mother for using an arranged match to drive Roman away, Maren transformed overnight from Harborfield's most promising heiress into a woman who burned through lovers like cigarettes.When I met her, I had two dollars to my name and was busking on a street corner. Something about me must have touched whatever softness was left in her, because she leaned against the wall and listened to me sing all night.Her eyes were glassy when she finally spoke. "Come with me. I'll give you a hundred thousand a year."I found out later that her family had cut off all her cards to bring her back in line. That hundred thousand was every cent 25-year-old Maren had to her name.To keep affording me, she stubbed out her cigarette and went back to Hale Industries. Her family beat her bloody for it, and she still smiled through the bruises just to keep me from

Reid's POVThey found Roman at the estate in the western suburbs in under half an hour.That estate was private property belonging to Maren's mother. During my early years with Maren, I had been locked inside it more times than I could count, though Maren never knew about any of it.Maren threw me into the basement. "Stay down here and think about what you did."The storm outside was brutal that night, and the noise coming from upstairs, where Maren was comforting Roman, was just as loud. I sat there and listened for a long time, and at some point a fever started burning through me without my noticing.Somewhere in the haze, a group of men were shoved into the room with me.Maren stood on the other side of the door, looking at me through the bars. "I promised Roman that everything he went through today, I would make you pay for in kind."Don't worry, I won't think less of you for it. Seven days from now, I'm going to propose to you in front of the whole city."I couldn't believ

Third-Person POVThe man wearing the groom's boutonniere pulled her into his arms. "Maren, thank you for putting together such an incredible ceremony for me. I can't believe you did all this for me!"The voice pressed against her was sweet and soft, nothing like Reid's.It was Roman.Maren's smile froze on her face as she stared at the groom's suit she had custom-made for Reid, now stretched across Roman's body. He had never watched his figure the way Reid did, and the tailored waist bunched and strained around his midsection.Scattered laughter rippled through the crowd below.Maren grabbed the lapel of the jacket with a tight frown. "This wasn't made for you. Take it off."Roman had never been humiliated like this in front of Maren before, and a flash of jealousy twisted across his face before he could hide it. In the end, he swallowed hard and caught her by the wrist."Maren, I know I shouldn't have shown up wearing the groom's suit. Reid would be so jealous if he found out.

Reid's POVMeanwhile, I had no idea about any of this. I was far from Harborfield by then.Phoebe drove Mom and me all the way back to my hometown. She handled every detail of Dad's funeral herself, from the arrangements to the service to making sure he was laid to rest with dignity.The funeral lasted three days, and the gossip about me never stopped the entire time. Some people had the nerve to mock me right there in front of Dad's portrait."Well, well. If it isn't the guy who spent ten years to be some Harborfield billionaire's side piece. What happened, she finally got tired of you and you came crawling back home?""This is what happens when you spend your life as someone's kept man. Karma catches up, and it caught your father instead. Poor old man, cursed with a son like you.""35 years old, used up and tossed aside, and now he needs someone to pick up the pieces. Phoebe, sweetheart, think about what you're getting into!"Mom was ready to chase them all out, but Phoebe hel