After caring for the paralyzed billionaire CEO for two years, he finally recovered. The very first thing he did was propose to his childhood sweetheart—the same woman who abandoned him the moment he was injured. The media called it a fairy tale: "True love stays, until they finally become one." I tilted my head back, watching the live broadcast of the proposal on the giant Times Square billboard in silence. Then, I tossed the ring in my pocket into the nearest trash can. The debt I owed him was finally paid in full. 1 The busy pedestrians in Times Square all stopped in their tracks, looking up at the live broadcast of the proposal flashing across the giant digital billboards. It wasn't just here; every major screen in New York City had been switched to the same live feed. The footage was crystal clear in 4K. You could even see the faint, shimmering tears in the heroine’s eyes. One look at the extravagant setup and I knew it was Arthur Sterling’s work. During the final months of his recovery, he had sketched the designs himself. He even personally designed the fireworks display. Back then, he used to hook a cold finger around the back of my neck and ask me what kind of flowers I liked. I told him hyacinths. But the entire proposal venue on the screen was engulfed in a passionate sea of red roses. And the heroine standing there wasn't me. It was Arthur’s ex-girlfriend, the celebrity fashion designer, Chloe Vance. I tilted my head back calmly. The proposal had reached its climax. Arthur was down on one knee, holding a black velvet box. The diamond inside sparkled like a fallen star. Compared to that, the band in my pocket couldn't even be called a ring. The girls standing next to me squealed in excitement: "Arthur Sterling, the CEO of Sterling Enterprises! He looks so handsome with his hair slicked back! No wonder they used to call him the ultimate playboy of Manhattan. Looks like the playboy is finally settling down." "I heard that during the two years Arthur was paralyzed, Chloe turned down all her fashion gigs just to stay and take care of him! What a fairy-tale romance! They're finally getting married!" I silently massaged my wrist, my fingers grazing the faded, grayish-brown scar left from those two grueling years of caring for him. The Chloe Vance of two years ago didn't stay. The moment Arthur and I broke up, she flew straight to Milan to advance her fashion career. The crowd around me collectively held their breath as the proposal reached its final moment. Chloe looked down at the young man kneeling before her, her voice choking with emotion as she said, "I will." The ring was slipped onto her ring finger. Arthur stood up and pulled her into a passionate kiss. At that exact moment, fireworks exploded across the New York skyline. With a spectacle this massive, not just New York, but probably the whole country knew by now. But thinking about it, it was perfectly in character for him. Arthur Sterling never did anything quietly. When he loved someone, he wanted the whole world to know. The crowd erupted in cheers. The girl standing next to me, vibrating with excitement, grabbed my wrist, barely containing her thrill. "They're so perfect for each other, don't you think?" I endured the sharp pain in my wrist and smiled faintly. "They are." She noticed my pale face and, belatedly realizing she was gripping me too hard, let go and started to apologize. But before she could, I had already turned and walked away into the bustling crowd. Behind me, the protagonists on the giant screen were lost in a deep kiss. The crowd screamed and cheered for their epic romance, and the fireworks painted the sky in brilliant, chaotic colors. Suddenly, I stopped next to a trash can. I crouched down, took a deep breath to compose myself, and then stood back up. I pulled the dull, tarnished ring from my pocket. It was ugly, and the band was far too wide for my finger. But thankfully, there was no longer any need for me to keep it. I tossed the ring into the trash. My heart had never felt this calm. I didn't shed a single tear. From this moment on. Whatever I owed the Sterling family, whatever I owed Arthur Sterling... I had paid it back in full. 2 I was kicked out of Sterling Enterprises. I used to have a private executive office, but today, I didn't even get a cubicle. A woman from HR shoved a cardboard box into my arms. "Assistant Hayes, your things are in here." I had a good relationship with the staff, so she lowered her voice sympathetically. "Mr. Sterling personally ordered your termination. But your severance package is generous. You should leave while you can." Her tone was actually polite. I could guess Arthur's exact words: Tell her to get the hell out. I could picture him leaning back in his leather chair, a lazy, indifferent look in his eyes, completely dismissing my existence. Struggling under the weight of the heavy box, I walked past my old office. I finally saw who its new owner was. It had already been converted into Chloe’s private lounge, her fashion sketches scattered carelessly across the desks. Intimate photos of her and Arthur plastered the walls, completely covering the space where my dense, meticulously planned itinerary boards used to hang. I lowered my eyes, my knuckles turning white as I gripped the edges of the box. But the tension released just as quickly. Whatever. 3 In the crowded lobby of the corporate headquarters, I was shoved and fell to the floor. The cardboard box tumbled, scattering my belongings everywhere. There were too many people swarming the entrance. Someone's sharp stiletto heel stepped hard onto the back of my hand, sending a piercing, agonizing pain shooting up my arm. The swarm of journalists and bystanders were all surging in one direction. Fighting through the pain, I looked up just in time to see Chloe appear, arm-in-arm with a man. She loved the color red. Her sleek, crimson slip dress was eye-catching, but the man beside her was even more radiant. Arthur hated crowds, and he looked visibly annoyed, turning his head slightly away from the flashes, yet he still meticulously shielded Chloe in his arms. The reporters blocked their path, thrusting microphones forward, firing questions one after another: "Chloe! The hashtag #ProposalOfTheCentury has been trending number one on X for a whole week! As the leading lady, do you have anything to say?" Chloe smiled radiantly. "I'm just incredibly grateful. During the darkest two years of his life, the person by his side... was always me." Arthur Sterling. The golden boy of New York. He had sailed through life, standing at the absolute peak of society. The only time he ever fell was during the two years he was paralyzed after a horrific car crash. When the walls crumbled, everyone he knew abandoned him, leaving him to taste the bitter cruelty of the world. Anyone had the right to say those words—except Chloe. Back then, she had immediately booked a flight out of the country. I was the only one left by his side. It was such a blatant lie. But Arthur looked genuinely happy hearing it. He didn't correct her. In fact, he indulged the lie completely. Arthur looked down, gazing at Chloe with profound tenderness. It was as if a raging wildfire had finally met a calming river and settled. Camera shutters clicked frantically. The paparazzi eagerly captured the deep, affectionate gaze exchanged between the two. Suddenly, Arthur turned his head. His gaze cut straight through the crowd and locked directly onto my eyes. His look was incredibly cold. I looked back at him quietly, offering a faint, shallow smile. My heart felt incredibly light. He instinctively furrowed his brows in displeasure. Actually, I was also incredibly grateful. During the darkest two years of his life, I was the one who stayed by his side. The life debt I owed him had been repaid in full. 4 The Uber I called was taking forever. Between the low blood sugar and the sharp pain in my stomach, I couldn't stand it anymore and crouched down by the curb, clutching my stomach. The hand that had been stepped on was already swollen, bruised, and bleeding. It hurt terribly. Chloe really was special to Arthur. I had known Arthur for a very long time. He had been the crown prince of the Sterling family since he was born. Growing up, he had endless rumors and flings, but the only girlfriend he ever publicly acknowledged was Chloe Vance. It made perfect sense that they would reunite. It was a classic romance trope. A sudden honk startled me. I looked up to see a sleek black Maybach pulling up right in front of me. The tinted window slowly rolled down, revealing Arthur’s lazy, handsome face. He tapped his fingers rhythmically against the steering wheel. "Stomach acting up again?" My eyelashes fluttered slightly. He let out a scoff, his eyes filled with mocking disgust. "Serves you right." I lowered my eyes. It felt like we had rewound time by two years. This was exactly how Arthur treated me back then. He was always this vicious to me. He used to say that the fact someone like me was even allowed to breathe the same air as him was a charity. Only now did I finally realize that all the tenderness he showed me later was an act. He was just terrified that if I left, no one would be left to take care of him while he was paralyzed. I decided to just ignore him. The click-clack of heels approached from behind. Chloe walked past me, opened the passenger door, and whined playfully, "Arthur, I'm so sorry I'm late! Those reporters were so annoying. I should have let you go first, you're so much better at handling them." As she buckled her seatbelt, Chloe turned her head and saw me. Her voice caught in her throat, and her face paled slightly. She hurriedly urged, "Arthur, let's go! We're gonna be late for our dinner reservation!" Arthur frowned, clearly annoyed by the rush. Fighting the pain in my stomach, I looked up at Arthur, figuring this would be the last time I ever spoke to him. "I watched the livestream of your proposal. The venue looked even more beautiful than the sketches you drew." Except that it was filled with roses instead of hyacinths, everything was perfect. I thought for a moment and added, "I wish you both... a lifetime of happiness." Arthur stopped smiling. The hand resting on the car window suddenly clenched into a fist, his knuckles turning stark white, as if what he just heard wasn't a blessing at all. On that hand rested a gleaming engagement ring. I lowered my eyes, dodging the intense, unreadable look Arthur was giving me. Chloe went quiet for a second before saying softly, "Arthur, we're running late. Let's not waste time on irrelevant people." A very faint voice drifted down from above me. Arthur said, "Mia. Don't regret this." He waited for a moment. When I didn't respond, he scoffed, restarted the engine, and slammed on the gas, speeding off. I looked up in a daze, only catching the taillights of the black Maybach disappearing into the distance. He drove aggressively, exactly like the way he used to street-race sports cars years ago. Even if it was a blessing, as long as it came from my mouth, Arthur would find a way to get irrationally angry. He was psycho. But I didn't regret a thing. 5 I waited so long for the Uber that I was starting to give up, when my phone suddenly buzzed. A notification popped up, concise and to the point: "Where are you?" I hesitated for a second before dropping a pin with my location. Half an hour later, I was sitting in the back of a luxury SUV, extending my hand stiffly. The young man sitting across from me lowered his eyes, carefully cleaning and bandaging the wound on the back of my hand. Julian lifted his gaze. "Does it hurt?" Every time he moved, my body tensed up nervously, but I shook my head. Julian lowered his head again and gently blew on my hand. The cool breath made my fingers curl inward. I widened my eyes and repeated, "I said it doesn't hurt." Only then did Julian release my hand, speaking in a slow, deliberate drawl, "Didn't hear you." Right now, I felt like a rogue knight who had defected to the enemy's camp. As Arthur's former executive assistant and loyal shadow, I knew that nine out of ten times Arthur got into a fight, it was with Julian Reed. From their prep school days all the way to corporate boardrooms, the two had always been mortal enemies. Especially during the two years Arthur was paralyzed, Julian had aggressively acquired almost all of his key assets. Even though I had absolutely nothing to do with Arthur anymore, old habits die hard. Being around his rival still felt deeply unnatural. Julian leaned back lazily. "There's a gala tonight. I need a plus-one." I looked down at my freshly bandaged hand. "Is Arthur going to be there?" Julian hummed in confirmation. I stopped looking at him, and after a long silence, I finally spoke: "If you're trying to use me to piss off Arthur, you're going to be disappointed. He doesn't care about me at all." My voice was soft, quietly stating a simple fact. Julian was spinning a silver Zippo lighter in his hand. The brief flash of the flame illuminated his sharp knuckles. He said, "I wouldn't be so sure about that." I turned my head to look at the city streets blurring past the window and let out a small laugh. I thought about the Arthur Sterling I knew when I was seventeen. In front of all his rich, elite friends, he had laughed—a wild, contemptuous, arrogant laugh. He had said: "Mia Hayes?" "There is absolutely no fucking way I would ever like Mia Hayes." 6 When I was brought to the high-end boutique to get fitted for a gown, Julian stayed the entire time. He had incredibly high standards. I tried on over a dozen luxury gowns, and he rejected every single one. Honestly, I didn't want to go to this gala, but Julian insisted, and I had no choice. Half a month ago, when I left the Sterling estate, I wasn't allowed to take a single thing with me. It was Julian's grandmother who temporarily took me in. So, whatever Julian wanted me to do, I would do my best to accommodate him. When I finally tried on a silver-white gown, the skirt shimmering like the Milky Way, Julian's gaze finally stopped. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "That one." I looked at the mirror beside me and froze. The woman in the mirror was unfamiliar yet familiar, so breathtakingly beautiful it made me dizzy. It was as if the quiet, plain girl who had spent years blending into the background behind Arthur Sterling had suddenly stepped into the blinding spotlight. I had never seen myself look like this before. I reached out, timidly touching the cold glass of the mirror. Julian stood behind me, a diamond necklace slipping through his fingers. He leaned in slightly to clasp it around my neck. His breath was burning hot against my skin as he drawled lazily: "Mia. I'm not making you wear this to piss them off." "I just want Arthur Sterling to realize that he wasn't just paralyzed. He's also fucking blind."
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