On the way to the wedding, my fiancé received a hysterical phone call from his ex-wife. "Julian, the baby is having another episode. He keeps crying for you." This was the third time. Every single time we were about to get married, his son would suffer a psychosomatic episode. Julian looked at me, hesitating. I gave him an understanding nod. "I'll get out here. You go," I said. He grasped my hand, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Harper, I'm so sorry. I promise I'll make it up to you." Before my feet were even firmly planted on the pavement, he had already ordered the driver to turn the bridal car around. Standing on the curb in my wedding dress, trying to hail a cab, my phone buzzed. A wire transfer notification from Julian: fifteen million dollars. His version of making it up to me. He remembered to send the money. But he forgot what I had told him. Julian, three strikes and you're out. I accepted the money. After all, a gold digger must always respect the gold. But as gold diggers, we have another cardinal rule: Everyone has a price. Even Julian. And after three strikes, he was no longer worth the effort. ... Twitter was exploding again. #UltimateGoldDiggerHarperSterlingDumpedAgain! #MoneyCantBuyClass! Billionaire Julian Vance Cancels Wedding for Ex-Wife and Son—AGAIN! The most viral post featured a high-definition photo of me standing on the side of the road in my wedding gown, hailing a taxi. The comment section was a war zone with tens of thousands of replies. I didn't even need to read them to know what they said. Half of them mocking me for overestimating my worth. The other half laughing at my humiliation. I scrolled through them with a blank expression. Taking off the wedding dress, I changed into my loungewear and made myself a simple bowl of ramen with a soft-boiled egg. I took a picture and posted it to my Instagram story. No caption. Five minutes later, the replies started rolling in. "Couldn't lock down the billionaire, so now she's playing the victim?" "Eating cheap ramen on what was supposed to be your wedding day? Pathetic." I didn't reply. I was waiting for Julian to see it. Sure enough, ten minutes later, I received another notification. A wire transfer for five hundred thousand dollars. Attached was a message from Julian: Please treat yourself well. A knowing smile touched my lips. No one else in the world would believe a bowl of ramen could be worth half a million dollars. Five years ago, right after Julian's divorce, I found him drunk outside a bar and brought him home. That night, I cooked him this exact bowl of ramen. I didn't try to sleep with him. I didn't cling to him or demand explanations. That is the playbook of a top-tier gold digger. Seeing that bowl of ramen now only intensified Julian's guilt. If we were going to part ways, I might as well maximize my payout. Take the money and run. My phone rang. It was Chloe. Her voice was slightly slurred, carrying a lazy, tipsy drawl. "Saw the trending topics. Strike three. Are you holding up?" I hummed softly. "I'm fine." "Stubborn as always." She was a gold digger too, but operating in a league far above mine. Years ago, when I was torn between love and money, she gave me a piece of advice. "A true gold digger doesn't just extract wealth; she extracts a happy life." "We've worked too hard to perfect ourselves. We deserve nothing but the best." When I met Julian, I genuinely thought I had found my Prince Charming. But Chloe scoffed at the idea. "You can't compete with his ex-wife and their kid." "You're better off securing a massive bag and disappearing." I wouldn't listen to her back then. "This time, I'm securing a happy life," I had said. I had told Julian "three strikes," giving him his chances while maintaining my bottom line. But I drastically underestimated Julian's attachment to his son. Blood is thicker than anything. It can drown out everything else. "Chloe, I regret it." Chloe paused, clearly surprised that I, the stubborn one, was finally admitting defeat. She didn't mock me. Instead, her tone softened with sympathy. "Come to Switzerland. I'll show you how to play in the big leagues." "I'll send you a job offer. It'll secure you a three-year visa." Her husband was the wealthiest man in Switzerland. I knew she had the power to make it happen. Looking at the numbers in my bank account, I thought it over. Julian's price tag had reached its limit. He was no longer a profitable investment. That night, Julian didn't come home. The first two times he bailed on the wedding, he spent at least three days with his ex-wife and son. This time would be no exception. I used those days to meticulously review my asset portfolio. Before we officially split, I needed to legally secure all the assets he had gifted me to ensure they couldn't be reclaimed. I trusted Julian's character, but I didn't trust his family's ruthless lawyers. On the fourth day, Julian returned. But he wasn't alone. His ex-wife, Sarah, and their son, Leo, came with him. "Harper, Leo's condition is unstable, and Sarah has a terrible fever. I've asked them to stay here for a while." I just nodded, remaining silent. He brought them directly into our home. Clearly, my permission was never a requirement. That evening, Sarah and Leo settled into the guest room. I was organizing my jewelry when Sarah knocked and entered my bedroom. "Ms. Sterling, I'm so sorry for imposing on you both." She put on a pitiful, victimized act, looking at me as if I had bullied her. I shook my head slightly. "You're not." She pointed to the framed photo on my nightstand. It was a solo shot of Julian in his tuxedo, taken during our wedding photoshoot. "Leo misses his dad so much. He wants a recent photo of him. Would it be alright if I took this one?" I frowned inwardly. What kind of performance is this? Julian had just spent three full days with them. She could have taken a thousand pictures of him. But she specifically wanted the one from my bedroom nightstand. Whatever. I couldn't care less anymore. "Take it." As she picked up the frame, tears began to stream down her face. "I'm so jealous of you. You get to see him whenever you want." She forced a fragile smile. "I'm sorry. I'm embarrassing myself." Suddenly, a sharp, childish voice yelled from the hallway. "Mommy, don't cry!" Leo stormed into the room. "You evil witch! You're bullying my mom again!" I frowned. It was obvious Sarah spent plenty of time badmouthing me to him. Before I could react, Leo shoved me hard. Caught off guard, I lost my balance and fell to the floor. Sarah immediately grabbed his arm. "Baby, don't hit people. Mommy's fine..." She emphasized that she was fine, pointedly omitting any clarification that I hadn't bullied her. Leo's face flushed bright red with anger. "Mommy, we're home now! Daddy will protect us! We don't have to be scared of her anymore!" A tiny, almost imperceptible smirk tugged at the corner of Sarah's mouth. Hearing the commotion, Julian rushed out of his study. Seeing me sitting on the floor, clutching my ankle, his face darkened. "What happened?" Sarah immediately dropped to the floor to help me up, apologizing profusely. "I'm so sorry! The baby saw your wedding photos and it triggered an episode. He didn't mean it..." My frown deepened. It was a solo shot. How did it suddenly become a wedding photo? Sarah shot a look at Leo. The next second, Leo clutched his chest and collapsed onto the floor. "Ah... ah..." He writhed on the ground, groaning in pain, sweat beading on his forehead. "Oh my god, the baby is having an episode!" Sarah abandoned me instantly and rushed to Leo. I lost my leverage and fell back down, my tailbone hitting the hardwood floor, sending a sharp jolt of pain up my spine. Julian didn't even glance at me. He scooped Leo up in his arms. "We need to get to the hospital. Now." The happy family of three rushed out, leaving me entirely ignored. I let out a helpless chuckle and slowly pulled myself up. I couldn't throw a fit, and I couldn't scream about being wronged. Because Julian despised loud, dramatic, clingy women. I opened the first-aid kit and rubbed some arnica gel on my bruises. After a chaotic night at the hospital, Julian finally texted me. "Harper, you need to move out for a while. It's not good for Leo to see you right now." "I'm transferring the penthouse on the West Side to your name." I replied with a single word: "Okay." Sarah wanted me gone. I wanted to secure one last massive payout before I left. It was a win-win. The next day was my birthday. Julian asked me out to dinner. "I've been neglecting you lately. Tonight is just about the two of us." Knowing the birthday gift would come with a hefty price tag, I agreed. In the private dining room of an exclusive restaurant, he handed me a diamond tennis bracelet. It was exactly the style I loved. "Harper, I know things have been unfair to you lately." I slipped the bracelet onto my wrist and smiled softly. "It's fine." Just as the violinist began to play, two figures walked toward our table. Sarah, holding Leo's hand, her eyes rimmed with red. "The baby isn't feeling well, and we ran out of his medication. I couldn't find you anywhere..." The entire restaurant fell silent for a moment. Someone whispered loudly enough to be heard. "Look at that father, out on a date with his mistress while ignoring his sick kid..." Leo ran toward Julian, burying his face in his chest and bursting into tears. "Daddy, my chest hurts so much..." He glared at me, his little face turning purple with rage. "You evil witch! You stole my daddy again!" He grabbed a wine glass from the table and threw the contents right at my face. I flinched, but the red wine still splashed across my shoulder, staining my dress. "Leo! Stop this right now!" Julian was visibly angry. "Apologize to Aunt Harper immediately!" "No! She stole you! She's an evil witch!" Sarah quickly stepped forward, pulling Leo away. She looked at Julian, her eyes brimming with heartbroken tears. "I'm so sorry. I failed to raise him right. I apologize to Ms. Sterling..." She played the pathetic, victimized mother flawlessly. If I made a scene now, I would be the villain. The whispers in the restaurant grew louder. Julian hated having his private life turned into public spectacle. He frowned and looked at me. I knew exactly what that look meant. It's not good for Leo to see you right now... His words from last night echoed in my mind. So, whenever Leo appeared, I was the one who had to hide. I waved my hand dismissively, playing the understanding partner. "You should go. The child comes first." Julian frowned in hesitation, but it only lasted a second. "Okay. I'll take them home first." He picked up Leo and hurried out with Sarah trailing behind him. I used a napkin to dab at the wine stain on my shoulder and signaled the violinist. "Keep playing. I'm paying." The music resumed, and I leisurely finished the rest of my meal. A waiter approached hesitantly. "Ms. Sterling, Mr. Vance also ordered a custom birthday cake. Would you still like it brought out?" "Yes, bring it." The exquisite Black Swan cake was placed before me. I closed my eyes and made a wish. "Happy 26th Birthday, Harper." I took a picture and uploaded it to Instagram, again without a caption. Let the internet interpret it however they wanted. Ten minutes later, a text notification popped up. "Harper, I'm so sorry. I'll make it up to you next time." Followed by a wire transfer for half a million dollars. His promise to "make it up" was meaningless; we wouldn't be seeing each other again. But the money was very real. As a professional, I had to show the money the respect it deserved. Late that night, back at the penthouse, Julian arrived. He brought a container of crab roe congee. My favorite late-night comfort food. "Leo was out of line tonight, but he's only six, and he's sick. I really didn't have a choice..." "I know. You don't have to explain." Julian paused, studying my face. "Are you really not angry?" A flicker of panic crossed his eyes. "You didn't use to be like this." I smiled faintly. The first two times he canceled the wedding, I threw absolute fits. Because back then, I had given him my heart. I cared. But now? I felt absolutely nothing for him. Why would I waste energy throwing a tantrum? "You're already exhausted. How could I add to your burden?" My words made Julian exhale a long breath of relief. "I promise, as soon as Leo is better, I'll have them move out, and we'll have our wedding immediately." I maintained a perfectly polite, graceful smile. I didn't decline, but I didn't agree either. Because as long as Sarah was in the picture, her son's "illness" would never be cured. His phone rang. It was the custom ringtone he had set for his son. "Daddy, when are you coming back?" Then, Sarah's gentle voice drifted through the speaker. "Leo refuses to sleep. He's crying for you to read him a bedtime story." Julian looked at me, torn, his face full of guilt. I waved him off. "Go." I gave him just the right amount of melancholic vulnerability. "I'm terrified of the dark, but I can manage on my own." Julian left anyway. But predictably, he transferred another half a million dollars into my account. "Let's stay on the phone. With my voice keeping you company, you won't be scared." The call stayed connected until he walked into Leo's room. The sound of their happy, picture-perfect family echoed through the speaker. I hung up and went to sleep. Thinking about the zeros in my bank account, I slept incredibly well. Julian hadn't visited me in a week. I was too busy liquidating assets to care. When he showed up unannounced one afternoon, I scrambled to hide the real estate closing documents. "Leo had a psychological evaluation. His anxiety markers are worse than before." I stayed silent, waiting for the punchline. "The doctor strongly recommended that both parents be present for his treatment for at least six months..." Julian looked miserable. He paused for a long time before forcing the words out. "Remarrying Sarah... might be the only way to help him recover." I understood immediately. "So, we're breaking up?" "Of course not!" He grabbed my hands desperately. "It's strictly on paper! Just a formality! After six months, I'll divorce her and marry you!" "Don't worry, I'm going to compensate you for this." "I've already instructed my lawyers. I'm transferring 10% of Vance Corporation's shares to you. You'll be a major shareholder. No one will ever dare question your status." I lowered my head, feigning absolute devastation. "Julian, are you sure about this?" "I..." He hesitated, unable to answer. Then, I looked up, offering him a sad but forgiving smile. "As long as you've thought it through. I trust you." Julian let out a massive sigh of relief. "Harper, thank you. Having you in my life is my greatest blessing." He reached out to pull me into a hug. I subtly sidestepped, picking up his coat and handing it to him instead. "Go back to your son. He needs you." Julian took the coat, standing there awkwardly. I silently counted down in my head. Three, two, one... Right on cue, his phone rang with that custom ringtone. Without a second thought, Julian put on his coat and headed for the door. "This time, we're only signing papers. No wedding ceremony. I fought for that out of respect for you." I gave a soft "Mhm." My mind was already calculating how quickly I could liquidate 10% of a multi-billion dollar corporation. Suddenly, he stopped and looked back. "What's that? A sales contract?" My heart skipped a beat. He saw it. I kept my composure, my voice casual. "Just looking into some investments. I can't rely on you to support me forever." Julian chuckled, not bothering to inspect the papers. "Don't work too hard. I can support you for the rest of your life." I offered a polite smile. He meant it in that moment. But he also canceled our wedding three times. That was real, too. The moment Julian left, Vance Corp's legal team contacted me to sign the Share Transfer Agreement. As soon as my electronic signature was processed, I texted Chloe. "I'm flying to Zurich on Monday." Chloe replied with a thumbs-up emoji. Julian and Sarah officially remarried. On my way to the airport, I saw Sarah's Instagram post. A photo of two bright red marriage certificates sitting side-by-side. The caption read: After all the twists and turns, we are meant to be a family. The comments were flooded with congratulations. Some busybody screenshotted the post and put it on Twitter. The comments there were vicious. "Harper the Gold Digger finally lost!" "Serves her right! Good riddance!" "The Vance family values bloodlines above all else. Sarah's position is bulletproof." I maintained my silence. A few minutes later, Sarah deleted the post. Julian texted me. "I'm so sorry. I didn't know she was going to post that." I didn't reply. Then, he wired me another half a million dollars. This time, I didn't reply "Okay." I had secured my bag. Anything extra was just a bonus. The intercom echoed through the terminal. "Flight 402 to Zurich is now boarding." I stood up and joined the line. Just then, I heard two familiar voices behind me. "The doctor said a family vacation would be good for his mental health." "That doesn't mean you have to call it a honeymoon." I turned around and locked eyes with Julian, Sarah, and Leo. Before I could even speak, Sarah burst into tears. "Ms. Sterling, we're just taking our son on a vacation. Do you really have to stalk us?!" Julian frowned, his eyes landing on the boarding pass in my hand. He snatched it away. "You're flying to Switzerland too? Are you actually following us?" I shook my head calmly. "I had no idea what your itinerary was." "How could you not know?!" Sarah sobbed louder, drawing attention. "When you went to the corporate office to sign the share transfer, didn't you interrogate the executive assistant about his schedule?" I understood instantly. Sarah was setting me up again. Julian's face darkened with anger. "Harper, go home. Stop acting like a child." I frowned, knowing defending myself was pointless. I'd just change my flight. It wasn't worth the drama. I grabbed my carry-on and turned to leave, but Leo suddenly went feral and lunged at me. "Evil witch, get out of here!" He shoved me with surprising force. The heel of my stiletto snapped. I lost my balance and pitched forward, slamming hard into the metal armrest of the waiting area chairs. Passengers gasped and crowded around us. Julian instinctively moved to check on me, but Sarah grabbed his arm tightly. "We need to go, now! We can't let Leo see her anymore. You know he can't handle the stress!" Julian hesitated, looking down at Leo, who had begun clutching his chest again, hyperventilating. He made his choice. He grabbed Leo's hand and turned toward the boarding gate. Suddenly, a woman in the crowd shrieked. "Oh my god! She's bleeding!" "Is she having a miscarriage?!" Julian stopped dead in his tracks. He dropped his son's hand and sprinted toward me.
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