1 On our third anniversary, Caleb sent me $5.20. He sent his first love $520,000. When I refused the pittance, he accused me of being a gold digger. “I sent Chloe money because she’s struggling, not because I care about her,” he sneered. “Isn’t my mother’s support enough? This was your final test. You failed, Mia.” So I left. He proposed to Chloe the next day. Five years later, we crossed paths at the Grand Harbor Hotel. His company was nearing its IPO, and Chloe—elegant in couture—clung to his arm. He saw me, covered in mud, digging through a trash can, and frowned in disgust. “Mia Lin. You once looked down on five dollars. Now you’d be lucky to find that much in ten bins,” he said contemptuously. “Don’t think playing pitiful will make me take you back.” I ignored him. My son’s favorite seashell—a treasure his father had thrown away—was somewhere in that trash, and I had to find it. … In the hotel lobby, Caleb Grey made his entrance with Chloe Shen on his arm. His immaculately tailored suit accentuated his tall frame, and he moved with the easy confidence of a man who owned every room he entered. He was instantly recognized. "Mr. Grey! What a surprise to see you at the Financial Summit! To take a company public just five years after taking over… truly remarkable!" "I imagine you're also here to meet with the investor, then?" Caleb gave a slight, knowing nod. Most of the people here were after the same legendary, elusive investor. Someone’s gaze shifted to Chloe, their voice slick with flattery. "And this must be the lovely Mrs. Grey! A perfect match!" Chloe pressed closer to Caleb, her smile demure. "We're not married just yet. We're planning the wedding for after the IPO. We hope you'll all be able to join us then." Caleb’s expression tightened for a split second before he forced a smile. "We've both been so focused on our careers. We're already committed to each other; a piece of paper can wait." The crowd murmured their congratulations. I was surprised. They weren't married yet? Five years ago, the day after our breakup, he had proposed to her. Their engagement was a high-profile spectacle. He loved her so much; I'd assumed he would have married her immediately. How could work have delayed it this long? Especially when I knew how desperate his mother was for a grandchild. Just then, a hotel attendant marched toward me, his face a mask of disapproval. "Ma'am, this is a five-star resort hotel. It's not a place for just anyone to wander into." His eyes raked over me, his disgust unconcealed. "And digging through the trash is strictly prohibited. Please leave at once." I had just come back from the beach with my son. I was covered in mud, my hair a tangled mess. I certainly didn't look like a guest. "I'm so sorry," I explained quickly. "Something of mine was thrown away by accident. I'll be back in my room as soon as I find it. I'll clean up any mess…" "With the way you're dressed, there's no way you're a guest here," he interrupted impatiently. "Leave now, or I'm calling security." His voice was loud, drawing looks from the surrounding crowd. That’s when Caleb glanced over his shoulder. Our eyes met. He froze. "Mia?" The attendant looked at him, surprised. "Mr. Grey, you know her?" Caleb’s composure returned in an instant. His tone was glacial. "She was a charity case my mother used to sponsor. We're not acquainted." He looked away, as if another glance was a waste of his time. It was the same cold indifference he'd shown me the day we broke up. Taking his cue, the attendant shoved me. "Get out of here! I've seen your type before. Just because someone helped you once doesn't mean you can leech off them forever." I dodged his hand. "I told you, I'll leave when I find what I'm looking for. I'll pay for any damages." He sneered. "Pay? You?" He pointed to the ornate bin. "Do you have any idea what this is? It's a custom piece from an Italian designer. It costs ten thousand dollars. Can you afford that?" he scoffed. "Don't make empty boasts. You can't even imagine the value of a single object in a place like this." He reached for me again. "That's enough." Caleb, who had already reached the elevators, turned and walked back. His face was a blank mask. "What are you looking for? Tell me how much it's worth, and I'll give you the cash." His eyes were cold. "Stop trying to get my attention like this. It's pathetic. I have zero interest in you." Chloe tightened her grip on his arm, her smile gentle but condescending. "Mia, we're getting married. I know you were bitter about the breakup, but you can't force these things. I hope you can find some dignity." I offered them a small, genuine smile. "I wish you both a long and happy life together." Then I ignored them, crouching down to continue my search. "What will it take for you to leave?" Caleb's voice was sharp with irritation. "Or are you still hung up on that half a million I gave to Chloe?" He impatiently pulled out his phone. "Fine. I'll transfer it to you now. Take the money and disappear. Never show your face to me again." He didn't look up from his screen. "Chloe was always the one I loved. Those years with you were just me running away from my feelings for her. This money is enough for you to start over. Find a man who's actually in your league and stop wasting your time on me." Suddenly, his thumbs stopped moving. "Your card was declined. Are you a defaulter now?" I understood immediately. He was trying to send money to the old bank account my scholarship was paid into. I hadn't used it in years. Since I got married, I'd only ever used the black card my husband gave me. Of course the old one was frozen. It seemed his opinion of me hadn't improved. I'd graduated from gold digger to broke, and now, to a deadbeat. "I don't need money," I said, too tired to explain. His voice turned colder. "You're reduced to digging through garbage, and you still won't accept help?" I frowned, confused. "We broke up five years ago. We're strangers. Why would I need your help?" I added, "And please, don't send any money. I don't want it." If a certain someone found out another man was sending me money, he'd interrogate me for weeks. And if he ever dug up my history with Caleb, the resulting jealousy would last for a month. Caleb was taken aback, then let out a short, mocking laugh. "Mia, you've misunderstood. The only reason I'm offering you money is out of pity. Don't worry, I have absolutely no other intentions toward you." He stared at my disheveled appearance for a long moment, his expression growing complicated. "Seeing you like this… maybe the breakup hit you harder than I thought. I suppose I do bear some responsibility for that. Is that why you won't take the money? You want me to feel guilty forever?" Chloe jumped in, stroking his arm soothingly. "Caleb, darling, she was a top student at medical school. She's perfectly capable of getting a job and supporting herself. The only reason she's like this is because she's lazy and has no ambition." Her voice was sweet poison. "You could see it back then. Her family was poor, but instead of getting a part-time job for tuition, she just accepted your mother's charity. It just goes to show what kind of person she is." "Chloe!" I snapped, my voice sharp. "I paid back every cent of that scholarship, with interest. Watch what you say." Chloe flinched, then tugged on Caleb's sleeve. "Forget it, Caleb. She's too proud. Your kindness is just an insult to her. Let's just go." "My affairs are none of your concern," I said coldly, turning back to the trash. Suddenly, I saw it: a small bag filled with colorful seashells. A wave of relief washed over me. I had just grabbed it when Caleb's hand shot out and clamped around my wrist, yanking me violently to my feet. "Mia Lin! You turned your nose up at five dollars back then, and now you're digging through trash for shells? Tell me, are they worth more?" His voice was a low growl. "Even as a beggar, don't think for a second that playing pathetic will make me take you back." I was speechless. After all these years, he still thought I broke up with him over five dollars? That year, Chloe had left for overseas without a word, a sudden breakup that had nearly destroyed him. Caleb's mother asked me to look after him, and out of gratitude for her sponsorship, I stayed by his side while he healed. Eventually, we fell into a relationship. But the moment Chloe came back to the country, he grew distant. He stopped answering my calls, ignoring my messages. On our third anniversary, he sent me $5.20. It was a clear, insulting message: get out of my life. The most pathetic part? I still hadn't wanted to let go. Not until I received that text message from Chloe. That was what truly killed my love for him. How could he not know? I looked down at the hand gripping my wrist. "Caleb," I said calmly, "I'm doing very well now. I have never, not for a moment, thought about getting back together with you. You can rest easy." I tried to pull my hand away, but his grip was like iron. "You're the one who said it, remember? 'Don't come crying back to me after we break up.' I've remembered that every day." He narrowed his eyes. To dispel any lingering doubt, I added, "I'm married now. My husband has a bit of a temper. If he saw us like this, it wouldn't be good for anyone." He snatched his hand back as if he'd been burned. His face was a mask of shock. "You dared to get married behind my back?!" His brow was deeply furrowed. "Where is this husband of yours? What kind of man lets his wife end up looking like this?" I didn't answer. He suddenly let out a bitter laugh. "I almost fell for it. What, you're trying to make me jealous by pretending you're married? You could tell me you have kids and I still wouldn't care." He didn't need to say it. I knew better than anyone that his heart had only ever had room for Chloe. But he was the one who confessed his love to me first. I had asked him again and again if he was truly over her, and only when he swore he'd forgotten her did I agree to be with him. Now, in his version of history, I was the desperate one who wouldn't let go. I shrugged. "Think whatever you want." Chloe took a theatrical step back. "Caleb, the smell here is awful. Let's go. She clearly doesn't appreciate your concern." But Caleb's gaze remained locked on me. He wasn't moving. Chloe shot me a cold glare. "So stubborn. Fine. We're meeting our investor today, and we happen to need someone to serve tea. If you're willing, I can pay you fifty thousand dollars." She smirked. "That should be enough for someone like you to live on for a whole year, right?" Caleb finally stirred. "Mia, you're just too proud. You won't take a handout, but you can accept money you've earned, can't you?" I almost laughed in their faces. "Are you two that bored? I don't have time to play a part in your twisted little charity game. Please, leave me alone." I had canceled several major surgeries just to get three days off to spend the summer holiday with my son. And they wanted me to serve them tea? It was ludicrous. My repeated refusals made Caleb's face darken. Even the ever-composed Chloe couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. The crowd around us began to whisper. "Mr. Grey, that woman is not only poor, she's stubborn. You're really going to let her serve your VIP guest?" "I think you should forget it. What if she offends the investor? It would ruin the day for all of us." The attendant was now in a full-blown panic. "Security! Get her out of here! The investment showcase is about to start! The guest in the presidential suite could come down at any moment!" He glared at me. "Ma'am, the most influential people in Port City are here today! Especially the young master of the Thorne family from Helios City! He even brought his wife and child. This hotel has never hosted an event of this caliber!" he hissed. "Normally, I might turn a blind eye to you digging in the trash. I might even give you some cardboard to sell. But not today! You're making a scene, and it will destroy this hotel's reputation! I can't be responsible for that! Please, I'm begging you, just go." Security guards moved in, grabbing me roughly. "I can walk myself!" I shouted, shaking them off. Seeing that I was finally leaving, a collective sigh of relief went through the lobby. "Wait!" Caleb's sharp voice stopped me in my tracks. His eyes were fixed on the bag of shells in my hand. His fists were clenched at his sides, his knuckles white. "Mia," his voice was hoarse, raw with an emotion I couldn't place. "Why don't you understand? I don't need these shells anymore." I looked down at the shells in my palm, and a memory surfaced. The year he and Chloe broke up was the year his family started sponsoring me. Caleb was a ghost back then, spending his days sitting by the sea, not speaking, not eating. A walking corpse. His mother, worried sick, asked me to keep an eye on him. I took her request to heart. I would sit with him on the beach for hours, day after day. One time, a rogue wave pulled him under, and I dragged him back to shore with every ounce of strength I had, collapsing from exhaustion myself. He held me and cried like a child. In my daze, I grabbed a seashell from the sand and pressed it into his hand. "Caleb," I'd whispered, "from now on, every time I give you a shell, you have to smile for me. Okay?" He'd nodded, a tearful smile breaking through his despair. After that, I collected shells for him constantly, just to see him smile. It had been so long. If he hadn't brought it up, I would have forgotten all about it. Seeing my silence, Chloe laughed out loud. "Caleb threw out that box of shells years ago. You can't possibly think you can win him back with such a childish trick, can you?" she mocked. "It was just a game to him back then, something to humor you. You can't tell me you actually took it seriously all this time." Caleb looked at me, his tone flat. "Mia, Chloe and I are getting married. There's no possibility for us anymore. It's over." I had nothing left to say. I turned and walked toward the elevator. Just then, my phone rang. As I reached for it, the attendant snatched it from my hand. He looked the expensive, latest-model phone over with suspicion. "How could you possibly afford a phone like this? Did you steal it?" I froze, forcing my anger down. "That. Is. My. Phone," I said through gritted teeth. Chloe chuckled as if watching a play, and motioned for the attendant to give it back. "If it's yours, then unlock it and prove it." I tried the fingerprint scanner, but my muddy hands wouldn't register. Face ID failed too, blocked by my messy hair. Just as I was about to type in the passcode, the hotel manager, who had rushed to the scene, snatched the phone away. "Take this to the front desk. Contact our guests immediately and see if anyone has lost a phone." He then turned to security. "Call the police." "Wait," Caleb cut in suddenly. "For my sake, let's just drop this." Chloe immediately backed him up. "I'm a lawyer. Theft of an item of this value carries a sentence of at least two years. And as you can all see, she's not mentally stable. She probably just got confused…" "I didn't steal anything," I interrupted. "Since you're a lawyer, you should know that false accusation carries the same sentence." My defiance only strengthened the manager's resolve. He ordered security to restrain me while he dialed the police. At that exact moment, the elevator doors slid open. A three-year-old boy with a tear-streaked face saw me and ran out, his arms outstretched. I knelt down to give him the shells, but Chloe suddenly slapped them out of my hand. The bag scattered across the marble floor. "Mia! Are you insane? Kidnapping a child in front of all these people?!" The boy, startled and scared, burst into terrified sobs. Chloe immediately scooped him up, her voice a soothing murmur. "It's okay, sweetie. She's a bad woman, not your mommy. Auntie will help you find your real mommy." But my son struggled wildly in her arms. "I want Mommy! I want my mommy!" Seeing his red, crying face, my heart felt like it was being shredded. "Let go of my son!" I fought against the guards, trying to get to him, but they held me fast. The lobby filled with ugly, jeering voices. "She's crazy! Just grabbing any kid and calling him her son! Someone call the police and get her locked up!" "You can't let a psycho like that run free! She'll probably burn someone's house down next!" "Mommy… Mommy…" My son reached for me, his little voice hoarse from crying. I choked back a sob, trying to soothe him even as I struggled. "Don't cry, baby, Mommy found your shells. I'll give them to you right now…" I was almost close enough to touch his hand when a guard twisted my arms violently behind my back, preparing to tie them. Caleb sighed deeply and pulled me away from the guards. "I'll handle this. You go wait outside. I'll find you after the showcase." He started dragging me toward the exit. "Let go of me! Caleb, don't make me hate you!" I screamed, twisting to look back at my son, who was watching me, his little lip trembling. Caleb ignored my pleas, his grip unyielding. Ding. The main elevator doors opened again. A tall, commanding figure stepped out. A perfectly tailored cream-colored suit draped his powerful frame, and he radiated an air of innate, aristocratic authority. "Mr. Thorne," the crowd murmured in unison, their voices filled with awe. My eyes met his, and my vision blurred with tears.
? Continue the story here ?? ? Download the "MotoNovel" app ? search for "385104", and watch the full series ✨! #MotoNovel