Chapter 1

I picked up a simple-minded girl who could do nothing but giggle and made her my girlfriend.

For three years, I fed her, taught her how to dress, and bathed her.

But after she recovered, she turned around and married an absurdly powerful heir.

When we met again, she looked at me with contempt, a huge diamond ring glittering on her finger.

“I always knew you were useless. Good thing I got away while I could.”

“My husband is an heir to a powerful family. If you can’t survive on your own, come beg me. I might reward you with a job.”

I was stunned. New York’s elite circle was only so big. How had I never seen this so-called young master before?

After a night together, I held Lily Carter as I always did.

But when I looked down, I met her icy gaze.

“Don’t touch me with those filthy hands!”

She shoved me away, dressed herself, and left without a trace of hesitation.

I was completely confused. What was going on? Lily wasn’t simple-minded anymore. Had she finally regained consciousness?

But if she was lucid now, why was she treating me so cruelly?

I thought about how strange she had been the day before, and my heart sank.

Could her condition have gotten worse? Could she have forgotten who I was?

The thought made me rush after her, but I searched until dawn and never found her.

Just as I was about to call the police, a bank alert showed that someone had transferred twenty million dollars into my account.

I didn’t pay much attention. I assumed my mother had secretly sent me some spending money.

But then Lily showed up at my house in a designer evening gown.

She didn’t even look at me. With a cold expression, she said, “I’m about to marry one of New York’s most powerful heirs.”

“That twenty million is your hush money. It’s also payment for your life. If you dare tell anyone about what happened before, you can forget about keeping your life.”

I stared at the stranger in front of me.

My lips parted, but no sound came out.

She was abandoning me after recovering, all because of some so-called powerful heir?

Twenty million as payment for my life?

Was that all my life was worth to her?

To me, she had always been priceless. No amount of money could ever buy her.

The thought made my nose sting for no reason.

“Lily, you’re joking, right? Hush money and all that…”

Before I could finish, she cut me off.

“You’re trying to extort even more from me? Believe me, I can take back the twenty million too!”

“After all, your pathetic life isn’t worth even a million!”

I stared at her in disbelief.

Three years of taking care of her with all my heart had earned me nothing but humiliation after she regained her senses.

Twenty million dollars wasn’t even enough to buy one of the cars in my garage.

And compared with the powerful heir she had chosen, what did he have that I didn’t?

Which young master in New York could possibly be better than me?

I clenched my fists and stared into her eyes, trying to see the truth hidden inside them.

Lily only snorted coldly and turned to leave.

I followed her.

I still refused to believe that the girl I had lived with day and night for three years could become so materialistic and ungrateful after waking up.

Downstairs, a Ferrari slowly pulled up.

A greasy, bald, overweight man stepped out.

Lily immediately smiled.

So she really had been lying to me!

I had never seen this man among New York’s elite.

My fists tightened until my knuckles turned white.

I hurried forward and pulled Lily away from him.

“Lily, did you find this guy and ask him to put on an act with you? He’s not some powerful heir!”

“Why are you leaving me? Explain yourself!”

Lily shoved me away at once and linked her arm through the bald man’s.

“Adrian Hayes, what are you talking about? Brandon is the only son of the Stone family, one of New York’s most powerful families!”

The bald man exploded with rage.

“Who the hell are you? Stay away from my fiancée!”

“You dare grab my fiancée in front of me? Believe me, tomorrow your body will be floating in a sewer!”

Lily frowned and said, “He’s just some pathetic loser who chased after me for three years. He probably heard that I’m about to marry you and got jealous.”

“Our wedding is about to begin. Don’t let this loser ruin the ceremony. Let’s go.”

She linked her arm through his and gave me a warning look before getting into the car.

Then they drove away.

A pathetic loser?

I had taken care of her for three years. Was that all I was to her?

She had been simple-minded for three years. Now that she was awake, she had not only forgotten every trace of affection for me, but had also turned around and married a man like that.

The thought made my heart grow colder.

I wanted to ask her face-to-face whether the feelings we had shared over the past three years had ever been real to her.

Just then, a Rolls-Royce with a special license plate slowly stopped behind me.

“Young Master! The three-year agreement is over! Your father sent me to bring you and the young madam home!”