WonNovels

Ethan Parker despised me for being a gold digger.

After listening to his buddies, he decided to teach me a proper lesson.

"Break up with her. Cut off her cards."

"In less than three days, she'll come back crying. And when she does, won't she be yours to handle however you want?"

Ethan Parker really did as he was told and broke up with me. I grabbed the corner of his clothes.

Without even turning his head, he said, "If you can't change that bad habit of yours, then don't even think about getting back together with me."

No, I just wanted to say... every single one of your best friends handed me an unlimited credit card.

And Lucas Shaw was the most aggressive of them all.

Unlimited black cards valid worldwide, stacks of property deeds... I really couldn't resist the temptation.

Later, when Ethan Parker waited and waited for me to come back and I never did, he came looking for me.

He stared in disbelief. "What the hell? Weren't you the ones who said she was a gold digger?"

Lucas Shaw clutched my hand tightly. "She just likes money a little. How does that make her a gold digger?"

1

To put it simply, the reason Ethan Parker and I got together was that he wanted my looks, and I wanted his money.

When he was chasing me, he kept asking what I wanted.

I told him honestly that I wanted money, lots and lots of money.

If a man doesn't have money, then he shouldn't pursue me.

Ethan Parker was generous too. The young heir of Jingcheng Group had more money than he knew what to do with.

When we first got together, almost anything I wanted would appear in front of me the very next second.

Ethan Parker took a strange sense of pride in the fact that I spent his money. He practically wished I would spend every cent he had.

He said that only when I spent his money ruthlessly would he feel secure.

But lately, he seemed to have changed. He had become... stingy.

This month, I had only bought a bag worth five hundred thousand, and he already gave me a cold face.

I didn't take it to heart. I thought maybe he'd had a rough day outside. I just glanced at him once, then turned back to admire my giant diamond.

But when I swiped his card again, he suddenly dropped his expression.

"When are you going to change that reckless habit of spending money? Do you think earning money is easy?"

"Other than spending money all day, what else do you even know how to do? What if one day I don't have any money left?"

"Can't you learn from other girls? Buy what you should buy and stop buying what you shouldn't."

"Do you know that one bag costing five hundred thousand is enough for an ordinary family to live on for a year?"

I looked at him, baffled.

How strange. What do other people have to do with me?

I'm so pretty, and my personality is so good. I was born to spend money.

Because my personality is just that good, I always know how to reflect on myself in time.

Maybe I really had gone too far with spending. Ethan Parker hadn't truly taken over the company yet. Maybe my spending habits had put pressure on him.

I comforted myself with that thought and turned around, planning to apologize to Ethan Parker and tell him that I'd spend more carefully from now on.

But before I could even speak, he suddenly stood up and looked at me coldly. "Let's break up."

I was stunned. "Break up? Because I spent your money, you're breaking up with me?"

I almost laughed. "Are you sick? Weren't you the one begging me to spend your money?"

Ethan Parker's expression stiffened for a second. Then he said flatly, "It's not that I think you can't spend money. I just don't like this money-minded side of you."

He picked up his coat and gave me no chance to argue. "So if you don't change this bad habit, then let's end it here."

Then he paused and added, "Of course, if you can change, we can still get back together."

He enunciated the words get back together especially clearly, as if he were afraid I might miss them.

I watched Ethan Parker's retreating back and got so angry my face nearly twisted.

If we're breaking up, then we're breaking up. Why slap me with the glorious title of gold digger while you're at it?

So what if I worship money? If I don't worship money, am I supposed to worship you instead?

Money and I are best friends. Is it wrong for me to love it?

2

Beautiful women don't need to reflect, but I am a beautiful woman with an exceptionally good personality.

After Ethan Parker left, I laid out everything I'd bought with his money over the past year.

A necklace worth five million from an auction, a bracelet worth two million that I'd seen in a display case, six-hundred-thousand custom-made handmade leather shoes, a three-hundred-thousand couture gown I'd snapped up from a runway show, a fifty-thousand cup, thirty-thousand slippers...

I'm not the kind of woman who would force a man to sell a kidney to buy me a bag. He was the one who insisted on shoving all of this at me.

Could he have run into a financial crisis lately?

I thought it over, and in the end I decided to have a proper talk with him.

After asking around and finding out where Ethan Parker was, I drove over and made my way smoothly to the door of his private room.

Just as I was about to push the door open, voices drifted out from inside.

"I told you, I broke up with her tonight!" It was Ethan Parker's voice. "You have no idea--when I said it, her eyes were red. I almost went soft on her. Good thing I held back."

The moment he finished speaking, a chorus of reactions rose inside the room.

"You really broke up?"

"You're sure?"

"Did she agree?"

"Did you end it cleanly?"

Ethan Parker fell silent for a moment, then slammed a fist on the table. "What the hell is wrong with you guys? Why does every one of you sound like you've all been waiting for me to break up with her?"

Buddy A said, "Just kidding, hahaha. I just didn't expect you to actually be willing to do it."

Buddy B said, "I wanted to praise you. You should've done this a long time ago."

Buddy C said, "Exactly. Your girlfriend--oh, no, your ex-girlfriend--has just never had it hard before. Let her struggle on her own for a while, and she'll realize how good you were."

"Why wouldn't I be willing to?" Ethan Parker said without suspecting a thing. "Besides, we're getting back together anyway, right? Didn't you guys say so? And she likes me that much. When I left just now, she was still tugging at my sleeve. If I hadn't walked away so fast, one more look from her and I would've surrendered."

Buddy B said, "Of course. A boyfriend like you is impossible to find even with a lantern. You've spoiled her with money for the past few months--there's no way she'll be able to look at other men. Sooner or later she'll come back to you with pleading eyes, asking to get back together."

Buddy A said, "Exactly. In families like ours, do we look like people who are short on money? A bag worth five hundred thousand isn't even enough to cover a bottle of wine for us. But is money really the point here?"

"No, let me explain it to you. Your girlfriend can't love money too much. If she loves money that much, that means money will always come first in her heart. Then doesn't that mean you'll be second place for the rest of your life?"

"And what if one day you don't have money anymore? For all you know, she might run off immediately. So you need to change her. You need to make her put you first. Get it?"

Buddy C chimed in, "Right. You absolutely have to hold out. At least a month and a half, or it won't leave a lasting impression."

Ethan Parker nodded in agreement. "I know. Everything is under control."

They were talking animatedly. Only the man sitting in the corner remained silent, his eyes lowered, fingertips tapping ash from his cigarette.

Ethan Parker looked at him. "Lucas Shaw, what do you think? Will this method really work?"

Following his gaze, I looked over too. I'd seen that man a few times before. Handsome face. Not much of a talker.

When Ethan Parker addressed him, he took his time before answering lazily, "Don't ask me. It's the middle of the night and I'm exhausted."

Seeing that Lucas Shaw didn't comment, the others began assuring Ethan Parker all over again that this method would definitely work.

I stood outside the door and listened for a long time. I would be lying if I said I wasn't angry.

Even if I'd done something wrong, the two of us could have closed the door and worked it out between ourselves.

Why did he have to rope outsiders into it too, and let them all look down on me?

I didn't push the door open. I turned and went home.

3

After I got home, it only took me two hours to pack up my luggage.

Ethan Parker had pursued me for a year, but we'd only been together for a few months, so I didn't actually have that much stuff at his place.

I counted the balance on my cards and bit my finger in distress.

There was only a little over a million left. Was I about to become poor again?

I looked back at those luxury jewels and expensive bags and left dragging my suitcase, heart aching.

Ethan Parker thought my head was filled with nothing but money. What he didn't understand was that I wasn't willing to spend just anyone's money.

So many people had chased me growing up. Maybe not all the way to France, but certainly all the way to Italy.

If it weren't because I liked Ethan Parker, why would I have spent his money?

But there was no point saying any of that now.

Even if he got down on his knees and begged me, I wouldn't spend another cent of his money ever again.

I spent one night in a hotel, and by the next day I'd already found a place to live.

Meanwhile, when Ethan Parker returned to his villa, he discovered that both I and my luggage were gone.

He anxiously texted the group chat: "Damn, she left. She really left. She didn't even take a single one of her favorite bags. Did I overplay this?"

"Relax. It's only the beginning. She definitely left those valuable things behind on purpose so she won't look so materialistic. And the fact that she didn't take any of them only proves she'll definitely come back, doesn't it?"

"No, she even blocked me. Is this really okay?"

"Trust me, brother. Just wait and see. Whatever you do, don't cave, or all your previous effort will be wasted."

"Fine." Ethan Parker still sounded uneasy. "No, this won't do. She's so damn pretty. I keep feeling like the second we broke up, a bunch of bastard men are going to surround her. Good thing I didn't let word of the breakup get out. I only told you guys."

"But I still can't relax. Lucas Shaw, you're the steadiest one. I trust how you handle things. I can't show up myself, so help me keep an eye on her."

A long while later, Lucas Shaw finally replied in the chat with one simple word.

"Okay."

4

I originally thought that after blocking Ethan Parker, I'd never cross paths with his circle again.

But over the past two days, I'd been inexplicably running into Ethan Parker's friends over and over.

Some of them I'd only met once or twice while going out with Ethan Parker. Some I'd never seen before at all.

Maybe the reputation of me being a gold digger had spread through Ethan Parker's social circle.

Without exception, every one of those men who ran into me kept trying to hand me money in some way.

One claimed the hair clip on my head looked pretty and insisted on buying it from me with a credit card.

Another insisted on buying the coffee I had ordered that day at an absurdly high price.

One of them even rode off on the unlocked bike I'd been using and tossed me an unlimited credit card.

I may be pretty, but I'm not stupid.

Birds of a feather flock together. What kind of decent person could someone like Ethan Parker possibly associate with?

What if I ended up with one of them, and later he started looking down on me for spending too freely too?

To stop anyone from looking down on me, I began seriously looking for a job to earn money and support my own materialistic self.

I had studied dance, so after the interview I got into a dance studio.

But work was exhausting. I'd only been on the job for a few days, and I already felt like my spirit was being sucked dry.

I was not meant to work. I was not meant to be a laboring corporate cow.

A materialistic woman like me should be on an island, feeling the sea breeze and drinking soda while watching the sunset.

Maybe I was too tired. I didn't want to walk that long stretch all the way to the subway.

That day, when I finally noticed that the car behind me had been following me, I stopped.

After I got into Lucas Shaw's car, I sat bolt upright, clutching my bag strap. "Please just drop me off at the subway entrance."

"It's fine." He steered with one hand and glanced at me. "I'm heading that way anyway. I'll take you."

I'm not stupid. His company is downtown. How is that on the way?

He coughed lightly. "I... I'm not actually that close with Ethan Parker. I've only known him for a few months."

"Oh." I wasn't interested. My response was flat.

He was so direct. He pulled the car over, leaned toward the back seat, and brought a pile of things forward.

I glanced at them casually. A Patek Philippe watch. A Harry Winston necklace. A Bvlgari bracelet. The newest Hermes bags--he had several colors.

When he saw me looking, he explained, "Don't misunderstand. I know you're not that kind of materialistic girl."

He fumbled in his pocket and pulled out something else--a wrinkled envelope. "This is what I actually wanted to give you. All those other things are just extras."

I looked at it. Two huge words were written on the envelope: Love Letter.

Seriously? Who still writes love letters these days?

I pushed away the love letter he was offering and fiercely corrected his mistaken impression of me.

"You're wrong. I am a very materialistic person. I am a gold digger. Not only am I a gold digger, I'm vain too--sharp-tongued, snobbish, always looking down on people and climbing upward. I want to sit back and enjoy the fruits of other people's labor. I want to get rich overnight without working for it. I love money. I want to spend money. In my heart, money will always come first. No one can ever replace the place money holds in my heart!"

I puffed myself up and said it all haughtily.

I wanted him to see clearly that my true nature was exactly this vain, materialistic, rotten through and through.

I didn't have any beautiful virtues. I was exactly the same on the inside as on the outside.

Don't project some beautiful fictional version of me onto the real me.

Before pushing the car door open, I looked at him maliciously. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not some good woman."

5

The door slammed shut behind me. I'd barely taken a few steps when Lucas Shaw came after me, confusion written across his handsome face.

"I mean it sincerely. How much money could you possibly spend? How does that make you vain?"

I stopped in my tracks. Huh? Was he looking down on me?

Lucas Shaw seemed to understand. "Let me do the math. Since you got together with Ethan Parker, the month you spent the most was eight million. On average, that's around two hundred sixty thousand a day, a little over ten thousand an hour, and only about one hundred eighty a minute."

"And some of that money, you donated, didn't you?"

Hearing that, I unconsciously straightened my back.

I've always believed in giving back.

When I was poor, I couldn't worry about the masses.

But when I struck it rich, I did plenty of things that could be called robbing the rich to help the poor.

Besides donating to charities and orphanages and opening an animal hospital to take in stray cats and dogs...

Even when I ordered food delivery, I'd tip the rider hundreds or even thousands. If I was in a good mood, I'd scan and send two hundred to any cleaner I passed on the street.

The last time I went to the hospital, I saw an auntie from the countryside whose husband refused to pay for her treatment, so I gave her the ring on my hand that was worth fifty thousand.

Lucas Shaw smiled and continued, "Do you know how much I make in a minute? I can earn twenty or thirty thousand in a minute just sitting still."

He blinked at me innocently. "So I'm sorry, but in my opinion, your level of spending doesn't even count as being materialistic. My mother once said that in the month she spent the least materialistically, she only spent two thousand a minute. My father even bought her a car just to praise her for it."

Lucas Shaw looked at me and smiled earnestly. "Mia, wake up. You're spending a little over a hundred a minute. That's not even enough for one delivery order. Where in this world is there another girl as kind and frugal as you?"

I stood there blankly and asked uncertainly, "Really? Am... am I really that frugal?"

Lucas Shaw nodded firmly. "Of course. Only a useless man would call someone as plain and unpretentious as you vain."

Everything suddenly became clear to me.

But I still reminded him, "Even if that isn't vanity, I still love money. That part won't change."

"That's a fine quality," Lucas Shaw said. "Who in this world doesn't love money? Is anyone bold enough to stand up and say otherwise?"

Then I thought of something else and lifted my chin. "But I need to say this first. Money will always be first in my heart. Even if I come to like you later, you can only be second."

"Second?" Lucas Shaw froze for a moment, looking almost disbelieving. "I... I can rank second? Really?"

There was no point trying to communicate anymore. Might as well move on to the next step.

6

I moved into Lucas Shaw's villa. At first, I felt a little uncomfortable.

But Lucas Shaw adjusted very quickly, as if he had spent a long time preparing just to welcome me there.

The flowers in the villa were the ones I liked. The bed linens were my favorite color. The decor was exactly my preferred style...

During the first week after I moved in, he only worked half-days and came home on time every evening.

Whenever he came home, I would hear clattering noises downstairs. That was Lucas Shaw cooking.

If I leaned over and looked, I would see him in a shirt and apron, calmly preparing ingredients in an orderly way.

Broad shoulders, narrow waist, long straight legs, strong arms.

As I stared at his back, I thought, so this is what it feels like to date a different kind of man.

Ethan Parker had never done little things like that for me. He couldn't even remember what color I liked.

To keep the same thing from happening again, I made sure to carve my gold-digger image deeply into Lucas Shaw's brain.

I made a detailed payment plan for our relationship.

Five thousand for holding hands once. Three thousand for taking a walk together once. Two thousand every time he invited me to eat food he cooked himself...

When Lucas Shaw heard me muttering all of that, he passed by and mumbled, "Quite the modest lion's mouth."

Yet while he said that, he paid seriously and handed over his assets one by one. Those unlimited cards were bottomless.

To encourage me to open my lion's mouth wider, he even made me a detailed daily card-swiping plan and thoughtfully stuck it on the refrigerator.

"5th, sunny. Mia's crocodile leather plan. Amount: three million. Goal met?"

"6th, slightly cool. Mia's couture runway shopping plan. Amount: no limit. Goal met?"

"7th, light rain..."

He took care of people with great patience and great attention to detail.

Usually after dinner, he would sleep downstairs and never come upstairs.

At the dinner table, if there were dishes I didn't like, he would keep picking them out until only the ones I liked were left.

But he was almost too attentive--so attentive that I flushed bright red when I saw what was in his hands.

"Y-you, how can you wash, wash, wash... that? Put it down right now."

Lucas Shaw looked a little embarrassed. "Last time I used too much force and ruined one, but I've learned now. If I rub it gently, I'll definitely get it clean."

I glared at him. So that's why. I'd been wondering where that lace thong I loved so much had gone.

"No, no, no, I don't want you washing it!" I lunged across the sofa toward him, trying to snatch the underwear from his hand.

Lucas Shaw seemed to do it on purpose. I only tugged lightly at what he was holding, but he acted as if he had been yanked hard.

His knees buckled and he slid down to kneel in front of my sofa.

Our eyes met. He looked at me with restrained eyes, his throat bobbing.

I planted one foot on his thigh and looked him straight in the eye. "I saw it."

"Saw what?" His voice was low and hoarse.

"That time in the study. I saw you holding my... for a full half hour. You pervert." I looked down at him from above.

Lucas Shaw bowed before me willingly, his long lashes lowered. "Ah, so you saw. What should I do now?"

"What do you think you should do?" I jabbed his cheek viciously. Really, he was such a beautiful man.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes burning. "Then punish me, okay?"

"Punish me however you want. Mia, you have to punish me hard, so I won't dare do that kind of thing again."

As he said that, he pulled off his shirt by himself. The fabric slid down, revealing smooth lines across his shoulders and back, a clearly defined eight-pack rising and falling with each breath, pale skin gleaming with tight, powerful strength.

Broad shoulders, narrow waist, an inverted triangle body. Every inch of him was sexy in exactly the right way, impossible to look away from.

"Slut," I scolded him, hitting him with what I held in my hand.

"Yes, I am." Lucas Shaw tilted his head up and received my kiss.

The next second, Lucas Shaw's phone rang. Flustered, he hit the answer button.

I clearly heard Ethan Parker's urgent voice coming through the line.

"Lucas Shaw, why hasn't Mia come back asking to reconcile yet? Did you try persuading her for me?"

Startled, I accidentally let out a small sound.

There was silence on the other end for a moment, and then Ethan Parker's voice came again.

"Lucas Shaw, what was that sound? Who's with you?"

7

"What is it?" Lucas Shaw steadied himself, but his voice was unmistakably hoarse.

He looked up at me quickly, panic flickering in his eyes.

Pretending not to have heard, I deliberately asked, "Who is it?"

On the other end, Ethan Parker suddenly raised his voice. "Lucas Shaw? Who exactly is with you? Is it Mia Reed? I heard her voice. What are you two doing?!"

Lucas Shaw immediately said, "No! You heard wrong. I've checked on her for you. She's doing fine right now. As for whether she'll reconcile with you, I can't help with that."

When Ethan Parker heard that, he didn't suspect a thing. He chuckled. "Well, would you look at that, you actually found yourself a woman. I thought you were frigid. Fine, I won't ruin your fun. Bring your girlfriend out sometime so we can meet her. As for Mia Reed, no need to rush. Give her a few more days to think. That'll be best."

Lucas Shaw hung up, and I expressionlessly raised a foot and kicked him.

Just as I was about to get up, his large hand wrapped around my ankle and pressed me back in place.

"I heard everything." I poked his bare shoulder viciously with my finger. "And that day too, when you all were talking with Ethan Parker--I was standing outside the door and heard every word. That's right, that's right. I am money-minded. I really was blinded by your money, or I would've remembered that you and Ethan Parker are birds of a feather."

"He asked you to come supervise me, didn't he? So how exactly were you planning to persuade me to get back together with him? Go on, let's hear it."

Still wearing only his suit pants, Lucas Shaw remained kneeling on the carpet with his legs parted, his shoulders rocking with every poke.

"No, I wasn't!" Lucas Shaw caught my fingers and kissed them one by one. "I never agreed to that. I hardly ever go to their gatherings. That time, I only rushed over because he said in the group chat that you'd broken up."

"Originally--if you two hadn't actually been planning to break up, I'd already made up my mind to steal you away."

There was an odd forcefulness in the way he said that. Something utterly lacking in morals somehow sounded righteous and impassioned coming from him.

"Have some shame. You were planning to seduce me into cheating?" I looked at him disapprovingly. "I'm a traditional, honest woman."

He kissed from my fingers to the back of my hand. "Trying to seduce you was my crime. You're a good woman. You were just deceived by me. I deserve to die."

Why was he putting on a show like this anywhere and everywhere?

He spoke as if deeply moved, the corners of his eyes alluring, surrendering himself to me entirely.

As though he had truly done all those things and was trembling in repentance, begging for absolution.

I rubbed at his damp lower lip thoughtfully as I studied him.

It really was strange. Thinking about it, I had seen him a few times back when I was with Ethan Parker.

Mostly because whenever Ethan Parker brought me to meet his friends, Lucas Shaw was always there.

Ethan Parker had even specifically warned me back then that his friend Lucas Shaw was cold and taciturn but close with him, the kind who would show up whenever called.

So my impression of him had only been this: in every large room, there was always one noble-looking man who stood out from the crowd and sat silently in a corner.

Except for that one time we were playing cards and I reached to pick up a dropped card in the middle of the game and accidentally touched his hand.

When I looked up, I saw the tips of his ears turning bright red instantly.

At the time, I had thought, where did Ethan Parker find such a pure-hearted man?

Turns out he had only hidden all of that smoldering desire under his suit pants.

"Mia, can you forgive me?" Lucas Shaw drew his expression back into seriousness and apologized sincerely. "Other than through Ethan Parker, I had no other chance to get close to you."

"Even if you had been very happy with him, I still would've let you know that being with me would only make you happier. But the truth is, he doesn't deserve you. He doesn't even deserve the right to touch the bottom of your shoe."

"Enough." To be honest, I didn't care that much. Relationships with wealthy young men like them were never meant to last anyway. Better to enjoy them while they lasted.

And besides, I'd been tempted ever since he took his clothes off.

I'd forced myself to endure until now. At last, I squeezed his cheeks hard with both hands. "Shut up, shut up. I don't want to hear any more. Show me what you can really do."

Lucas Shaw's thin lips were squished into a pout by my hands. Unable to break free, he sighed helplessly and, still kneeling, wrapped one arm around my waist and picked me up.

He had only taken a few steps when a thunderous pounding suddenly hit the front door.

"Lucas Shaw! I know you're in there! It's Ethan Parker! Open the door, I need to talk to you!"

8

Ethan Parker's voice was like a bucket of cold water instantly dousing the heat between Lucas Shaw and me.

I glared at him and bit down hard on his shoulder.

"I'm warning you. Don't you dare tell Ethan Parker I'm here."

I still wanted to watch him make a fool of himself for a couple more days. Who told him to be so self-righteous and play me like that?

After saying that, I jumped down from his arms and stormed upstairs.

Lucas Shaw covered his shoulder and didn't have time to stop me. As he stared toward the door, a dark look flashed through his brows.

He grabbed the clothes off the sofa and pulled them over his head.

The moment he opened the door, Ethan Parker's eyes swept quickly over the room. Just as he tried to look more closely, Lucas Shaw's body blocked most of the view, shutting him out in the doorway and pulling the door closed behind him.

"What is it?" Lucas Shaw's voice was slightly hoarse and cold.

"I..." Ethan Parker's eyes flickered. "I just came to confirm whether Mia was here. Sorry, man. I was too impulsive. I can't believe I actually suspected you."

Those few quick glances he'd gotten just now had been enough. Several pieces of black lace were scattered across the floor. The moment he saw them, he completely relaxed.

Mia Reed was the innocent, pure little-bunny type. When she was with him, she would never wear anything that slutty.

Lucas Shaw looked irritated. "If you know you were wrong, then get lost."

Ethan Parker froze. Maybe Lucas Shaw had shown him too much goodwill in the past.

So much so that he'd forgotten that the Parker family and the Shaw family were miles apart in status, and that Lucas Shaw was never exactly known for having a good temper.

But Ethan Parker had always firmly believed that it was his own personal charm that had made someone like Lucas Shaw befriend him.

As for why Lucas Shaw's attitude had suddenly changed so much, it was probably because he'd truly interrupted something good.

After thinking it through, Ethan Parker even felt a little apologetic.

Still, he couldn't help asking, "Bro, Mia Reed still hasn't come looking for me these past few days. Should I stop here? What if I take this too far?"

Lucas Shaw only needed one glance to know exactly what Mia Reed was thinking.

She wanted to play, and he wasn't about to spoil her fun.

So he patiently advised, "Don't rush. Leave her hanging for a little longer. That way she'll be more obedient later."

"Yeah, you're right." Ethan Parker patted his shoulder happily. "What you said makes sense."

After Ethan Parker left, Lucas Shaw finally came upstairs.

He closed the bedroom door behind him, but didn't take another step forward.

"I sent him away. And I won't let him come looking for you either."

Tall, broad-shouldered, one hand still resting on the doorknob, he stood there in a low, husky voice giving his report.

I turned over, and the silk blanket draped over me slipped down.

Lucas Shaw's gaze darkened.

I crooked a finger at him.

That night, I finally understood why people said Lucas Shaw was not someone to mess with.

The bastard was forceful and domineering, knew how to coax, and had no idea how to stop.

9

When I said I was going to leave Ethan Parker hanging, I really just meant hanging.

I wasn't planning to do anything to him. After all, there was no deep hatred between us.

Lucas Shaw was very busy with work, so sometimes I went out alone to carry out my card-swiping plan.

Who would've thought that the moment I reached the entrance of a jewelry store, I'd run right into Ethan Parker walking closely beside another girl?

The second Ethan Parker saw me, he shook the girl off and hurried over.

"M-Mia Reed, you've thought it through? Did you find out I'd be here today and come specifically to wait for me? But as for getting back together, I still need..."

I stared at the girl beside him for a long while before suddenly remembering where I'd seen her before.

I'd seen her photo on Ethan Parker's phone once, and I'd even asked him who she was.

At the time, he had snatched the phone away and sworn up and down that she was his sister.

"Is she really your sister?" I looked at Ethan Parker and cut him off.

The girl who had just caught up with us frowned unhappily when she heard that. "What sister--"

Ethan Parker snapped at her coldly, "Shut up!"

"Of course she's my sister. Didn't I tell you before? She's my cousin from my great-uncle's side."

He still thought I was that easy to fool, and he wore the same utterly confident expression.

I remembered how Lucas Shaw had kept repeating that Ethan Parker didn't deserve me.

So that's what he had meant.

I glanced at Ethan Parker, utterly uninterested, and curled my lip without exposing him.

When he saw I was about to walk into the jewelry store, he grabbed me. "How could you possibly have money to come into a place like this right