hapter 1


    With a handmade cheap ring, Gabriel Sterling deceived Ste Rivers for five years.


    But Ste treasured it as pure love, unaware he fell for her at the first sight-only because she resembled his first love Lily Rose.


    For five years she gave everything-using her inheritance to pay his debts, abandoning her future to enter Hollywood to support him, single-handedly making him a business mogul.


    But after achieving sess, he direcly giving all the roles she fought for to Lily.


    The entire inte even celebrated his perfect romance with his first love, while she became the despised “clingy mistress” and “disgusting substitute.”


    Death threats flooded in like a tide. Finally heartbroken, she removed the ring and chose to disappear.


    However, when Gabriel found that abandoned ring in her empty apartment-


    Hepletely lost his mind.


    Emily, I’m quitting. End of the month, I’m gone. Can you wipe my info? I don’t want anyone finding me.”


    Emily’s voice exploded through the phone: “Are you insane? You sacrificed everything for Gabriel’s career, paid off his debts, and now that you’re in trouble,


    e’s just gonna let you burn?”


    This isn’t on him. I’m done.” Ste Rivers twisted the in white ring off her finger. “I can’t take anymore.”


    What about Gabriel?”


    Che stared at the pale mark where the ring used to be. “We’re over. Completely over.”


    Her phone buzzed the second she hung up.


    Ste Rivers, you pathetic bitch. Gabriel belongs with our sweet Lily.”


    Just die already and join your dead parents in hell!”


    Attached was a funeral photo of her in ck and white.


    he’d been getting these death threats for weeks. Every social media ount destroyed.


    ll because of one person.


    Gabriel Sterling-Her so-called devoted boyfriend of five years.


    hat name was like a thorn lodged deep in her heart-just thinking about it sent sharp waves of pain through her chest.


    che and Gabriel had been college ssmates. Their first meeting was at freshman orientation, where he spoke as the outstanding student representative. Under


    he bright sunshine, he looked so clean-cut and confident. That one speech made him the campus heartthrob of their entire ss.


    Every girl’s secret crush.


    Back then, Ste wasn’t the wishy-washy person she’d be. Campus heartthrob or not, she figured he was perfect for her.


    She chased him relentlessly for four years.


    Right before graduation, Gabriel’s family went bankrupt.


    He became aughingstock. Debt collectors cornered him in his tiny apartment and nearly chopped off his finger.


    She was the one who promised to pay his debts, and only then did they leave him alone.


    That night. Gabriel finally said ves to her confion For him


    school rmendation from her professor, and dove headfirst into Hollywood.


    In that cramped apartment, they survived together for five years.


    With her encouragement. Gabriel started his business over from scratch while she took on his monthly debt payments.


    During those years, she’d take any job that came her way, surviving on less than four hours of sleep a day.


    Gabriel would hold her close, his eyes full of heartache: “Honey, I swear I’m gonna give you the good life you deserve.”


    Turns out, she’d bet on the right horse.


    Five years into his startup journey, Gabriel’s sharp business instincts made him the youngest business mogul in the city, a darling of every financial magazine.


    They moved from that shoebox apartment where they could bump into each other just by turning around, to a bright, spacious house, then to a luxury high-rise overlooking the entire city.


    She thought they’d finally made it through the storm.


    Until the role she’d been prepping for months got handed to someone else.


    Some girl named Lily Rose-a total newbie with supposedly massive backing that no one dared cross.


    Heartbroken and desperate, she went to Gabriel’s office without calling ahead.


    That’s when she discovered that Lily’s “massive backing” was Gabriel himself.


    Inside his office, she heard a woman’s sickeningly sweet voice:


    “Gabriel, let’s grab dinner! I wanna celebratending that role today.”


    “Gabriellll, work never ends anyway. You promised you’d take me out tonight, remember?”


    “Am I really less important to you than your stupid work?”


    Lily kept up the baby talk, and when Gabriel didn’t respond, she pouted like a spoiled brat.


    Gabriel seemed defeated by her cuteness and chuckled. “Alright, princess, you win. You’re the most important thing in the world, okay? I gotta work hard so I can have your back!”


    He even booped her nose.


    Ste turned and left. Gabriel didn’te home until the next day.


    His first words? “That role wasn’t right for you anyway. I’ll find you something better.”


    At that moment, every bone in her body felt like it had been shattered and needed rebuilding.


    When Gabriel’s business first started taking off, friends had warned her to lock him down with a marriage certificate.


    Men go bad when they get money. Only cash won’t betray you.”


    “You’ve done so much for him-it’s time to get something back.”


    But back then, Gabriel was working around the clock, sometimes too busy to even shave. She couldn’t bring herself to bother him with what seemed like trivial


    Concerns.


    Now she finally understood-Gabriel had only agreed to date her out of gratitude for sticking by him during his lowest point. He’d never actually loved her.


    The next day, Lily came looking for her.


    She brought a photo album and a thick stack of letters.


    Gabriel and I go way back-childhood sweethearts. He chased me for five years and wrote over fifteen hundred letters.”


    “He only got with you out of gratitude, Miss Rivers. You’re a smart woman. When he was down and out, your status matched his. But some people are destined for greatness-they rise to the top where they belong. You two are frompletely different worlds now.”


    “He and I are actually equals. You can’t help him anymore. If you insist on dragging him down, I’m sure those photos of you drinking with clients over the years would make quite a ssh on social media.”


    lily smiled sweetly as she slid out a stack ofpromising photos.


    The pictures showed Ste sandwiched between clients, her face flushed from alcohol. Next to Lily and Gabriel’s gorgeous couple photos, these images looked like stains on a masterpiece-absolutely revolting.


    “Just walk away from him, and I promise you won’t regret it.”


    That night, she stared at photos from a wrap party on her phone-Gabriel with his arm around Lily, looking absolutely smitten.


    Like some kind of masochist, she scrolled through them all night. By dawn, everything was crystal clear.


    She and Gabriel had never been the same kind of people.


    Maybe letting go was for the best.


    She wouldn’t have to wonder anymore why Gabriel refused to go public with their rtionship.


    She wouldn’t have to swallow her bitterness watching him charm other women.


    And she wouldn’t have to endure endless harassment because of him.


    Her eyes stung as she curled up on the couch and drifted off.


    The front door opened, and Gabriel stumbled in reeking of alcohol. Seeing her on the couch, something flickered in his eyes-maybe annoyance, maybe guilt.


    Why’d you crash out here?”


    Gabriel grabbed a nket and tucked it around her. “You haven’t eaten, have you? Let me whip up something.”


    He stroked her hair, just like always.


    Don’t bother. You should get some rest.”


    te had woken up the moment he walked in. She wished it didn’t hurt so much. If he didn’t love her, why did he keep being so damn considerate? It just made her fall deeper into this agonizing trap. <fn908d> Fresh chapters posted on f?ndnovel</fn908d>


    Honey, I—”


    is phone rang.


    ily.


    Gabriel, help me! There are all these scary strangers at my ce-I’m terrified!”


    I’m on my way.”


    abriel grabbed his jacket without hesitation. “Something came up at work. There’s leftovers in the fridge if you get hungry.”


    Ce turned and left, his tall silhouette blending with memories of all those years when he’d tuck her in after her night shoots, then head to the kitchen to prep


    reakfast.


    Goodbye, Gabriel,” she whispered, so softly only she could hear.


    The door mmed shut with a bang, like a p across her face. The pain brought tears to her eyes.


    Her phone buzzed.


    text from Emily.


    A ne ticket out of the city.


    Departure in five days.