After my family went bankrupt, I begged my fiancé Ryan to pump cash into our business.

He didn't just refuse. He turned around and got engaged to someone else.

When I was at the end of my rope, Ethan Brooks stepped up, tossing all his savings into my family's mess.

Sadly, we missed our shot, and our company crashed. My parents couldn't handle it. They jumped off a building.

Even so, I was thankful to Ethan and married him to pay him back.

Three years later, at Lily Carter's birthday party, I overheard her talking to him.

"You tanked the Harper family so I could win that bid. Won't Kelly blame you?"

"For you, I'd give up everything. I'll just make it up to her."

My blood ran cold as I realized our marriage was all a lie. The one he loved was Lily all along.

I turned and left. If he was that hooked, I'd set him free.

I stood in the stairwell, shaking badly.

Ethan Brooks and Lily Carter kept their voices low, but their conversation hit me like a sledgehammer.

"I owe you big for this," she said softly, taking his hand. "Anything you need, just holler. If Kelly flips out, pin it on me."

Ethan blushed up to his ears, gazing at her with deep affection.

"I'd do anything for you," he murmured. "Kelly won't care. Every day with her makes me sick, but knowing you're happy? That's all I need."

I froze, feeling my heart hallowed.

"How is Ryan treating you?" he asked.

His concerned expression was something I had never seen before. I thought he was just cold. Turned out, I just wasn't his true love.

Lily slid her hand free with a sweet smile. "He's great to me. I know it sucks being stuck with someone you don't love. If you're struggling, hit me up. I'll be there for you."

He blushed and nodded, but my eyes narrowed as I saw through Lily's pretense.

She was a master in the game of love, married to Ryan Hunt while keeping Ethan on a string. And they both ate it up.

I itched to charge over, slap them both, and scream about how they trashed my family for their selfish game. But my feet felt like lead.

Unable to bear their mushy crap anymore, I slipped back to the party room.

I parked myself in a corner. The joy in the room seemed to be irrelevant to me.

Soon, Lily and Ethan strolled in, one after the other. He dropped next to me like usual, while she floated over to cheers and claps.

Ryan slid a diamond crown onto her head and kissed her cheek.

"Happy birthday, babe. I'll love you forever," he said.

The crowd cheered for them.

Ethan leaned in and whispered, "You're not still hung up on Ryan, are you?"

Before, I'd have thought he was jealous. Now I knew he just didn't want me to steal Lily's man.

Before that disaster, I had been a bratty rich girl who got whatever I wanted. But when my family crashed and my parents killed themselves, my pride and guts went down too.

I smiled bitterly, "Nah, how could I measure up?"

I didn't deserve to fight with Lily for either of them.

What he had said to Lily earlier echoed in my mind again. "For your happiness, I'd drag anyone home to marry."

To him, I was no better than a barnyard animal.

He didn't catch my tone, just squeezing my hand and digging into my palm. I used to think it was our little thing. Now I realized that he just hated touching me.

I pulled my hand free, trying to sound normal. "I'm wiped and will head back now. You guys have fun."

He heaved a sigh of relief and nodded with a grin. With me gone, he could finally drool over Lily without hiding it.

But as I stood, a spotlight pinned me. I knew it was deliberate.

Back when I ruled, I pissed off plenty of folks. Now that my family was done, they were dying to watch me squirm.

My ex dumped me for Lily, and now even my husband was obsessed with her.

With all eyes on me, I felt like a clown, unsure if I should leave or stay.

"Look who we've got here," someone sneered.

For years, I had been trying to dodge these people. If it hadn't been for Ethan's insistence, I wouldn't have been there in the first place.

Aware I would get crushed, he had held my hand and reassured me, "Don't worry. I've got your back."

Now he just stood by. I was such a dumbass, trusting him blindly.

To him, my dignity was nothing. He just wanted to see Lily.

I stood there, totally thrown.

It felt just like the day my family went down. I had begged Ryan in front of everyone, only to get humiliated.

Ethan had swooped in, yanking me out of that hell. I had thought it was a lifeline. Turned out, it was a bigger hole.

Lily sashayed over, grabbed my hand, and smiled all sweet. "Quit picking on her. I'm glad she's here."

Even without her spelling it out, I got the jab. I used to be the golden girl, while she was just some new-money chick clawing her way in.

Now the same jerks who had snubbed her back then were laughing at me. I sighed at the twist of life. I guessed every dog had its day.

She played it like she was saving me. In fact, she was insinuating that I wasn't that dazzling heiress anymore.

I clenched my fists, shaking with anger.

Before knowing the truth, I had leaned on Ethan like he was my shield. Now he would just let her rip me apart. When push came to shove, Lily was always his choice.

I forced a smile and dug up some nerves. "Lily, happy birthday. I'm feeling off, so I'm outta here."

I tried slipping my arm free, but she stumbled back, yelping like I had shoved her.

Ryan and Ethan rushed up, catching her in time.

She straightened up and whined, "I just wanted you to stick around and catch up on old times with us. Why did you push me? Are you still mad I took Ryan? I thought you moved on."

Ryan glared at me. "You just never change. How could you hurt Lily? I need you to apologize to her."

He turned to Ethan. "Rein her in. If Lily's hurt, you're both screwed."

"Apologize!" Ethan stared me down, his tone brooking no argument.

That was a cheap move. Anyone with half a brain could see she set me up, but not one soul in that room had my back.

My old sweetheart and my husband would rather play her game than stand by me. My chest ached so bad I couldn't breathe.

I silently hoped I had gone with my parents back then, saving all the humiliation now. I was tired of this kind of miserable life where I was tricked and trapped, scraping by like dirt.

I laughed at myself, staring at Ethan as tears fogged my eyes. "Are you serious?"

It was clearly her stunt, but he didn't blink. "You messed up. Don't spoil the fun here."

My heart throbbed, the pain spreading like wildfire. I hoped he would at least dodge my gaze and show some scrap of conscience.

He didn't. To him, I was worthless.