Professor Wayson sounded genuinely delighted.

"Finally, Wendy! Don't worry about the tuition fees. I understand your difficulties and will apply for financial aid on your behalf. As for your boyfriend's treatment expenses, I'll also try to find a way to help. We can organize a donation drive at school—"

"Don't worry about it, Professor Wayson."

Wendy gently interrupted his kindness.

"I can pay my own tuition. There are others who need such aid. As for the money for the treatment, it's not needed anymore."

Professor Wayson did not overthink her response. He assumed Wendy had found a new funding source and was genuinely happy for her.

"That's great. You can focus on studying abroad now. You still have half a month before admission, so take this time to get your things in order."

"Thank you, Professor Wayson."

Without explaining further, Wendy ended the call and tightened her grip on the backpack in her arms.

She did not waste any more time. She left the hospital, deposited the entire sum into her account, paid her tuition, and bought a plane ticket for her departure in two weeks. In the end, she had only 300 dollars left.

Wendy pressed a hand against her still-aching abdomen and glanced at the balance on her account. A bitter smile spread across her face.

Ironically, she felt somewhat relieved.

At least she had overheard the truth before handing the money to Lucas.

When she returned to the hospital ward, Lucas was in bed—alone.

Wendy hesitated briefly before stepping inside.

Lucas had put away his cocky demeanor, returning to the gentle, caring boyfriend she had always known.

"Why are you so late today, Wendy?"

Her fingers twitched as she lowered her gaze.

"Something at university held me up."

Lucas did not suspect anything. He grabbed her hand, his excitement barely contained.

"I have great news!"

Wendy paused before asking, "What's that?"

"The doctor just came by. My cancer diagnosis was a mistake! I'm not sick!"

Of course.

Wendy closed her eyes for a brief moment.

Earlier, she had caught a glimpse of Lucas' phone screen, which was still lit on the bedside table.

A message from someone named Nat had popped up in the group chat.

[Lucas, tell that broke girl your cancer was misdiagnosed. I want to see her reaction when she realizes she's wasted all her money. It will be hilarious!]

Several people joined in, laughing about how brilliant the plan was.

Some even bet on whether she would lash out at Lucas in anger.

Lucas replied to her message.

[As you wish, my lady.]

For the past two years, Lucas had given her everything she wanted. She thought she had found the perfect boyfriend.

In fact, it was all because of Natelie's orders.

To them, she was nothing more than a toy.

Wendy smiled and said, "I'm glad you're alright."

Her calm reaction caught Lucas off guard. He hesitated for a moment before putting on a guilty expression.

"I should've gotten a second opinion earlier. You wouldn't have had to waste all your hard-earned money."

Wendy shook her head.

"It was worth it to spend it on you."

She had considered that money the price she paid to buy out her two years with Lucas.

From any perspective, she—the penniless student—had gotten the better end of the deal.

Her words hit Lucas like a heavy blow.

As the young master of the Shaltons, he had always been surrounded by flattery and false affection since birth. He had long grown immune to empty words.

However, it was different with Wendy—she had never known his real identity.

Every word she spoke and every sacrifice she made had been genuine.

She had willingly spent every penny she had on him and bore no resentment, even after discovering it was all for nothing.

A complicated emotion flickered within Lucas. He pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Wendy."

Wendy lowered her gaze, hiding the mockery in her eyes.

When they returned to their tiny apartment, Lucas lay on the small, narrow bed and sighed contentedly.

"Nothing beats my own bed."

Wendy's voice was soft when she said, "You've had a hard time."

After all, it must have been exhausting for the young master of the Shaltons—used to luxurious mansions and massive beds—to lower himself and share a cramped rental with her for two years.

Soon, all of that would come to an end.

Lucas assumed Wendy was upset about his time in the hospital. He hugged her around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder.

"Wendy, meeting you is the greatest blessing in my life."

Wendy never wore perfume—only the light scent of her shampoo lingered on her.

To Lucas, it was intoxicating. His breathing deepened, and he tightened his arms around her.

Pain shot through her abdomen, where she had undergone surgery just that morning. Wendy's face paled as she inhaled sharply in discomfort.

Lucas released her immediately, his expression filled with concern.

"What's wrong? You look terrible," Lucas asked.

She forced a small smile as she replied, "Nothing. Just some stomach cramps."

Lucas pressed his warm palm against her lower stomach and pulled her closer.

"Let me warm you up."

Wendy did not resist. She closed her eyes.

Yet, no amount of warmth could cure her disappointment.

Meeting Lucas had been the greatest misfortune of her life.

The next morning, Wendy woke up early.

Lucas was awakened by some noise. He opened his eyes groggily and saw Wendy stuffing all her clothes into a suitcase.

He sat up, an alarm flashing in his eyes.

"Why are you packing? Are you going somewhere?" Lucas asked.

"I'm going to visit the orphanage and donate these old clothes." Wendy continued folding her clothes without looking at him.

In two weeks, she would leave. Lucas, a man accustomed to luxury, would never keep the cheap clothes she had bought. She would give them to the children who needed them instead of letting them go to waste.

Lucas exhaled in relief subtly. He knew Wendy had always been grateful to the orphanage and visited every month.

"I'll go with you," he said.

He had accompanied her many times before, but she did not want him there that day. It would be her last visit, her final goodbye.

Before she could refuse, Lucas' phone rang. He glanced at the screen and quickly stepped into the bathroom to answer.

"It's my boss. I need to pick up this call."

However, sound traveled easily in their tiny rented apartment.

A sweet, spoiled voice carried clearly through the door. "Lucas, I'm in a bad mood today. You have to keep me company. Come shopping with me."

Lucas agreed without hesitation.

He wore his usual apologetic smile when he came out and said, "I'm sorry, Wendy. My boss called me to work. I can't go with you today."

She met his eyes calmly and nodded.

"Alright, go ahead."

Without a second thought, Lucas dressed and left in a hurry.

Wendy thought of all the times he had left her behind in the past two years, always claiming that his boss needed him.

She had pitied him, thinking he was overworked. She had even suggested he look for another job, but he had only pulled her into an embrace, resting his chin on her head.

"I don't mind the hard work," he murmured.

"I just want to earn enough money to marry you and give you a good life."

Such sweet words had moved her deeply.

From then on, she had taken on extra errands to earn a little more money, thinking they were working toward a shared future.

She finally realized she had been a complete fool.

Wendy stopped by the store on her way to the orphanage. Even with little money left, she bought snacks for the children.

As she struggled to carry two large bags toward the subway station, she passed a cosmetics store and overheard a familiar voice.

"Just buy the whole set. Testing them one by one is a hassle."

She turned her head toward the voice's direction and saw Lucas smiling indulgently at a well-dressed young woman.

Despite his complaint, he held out his arm obediently while she smeared lipstick on it.

Even though two years had passed since Wendy last saw her—it was Natelie.

So that was where Lucas had been whenever he said his boss needed him.

Natelie pouted and said, "You're happy to spend all your time with that lowly girl, but shopping with me is a chore?"

Lucas looked at her with a fond smile. "How could I? I did all this to help you teach her a lesson, didn't I? Let's buy these and continue shopping. You have me for the entire day."

He instructed the salesperson to pack up the entire lipstick collection.

The salesperson, seemingly familiar with him, moved swiftly.

"Mr. Lucas, that will be 14,000 dollars. Thank you for your purchase."

Wendy slightly swayed when she heard the amount.

In two years of dating, Lucas's most expensive gift to her was a silver bracelet worth 14 dollars. Most of his presents were cheap trinkets—bracelets that cost a few dollars and keychains from street vendors.

Yet, that 14,000 dollars seemed nothing to him when it came to pleasing Natelie.

That was the real Lucas—carefree, extravagant, and utterly indifferent to her struggles.

Wendy had seen enough. She turned to leave, but the flimsy plastic bag in her hands tore, and the snacks she had bought for the orphanage spilled onto the floor.

The loud noise caught Lucas' attention.

Their eyes met.

For a brief moment, she saw it—the flicker of panic in his gaze.

Guilt.

Fear.

Unease.

Those were all the emotions of a man caught in a lie.

"Wendy, weren't you going to the orphanage?"

Wendy glanced at the scattered snacks on the ground.

"I came to buy some things for the kids."

Lucas tried to hide his shopping bags, but his hands were full. "I—I'm just here shopping with my boss' daughter! He's busy today, so he's asked me to accompany her. These things aren't mine."

The more he explained, the more flustered he sounded, as if trying to cover something up. Wendy's eyes fell on the shopping bags. She might not recognize those high-end brands, but a single set of lipsticks costing 14,000 dollars spoke volumes.

"Your boss is really generous."

Lucas did not respond, afraid of making things worse. He set his bags down and moved to help Wendy pick up her snacks. However, before he could, a delicate hand rested on his shoulder, stopping him.

"Wendy, he's not helping you today—even if he's your boyfriend," a sugary voice said.

"He still has to shop with me—that's his job."

Lucas hesitated, looking at Wendy.

"Wendy, it's my boss' order. I—"

"I understand," Wendy said, interrupting him.

"I can handle it. You two go ahead and enjoy your shopping."

Without another word, she crouched to gather the scattered snacks. Lucas tried to help, but in the end, he let Natelie pull him away.

At the orphanage, the children's laughter filled the air as they excitedly tore into the snacks. As she watched their bright smiles, Wendy felt a warmth she had not experienced in a long time.

Noticing she had come alone, the orphanage director asked, "Where's Lucas? He usually comes with you."

Wendy could not respond.

The director gently patted her shoulder and said, "Wendy, you grew up here. I know how much you've longed for a family of your own.

"Lucas works three jobs to save up to marry you. He stands up for you, takes care of you, and he's wonderful with the kids here. He's a good man, someone you can rely on. If you two had a fight, don't be stubborn—just talk it out."

Bitterness filled Wendy's heart.

She had never told the director about Lucas' supposed illness. No one knew she had sold a kidney to save him—only to find out it was all a lie.

Lucas had been good to her over the past two years, but she had been good to him, too.

When she got home, Lucas was already there, waiting with dinner.

"Wendy, I had no choice but to leave you there today. It was for work. Once I've earned enough money, I'll never leave you behind again. I swear," his voice was laced with guilt as if he truly regretted it.

Wendy had heard the same sentence countless times before; the words had lost their meaning. She merely hummed in response and sat down to eat.

Perhaps Lucas had nearly been caught that day; he seemed more on edge than usual. Dinner was unusually quiet.

After they were done, Lucas pulled out a small box, his face lighting up with anticipation.

"Wendy, thank you for taking care of me these past few weeks. My boss' daughter was in a good mood and gave me a bonus today. I used it to buy you a gift. Open it."

Wendy accepted the box and lifted the lid. It was a single lipstick.

It was the same luxury brand she had seen earlier at the mall—the one Lucas had gifted Natelie.

She ran her fingers along the bottom of the box, feeling the faint stickiness where a price tag had recently been peeled away. She could not help but lift the edge of her lips because of a fresh wave of sarcasm.

He had just pulled off the sticker. The gift he gave her was a freebie, while Natelie got an entire luxury set.

Perhaps a girl like her—a penniless orphan—was only worth a complimentary product in Lucas' eyes.

Lucas frowned at her lack of reaction.

"What's wrong? You don't like the color? I had the salesperson pick it out for you."

Wendy set the box aside and shook her head. She said, "You don't need to spend money on me."

After all, they would not be together for much longer. She wanted to cut ties between them.

Lucas, however, seemed relieved.

"Oh, you're just worried about money." His usual affectionate smile returned.

"It's only fair that I spend it on you. After all, you used all your savings on me, didn't you?"

Wendy curled her lips into a faint smile but said nothing.

She was exhausted from the day's events. After washing up, she went straight to bed.

The next morning, she was still half-asleep when her phone rang.

She answered it.

"Wendy, your thesis has been reported for falsifying data," Professor Wayson said, his anxious voice coming through the phone.

"The university is launching an investigation!"