Simp No More and He Lost It

Verena Johnson was the wild card among the wealthy heiresses—bold, reckless, and fiercely radiant.

While other socialites were busy chasing arranged marriages, she was out winning street-racing championships on the notorious "Death Highway," rising to global fame as a jewelry designer, and leaving a trail of ex-boyfriends begging to get back together after she dumped them.

Verena once said, "Marriage? Never. Men are like lipstick—try a shade, move on. No need to keep the tube."

But no one expected that Verena would one day marry a cold, taciturn physicist with monk-level self-discipline.

"Mom, I fell for Lanny Williams at first sight. It took me forever to win him over. The wedding's in two weeks. I hope you'll come."

She set the invitation on the coffee table and walked out.

In the car, she glanced at her phone wallpaper—his handsome profile as he analyzed planetary trajectories—and her heart melted.

She had never liked anyone this much.

For the first time in her life, Lanny made her want marriage. Made her want forever.

Just as she was about to reach home, a black sedan pulled out of the driveway.

Verena froze.

Where would Lanny go this late?

Suspicious, she followed him straight to a hospital.

Lanny hurried into a ward, anxiety written all over his face as he looked at the sleeping girl in the bed.

Verena's eyes sharpened. It was her half-sister, Bethany Nash.

Verena's father had cheated while her mother was pregnant, and the marriage ended soon after.

Verena had barely kept contact with that side of the family, seeing them only at a few business events.

"The blood clot in her brain is almost gone. She could wake up any time now," the doctor said, then added playfully, "So… you're really marrying Verena?"

"Yeah, " Lanny replied flatly.

"Tsk, how touching. All this just because Bethany likes Vernon Blair, and you're clearing every obstacle for her. You even dated Verena while Bethany was in a coma just to break Verena's engagement with the Blair family."

Lanny's voice stayed calm. "As long as Bethany ends up happy, that's enough for me."

"And Verena—she's a famous beauty. You never felt anything for her?"

"No."

That single, indifferent word landed on Verena's heart like a hammer.

Suddenly, the door swung open.

Lanny stared at her in shock, then quickly returned to his usual cool expression. "You followed me?"

"You're not planning to explain?" Verena asked coldly.

"You heard everything. What's left to explain?" Lanny replied, not the slightest guilt on his face. "You like me. I'm with you. Isn't that the outcome you wanted?"

Verena's throat tightened.

"Oh, right," he added casually, "I have to fly abroad on the day of the wedding for a symposium. Tell the planner to shorten the ceremony to one hour."

With that, Lanny walked away.

Verena felt as if a blade were carving through her heart over and over, leaving her gasping for air.

She had thought he was simply reserved. That one day, she would warm him up.

She never expected his heart belonged to someone else all along…

Watching his car disappear, she let out a bitter smile.

She had met him two years ago at a friend's get-together.

In the loud, chaotic private room, he sat quietly in a corner, accepting a drink with a polite smile but not taking a sip, turning a Saturn-ring pendant between his fingers, as though he couldn't wait to leave.

Her heart had thudded wildly the moment she saw him. She couldn't look away.

It wasn't until her friend waved five fingers in front of her that she finally snapped back.

"He's my brother's friend, Lanny. Thirty years old and already an associate professor at Stannford. Last month, he discovered a celestial object outside the solar system, causing a big stir in astrophysics. If you want to shoot your shot, I can introduce you. But my brother says he's never dated. Not into women. Might be impossible."

Verena smirked. "There's no man I can't get."

But she underestimated how rigid and icy a genius academic could be.

He wasn't moved by her bold advances at all.

"Pull your dress up," he said once, eyes sweeping over the strap slipping off her shoulder, completely devoid of desire.

She had snapped her dress back into place, annoyed but not discouraged. Instead, she doubled down.

She brought him lunch and desserts at the research center. She pretended to faint in his arms. She even studied physics so she could talk to him...

But this iceberg wouldn't melt, and frustration slowly crept in.

One night, drunk out of her mind, she stumbled to him. "Lanny… I'm not gonna bother you anymore. I said yes to my family's marriage plans. I'm marrying Northvale's golden boy, Vernon Blair. Happy now?"

"Who are you marrying?"

For the first time, his calm voice showed emotion.

"Vernon… mm-hmm. He's hotter than you, richer than you. When I marry him and have his babies, you'll regret it…"

She was barely conscious, until something cool brushed her lips.

Then a scorching kiss nearly devoured her.

"Don't marry him," Lanny said, eyes burned with warning. "You like me, right? Fine. I accept. Don't go through with that engagement."

"R-Really?"

Her eyes lit up with drunken joy.

"Really," he said. "From now on, we're together."

In the two years that followed, Verena became clingier than ever.

Lanny felt like he had been designed by God specifically to match every one of her tastes.

She loved all of it—his face, his personality, his intellect.

Except one thing—he was ice-cold in bed.

At most two or three times a month, and even then his rhythm felt calculated. Whenever she reached her peak, he would pull away instantly, as if one more second would kill him.

Thinking of that, she laughed bitterly.

Why did it take her this long to see it? He really didn't like her. Not even a little.

And a man who didn't love her wasn't worth holding onto.

Verena pulled out her phone and called the wedding planner. "I want to cancel the wedding on the 28th."

When Verena loved, she loved like a wildfire. When she stopped, she cut clean.

A man whose heart belonged to someone else? She couldn't care less.

That night, she drove to a bar.

On the crowded dance floor, she moved freely to the beat. A young model with a fresh face walked up to her. She lifted his chin and led him to a booth.

"Kid, how old are you?" she asked.

"N-nineteen…" he stammered.

Verena was just about to touch his lips when a hand clamped around her wrist.

Lanny's cold voice sounded above her. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Pre-wedding indulgence," she said, taking a sip of alcohol and meeting his angry eyes. "Thinking about being trapped in a marriage for the rest of my life, I figured I should have some fun while I still can, don't you think?"