Even though the lighting was dim and I could only see the side of his face, I recognized him instantly. This passionate, almost frantic side of Howard was something I had never witnessed in three years.

As if sensing something, he suddenly looked towards the camera, quickly covering Megan with his jacket. He grabbed a nearby skull prop and hurled it over. "Get lost! How dare you even look at Megan? I'll gouge your eyes out if I see you looking again!"

The screen immediately went static. One of those people awkwardly rubbed its nose and muttered, "It was so dark and he covered Megan so tightly. What were we even supposed to see? Can't believe Mr. Garcia flipped out like that."

"Just a few days ago, I joked with him about letting the bros check out Freya's figure sometime and he actually smiled and nodded. Sure enough, Megan is his precious darling. The way he treats her is on another level."

I clenched my fists but eventually let them fall, weak and powerless. It turns out that your initial response to something you truly didn't want to believe was denial rather than rage.

Even though the manager had reminded me three times that I could take off my makeup and go home, I stubbornly stood rooted to the spot. I didn't believe it. I didn't think the person they talked about, who played with other people's feelings, was the man I had loved for three years.

It wasn't until an hour later that the man emerged from the private room with Megan in his arms. The bright light outlined Howard's face so clearly and handsomely, completely shattering my self-deception. Megan's neck was covered in love bites. When she noticed the cut on my forehead, she said with a hint of embarrassment. "Miss, my boyfriend has a bit of a temper. He didn't mean to hurt you just now. Don't take it personally, okay? He just gets really possessive of me. Howard, aren't you going to make it up to her?"

Howard's eyes met mine. I thought he had recognized me. I hoped he would explain, even if he just denied the 'boyfriend' label, anything to make me feel like I wasn't a joke. Alas, he just pulled out a check, scribbled a few numbers and tossed it at my feet. "Keep your mouth shut. If I hear you talking nonsense and ruining Megan's reputation, I won't let you off," he said coldly.

We had been together for three years. I could easily recognize Howard's figure in the dark, but now I was standing right in front of him, just with NPC makeup on and he was only concerned with warning me not to damage his 'girlfriend's reputation. Was it that he didn't recognize me, or had he never cared about me?

Howard put his arm around Megan and walked towards the Bentley outside. That man considerately opened the door for her, fastened her seatbelt and drove away. From beginning to end, he didn't look at me once.

Watching that limited edition Rolls-Royce with the special license plate drive away, a bitter feeling welled up inside me. Because we had debts to repay and were saving money for his mother's medical treatment, we couldn't afford a car, only a second-hand motorcycle. Howard would often gesture grandly and speak to me behind him as those fancy cars carrying pretty women drove by. "Freya, just wait. Sooner or later, I'll ensure you ride in a car like that. The passenger seat is only for you."

I used to believe I would be the happiest woman alive if I rode that tiny electric scooter as long as I had his words. Now, he did have a luxury car, but the woman in the passenger seat wasn't me.

After taking off my makeup and returning home, I pulled the photo of Howard's mother from my phone while looking at the check. The amount was enough to pay for a year's medical expenses in one go. Howard, what other secrets are you hiding from me? There was a sound at the door and I quickly hid the check.

"Freya, I got paid part-time and bought your favorite strawberries. Come try some!" However, the smile on Howard's face froze when he saw the cut on my forehead.

He rushed over, eyes full of concern. "What happened? Does it hurt?"

I forced a small smile. "I accidentally scraped it. It's nothing. Strawberries are expensive, though. Why waste money?"

"How is that a waste?" he said. "Freya, I'd give you the whole world if I could. You've already sacrificed so much being with me. I'm working hard to earn money so my baby can live a good life."

I didn't say anything. That man's sweet words were as smooth as ever, but they suddenly felt ridiculous when paired with the scent of Megan's perfume on him. Howard didn't notice my change in expression. He casually glanced at my phone and chuckled. "Other girls love looking at handsome guys. Why are you staring at some old, sick lady? She's wrinkled and ugly."

I froze. "You don't know her, really?"

He looked confused. "No? Is she your relative? If she is, we should get her a gift and visit sometime."

"Oh right, Freya, I've got another part-time job tonight, so I must head out now. Can't stay for dinner. Be good and wait for me at home." He ruffled my hair, got dressed and left.

I was stunned by his words. He was the one who brought me to the hospital and pointed at the unconscious older woman in the photo, telling me with a pained look that she was his mother. How could he now say that he didn't know her?

I secretly followed Howard in a taxi. I watched him walk into a luxury mall, change into a suit worth tens of thousands and then head into a hotel. As soon as he entered the lobby, I saw Megan in a custom designer gown, clinging sweetly to a wealthy, elegant-looking woman whose features resembled Howard's.

Howard walked up to her and handed her a gift. He said with a smile, "Happy birthday, Mom."

An overwhelming sense of absurdity washed over me. I couldn't tell if I should be angry or sad. Back then, Howard looked haggard, burdened by high medical bills and debts. He always had a look of sadness in his eyes because he was worried about his seriously ill mother.

I felt sorry for his hardship and decided to share his burden. Besides eating and sleeping for three years, I desperately worked to earn money. As soon as my salary came in, I would immediately transfer it to him. Because I had no money for food, I often went hungry and could only fill my stomach with water. I fainted at work several times but didn't even dare to go to the hospital.

Now I realized that even the so-called 'seriously ill mother' was a lie he made up. He was only sad and haggard because Megan had gone abroad. Then what about the hunger I endured and the sweat I shed? It was truly laughable.

As the party reached its halfway point, Anastasia suddenly announced. "Thank you all for coming to this old woman's birthday party today. I also have some good news to announce. My son, Howard and Megan have been childhood sweethearts and are deeply in love. Now that Megan is back from abroad, we'll host their engagement party in three days. I hope you will all come to celebrate with us."

The guests offered their congratulations one after another. Confused, someone asked, "But didn't I hear that Howard already has a girlfriend?"

Anastasia's face darkened. She let out a cold snort. "How come some gold-digger from who-knows-where thinks she can latch onto our Garcia Family? My son was just toying with her. Did she really think a pheasant could become a queen? She should take a good look at herself."

"What do you think, Howard?"

Howard was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly. "You're right, Mom. It's just a pheasant, after all. We'll do as you say."

Looking up in shock, I saw Megan throwing herself into his arms with a delighted laugh. Then, Howard took out a massive diamond ring he'd prepared in advance from his pocket. He slipped it onto her ring finger and tenderly kissed her fingertips as everyone cheered.

I'd seen that ring on TV a few days ago. It was worth two hundred million. I glanced down at the plain ring on my finger, now yellowed and tarnished. Howard had given it to me on our first anniversary. It wasn't expensive, just a few hundred bucks, but I was as happy as a fool back then. Even though it wasn't even real silver and the color had faded badly, I couldn't bear to take it off.

I hid in a corner like some shameful voyeur, watching as the two of them held hands and smiled while drinking toast offered by the guests. The drinks were meant for both of them, yet Howard took them all on her behalf and gently handed her a glass of juice instead. "You're allergic to alcohol," he said softly. "Drink this instead."

Megan leaned on his shoulder like a pampered little princess, blushing and happy. "Howard, you're the best."

Howard had a weak stomach. Back when we were together, I was the one who always drank for him at parties. I'd instead drink until I had a stomach hemorrhage than let him have a single drop. I had taken such meticulous care of him for three years. Now, to protect someone else, he didn't even care about his own body.

That man must have been thrilled today. I had never seen him drink so much. Soon, he was drunk and Megan helped him upstairs to a guest room. I knew leaving at this moment was sensible, but I was standing outside their bedroom door before I knew it. The door wasn't closed tightly and the sounds from inside were faintly audible, making my face burn. My hands were shaking as I dialed Howard's number. It rang for over ten seconds before he picked up. His voice was hoarse and breathless. "Freya, what's wrong?"

"Howard," I cried, "let's get married. I don't want a dowry or a house. Just come back now and we'll register our marriage immediately, okay?"

I knew how pathetic I sounded, how low I'd fallen. But sometimes, love makes you let go of your pride. If Howard stopped now, walked out of that room and returned to me right this second, I'll pretend none of this ever happened.

Howard paused for a moment, then gave a helpless little laugh. "Silly girl, why are you crying? I never said I wouldn't marry you, but my mom's still in the hospital. I don't have the heart to think about marriage right now and I don't want to rush you into something less than you deserve. Once she gets better and I've made more money and bought a house and a car, I'll give you the wedding you deserve. Okay? Just wait for me a little longer. My part-time job will run late tonight, so I won't be home. Lock the door and get some rest. I'll bring back something tasty for you."

He suddenly let out a muffled groan and quickly hung up the phone. At the same time, the sounds from inside the room grew more intense and unbearable. I numbly lowered my phone as tears poured down my face. On the way home, the sky opened, pouring rain that soaked me to the bone. The cold rain washed over my face, only to be repeatedly replaced by my own tears.

Suddenly, I felt so tired and my head grew heavier and heavier. Before I lost consciousness and collapsed to the ground, one final thought echoed in my mind: Howard, I'm never going to wait for you again.

When I opened my eyes again, it was already dusk on the third day. I was lying in a hospital bed. The nurse told me that a kind passerby had brought me in. I turned on my phone, but Howard hadn't sent me a single message. No matter how busy he was, he used to always message me goodnight and remind me to eat breakfast.