The harsh beeping of the disconnected call plunged straight into Ivy's heart like a dagger.

Lying on the operating table, she recalled that Julian had promised to always protect her. But now, he couldn't even care less if she lived or died.

Of course. To him, she was just a poor bumpkin and a pawn in his revenge game against Sophia. Why would he ever care about her?

Pain blurred her consciousness as she lifted a trembling hand with great difficulty. "My family can't come… Can I sign… for myself?"

Staring at her blood-soaked hand, the nurse hesitated before handing her the consent form.

Ivy signed her name as she gritted her teeth. Every stroke of the pen drained her of all the strength she had left. When she finished signing, her body gave out, and everything went dark.

…

The ward was eerily quiet when Ivy woke up. The night was pitch-black outside the window, and only the beeping of monitors was heard. Her body ached like it'd been crushed and trampled over, yet there was no one by her side.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She slowly reached for it, only to see messages bombarding the screen. They were all from Sophia. Each was like a knife that cut and made her bleed so badly.

In one photo, Julian and Sophia were dining at the most expensive romantic restaurant in the city. In the glow of the candlelight, he was gently cutting her steak.

In another, they were at an auction. He raised the paddle and bid an astronomical price for a blue diamond ring before slipping it onto Sophia's finger.

In yet another, blue fireworks burst into brilliance in the night sky and formed the dazzling word "Sophia".

Sophia's message popped up. "If I didn't send you these photos, you'd never get to see any of it in your lifetime, right? During your time with Julian, he gave you random junk, and you cherished it like treasure. But with me, he's always been generous. Ivy, you and Julian don't belong in the same world. Give up already."

Ivy clutched the phone tightly as her knuckles paled with strain. Outside the window, blue fireworks continued to bloom and light up her pale face.

She thought back to how she had once been overjoyed by a cheap bracelet from a street stall and how moved she had been by a discounted birthday cake. She even carefully kept the tiny plastic hair clip he had casually bought from a convenience store in a corner of her jewelry box.

Now that she looked back, it was ridiculous. She was Ivy Bennett, heiress of the Bennetts, and yet she had been moved to tears by worthless scraps.

But now, she'd woken up from the dream.

…

Ivy took a cab home the day she was discharged. She opened the door and was met with darkness. After turning on the lights, she noticed a thin layer of dust on the table. It seemed Julian hadn't been back in days.

She had just changed into her slippers when the door handle turned again. Julian stepped in, still wearing his delivery uniform, smiling warmly like always.

"I've been running around these days, but the rush is finally over. I can finally be home with you."

He walked over and reached out to cup her face. "I know I've been busy lately. Don't be mad, okay? I'm doing all of this for our future."

Then, he pulled out a cake box from behind his back. "Look, I remember you love sweet treats, and I got this just for you."

Ivy stared at the cake, and before she could speak, her phone buzzed. Sophia's message popped up.

"Did he give you the cake I didn't want? Ivy, a poor lady like you from the slums only deserves my leftovers."

Ivy closed her eyes. When she opened them and spoke again, her voice was chillingly calm. "I don't like sweet treats anymore. Don't bring them again."

Julian froze briefly. Sensing something off, he tried to wrap an arm around her. "Alright, I won't bring any again. But tomorrow's your birthday, and though you don't like spending money, you deserve a gift. I'll take you to the mall so that you can pick whatever you want."

Ivy shook her head. "That won't be necessary."

But the next day, he still dragged her to the mall. He held her hand as they passed luxury boutique after boutique.

"See anything you like? A necklace? A watch? Don't worry about the cost."

Ivy stared at the glittering jewelry displays with zero interest. When they passed by an exclusive designer handbag store, the shop assistant exclaimed in delight, "Mr. West!"

Julian's steps faltered, and his face paled.

The shop assistant enthusiastically hurried over. "The one-of-a-kind limited edition handbag you ordered has arrived. Will you be giving it to this young lady?"

Julian's expression turned cold as he snapped, "You've got the wrong person!"

But just after he spoke, a soft, sweet voice rang out behind him.

"Yeah, you've got the wrong person. He isn't Mr. West, and the bag you mentioned is Mr. West's gift for me." Sophia approached, wearing high heels and a smug smile.

"We grew up as childhood sweethearts, and he has always treated me well. He's always giving me nice things."

Though unsure of what was playing out, the shop assistant wisely didn't press further. She quickly brought over the handbag and other luxurious shopping bags, respectfully presenting them to Sophia.

"Here's your bag and all the luxury items Mr. West pre-ordered for you, Ms. Lane."

Sophia nodded and shot Ivy a triumphant glance. Ivy's chest tightened, and she turned to leave, but Sophia arrogantly called after her, "Ivy, since fate brought us together, why don't I treat you and your boyfriend to a meal?"

"No thanks," Ivy said flatly.

But as she turned to leave, a loud crack sounded overhead. Then, the giant advertisement board above her came crashing down.

"Watch out!"

In that split second, Julian lunged straight at Sophia and shielded her protectively beneath him.

As for Ivy…

The board landed squarely on her back with a loud bang, the sharp edge slicing through her skin. Blood immediately soaked through her clothes.

She staggered and fell to her knees, just in time to see Julian fussing over Sophia's arm. There was only a mild scratch.

"Does it hurt? I'll take you to the hospital right away!" he said, his voice full of panic. He didn't even glance back at Ivy.

She lay on the cold floor as blood seeped through her wounds and dyed the ground red. Meanwhile, Julian carried Sophia away without so much as a glance at Ivy.

Gritting her teeth, she forced herself up and stumbled to a nearby pharmacy. The shop assistant was alarmed by the sight of her bloodied self and panicked. "You need to go to the hospital, miss!"

Ivy shook her head. She bought antiseptic and bandages before limping home alone.

Standing before the mirror, she slowly cleaned her wounds. The sting of alcohol on the torn flesh sent cold sweat pouring down her back, but that pain could never compare to the one in her heart.

…

As Ivy stayed home alone for the next few days for recovery, she cleaned the entire apartment. She sorted through everything, burning and throwing out the things that were no longer needed.

Finally, she opened a drawer that kept all the trinkets Julian had ever given her, including cheap earrings, clearance bracelets, and hair clips from roadside stalls. She used to treasure everything he had casually bought her without a second thought.

Now, she tossed everything into the trash expressionlessly, just like how he had treated her feelings.

Later, she met up with her best friend, Hazel Summers, and used all the money she had saved over the years to buy her gifts.

The table was stacked with luxurious packages, from limited-edition bags to fine jewelry. Those were brands Hazel usually admired from afar.

"Oh my God, Ivy! Did you win the lottery!" Hazel gasped as she ran her trembling fingers over the boxes.

Ivy shook her head slightly. "To be honest… I'm the heiress of Bennett Group."

"W-What!" Hazel's jaw dropped.

"When I ran away from home, my family cut me off financially. I'm planning to go back now," Ivy explained as she stirred her coffee.

Hazel leaped to her feet, nearly knocking over the coffee cup. "Bennett Group? That Bennett Group? Y-You're not joking?" She grabbed Ivy's hand in disbelief.

"I'm not. I don't have much right now, so I could only buy these. Once I return home and my accounts are unfrozen, I'll send you better gifts." Ivy smiled and patted her hand.

Hazel asked three more times to make sure she wasn't dreaming before letting out a scream and throwing her arms around Ivy. "Gosh! My bestie's a real-life heiress!"

After the excitement wore off, Hazel suddenly frowned in concern. "Ivy, with how rich your family is, what about Julian? He's poor, and your family won't accept him, right?"

Ivy lowered her gaze, softly tapping the spoon on the rim of her cup as she murmured, "No, so we're breaking up."

She didn't expose the fact that he was lying to her or mention his obsession with another woman. After all, even if they stood on equal ground, there was no going back now.

…

Three days later, Julian finally returned.

When he opened the door, he saw Ivy struggling to reach the wound on her back with a cotton swab. The medicine dripped down her spine and left dark stains on the bedsheet.

He frowned and rushed over. "Let me help you."

Ivy evaded his touch, and the sudden movement had her stabbing the cotton swab into her wound by accident. Her hand trembled in pain.

Julian's hand froze in midair. After a moment of silence, his voice dropped low. "Are you still mad?"

"No."

"When the board fell that day, I instinctively protected the person closest to me and didn't mean to leave you. Plus, I ran into Ms. Lane once, so I had to rush her to the hospital first because I was afraid something might happen to her. Don't be upset, alright?" He rarely sounded so apologetic.

"I'm not upset. Your saving her has nothing to do with me." Ivy suddenly looked up and met his eyes with a calm, eerie gaze.

Julian felt something stabbing into his chest. "But we're a couple, so how could it have nothing to do with you?"

She didn't answer and simply lowered her head to continue applying the medicine. The cotton swab soaked the medicine and drew cold, sharp lines across her wounds.

Julian stood by the bed and stared at her distant profile. For the first time, something in his chest tightened with a pain he couldn't quite explain.

For the next few days, Julian cleared his schedule and stayed by Ivy's side the whole time. He cooked and cleaned and tended her wounds, but she remained indifferent.

To lift her mood, he suggested they go on a date.

At the café, he ordered her favorite latte and tiramisu, saying gently, "You've been feeling down lately, so take a break from your part-time jobs. Just get some rest and relax for a while."

Ivy said nothing and quietly stirred her coffee.

Just then, Sophia walked in and sat by the window. She elegantly picked up her mug of hot chocolate and "accidentally" spilled it over her hand before letting out a dramatic cry of pain.

Julian's attention immediately snapped toward her, and he frowned.

"I need to take a call," he said, offering Ivy a quick explanation before walking off. But instead of heading toward the exit to take the call, he went straight to the pharmacy across the street.

Ivy watched him leave, smiling bitterly.

Sophia shot her a smug glance before getting up to approach her table. Waving her red, swollen hand, she said, "See that? He can't bear for me to be even a little hurt."

Ivy looked at her and calmly said, "So?"

"So, you should understand that I'm the one he loves the most. You're poor and ordinary; what do you even have to compete with me?" she leaned down, whispering into Ivy's ear.

Ivy was about to reply when she caught a whiff of something overly sweet in the air. The next second, her consciousness slipped into darkness.

…

When Ivy woke up, the pungent smell of gasoline choked her and made her cough uncontrollably.

She realized she was tied to a pillar with Sophia bound beside her. What was even more terrifying was that bombs were strapped to their chests, the red countdown ticking ominously in the dark. It was a timer slowly ticking and counting down from five minutes.

Ivy struggled desperately, but the thick ropes didn't budge.

The warehouse doors were kicked open with a loud crash. Julian rushed in with a pale face. "Ivy! Sophia!"

Time was running out, and he had to choose between saving either of them.

When Ivy looked up at him, her heart felt as if it were gripped by an invisible, crushing force. Who would he choose?

The next second, he bolted toward Sophia.

"Hang on, Ivy! I'll come back for you right after this!" he shouted over his shoulder while frantically untying Sophia's ropes.

Ivy watched him anxiously fuss over Sophia and burst out laughing. Sure enough, she would never be his first choice. Once the ropes came loose, he scooped Sophia into his arms and ran out, never once looking back.

Ivy bit down hard on her lip and forced herself to stay calm. Groping for the rope's knot, she began to free herself.

Richard had taught her emergency escape techniques when she was a child.

At the 30-second mark, she finally broke free and sprinted toward the exit with everything she had.

A deafening explosion erupted behind her as the searing blast wave flung her through the air and slammed her into the ground. At the last moment, she saw a flash of memory from four years ago. Julian was standing under her apartment, appearing to be full of hope as he shouted, "Ivy, I like you! Let's date!"

Now, he was carrying another woman as he ran away, never once sparing her a single glance.

…

It was raining when Ivy woke up at the hospital. The raindrops tapped gently against the hospital window, pricking her heart like needles.

Sitting by her bed, Julian immediately leaned in when he saw her open her eyes. The dark circles under his eyes made it clear he hadn't slept all night.

"Ivy, you're finally awake."

He reached out to touch her face, but she turned away. His finger froze in midair, and his voice was hoarse as he said, "Ivy, you know I've always owed Ms. Lane. If something had happened to her, I would've had to pay a heavier price. That's why I saved her first."

Ivy smiled with tears shimmering in her eyes. Even now, he was still lying to her. Again and again, he always chose Sophia yet stubbornly refused to break up with Ivy. What did he want? Was he still playing some kind of game to get back at Sophia?

"I'll stay with you these next few days. Don't be upset, alright?" he said softly as if he were coaxing a child. And true to his word, he did stay.

In the days that followed, he rarely left her side.

When feeding her soup, he carefully blew on each spoonful to cool it down. When wiping her face, his touch was gentle as if she were made of glass. When she woke up from nightmares, he was already there beside her.

He handled everything himself as though trying to make up for all the wrongs he had done, but it all stopped the moment he received a phone call.