After getting laid off, I come across a post when I'm looking for a new job.

"What sort of job is the most lucrative these days?"

There's a comment with the most likes in the comment section.

"Find yourself a sugar daddy, duh! My sugar daddy is already the CEO of a company even though he's only in his 30s! He gives me 100 thousand dollars every month. Not only is he handsome and caring, but he's also amazing in bed! Hoo boy, we can keep going around seven times every night!"

Someone asks the commentor, "How did you find such an amazing daddy?"

"Last May, he was at a bar drinking his sorrows away after an argument with his girlfriend. I consoled him for a bit. That's how we ended up being together.

"He kept complaining that his girlfriend was like dead fish in bed, so he was already sick of her a long time ago. You know what men are like, always going for excitement in life."

My fingers curled around my phone slightly.

Last May, I did get into a huge argument with my boyfriend, Brian Dicht. He never came home that night.

The next morning, he returned while reeking of alcohol.

I continue scrolling down the comment section, only to see the commentor posting a photo.

"See? I was acting all cute and whiny to him just now by telling him that I cut my finger when I was preparing a meal for myself. He agreed to drop by my place to keep me company tonight."

In the photo, there's a diamond ring adorning the ring finger that has a plaster wrapped around it. That ring looks exactly the same as the set of engagement rings Brian and I have.

At the same time, my phone starts ringing. Soon, Brian's voice drifts from the other end of the line.

"Bella, something came up in the company at the last minute. I'm not coming home tonight."

[Bella's POV]

When I heard Brian Dicht's familiar, gentle voice, I instinctively bit my lip. I tested the waters and said softly, "Brian, I think my stomach's acting up. Can you come home and stay with me tonight?"

There were a few seconds of silence on the other end of the line. Then, he said, "I'm sorry, Bella. There's some urgent stuff to attend to at the office. Have the maids make you some soup. If it still hurts, there's an antacid in the medicine cabinet."

The call was cut off without hesitation, and the huge living room sank back into silence.

I'd been with Brian for five years, and I'd always believed our love would stand strong, no matter what. He remembered that I didn't eat onions, remembered the dates of my period, remembered I needed warm milk when I stayed up late rushing design drafts, and remembered my quirks and habits.

Our wedding was in just a few days.

I kept telling myself this was all just a coincidence. However, when I opened that social media post again, the new comments made my heart clench tightly.

"If you don't believe me, that's your problem. No matter how 'devoted' a man is, deep down he's still ruled by what's below his waist. They're getting married in a few days, but he's still coming over to be with me tonight.

"By the way, he used his connections to quietly get his girlfriend laid off at work. Why? So I could take her spot. She's unemployed now, and he only gives her 20,000 dollars a month. I get 100,000 dollars."

I stared fixedly at those words. My mind replayed the scene from last week after I got fired. HR only said it had been a decision from upper management, and they gave me no other explanation. Out of the entire department, I was the only one who was let go.

I'd stumbled home in a daze. Brian had held me and whispered comfort into my ear. "It's okay. I'll give you 20,000 dollars every month from now on, so you don't even have to work anymore. I hate seeing you so exhausted."

I told him I had my own dreams and a career I cared about. I didn't want to be some pet he kept in a gilded cage.

He had just smiled, and his words had sounded so sincere. "I have plenty of money, anyway. Whatever you want, I can give it to you. Everything I have is for you and you alone."

Only for me, huh?

I tapped into the profile of this young woman named Evelyn Beech with trembling hands. The first thing I saw was a photo. It was captioned, "Day 362 of being spoiled by Daddy. We went to the amusement park today! He's in line getting me ice cream."

In the picture, a tall man stood at the end of a line. I only needed a single glance to be 100% sure it was Brian.

I kept scrolling.

"Day 300 of being spoiled by Daddy. They got engaged today, and I picked out the ring. He gave me the matching band and said he wants us to be together forever, too!"

To this day, I could remember the way Brian looked when he slid that engagement ring onto my finger. He'd kissed the back of my hand, and his eyes had been full of tender warmth. He'd said, "Bella, we'll be together forever. We'll never be apart."

It turned out he'd said the exact same words to another woman.

"Day 198 of being spoiled by Daddy. He took me to a concert! I could never get tickets before, but he pulled some strings and got them. He even got me a signed poster. I was so thrilled I almost cried!"

The picture showed two ticket stubs for my favorite singer's concert.

I remembered how crushed I'd been when I couldn't snag any tickets. Brian had said he would try to figure something out, and I'd waited with a heart full of hope. In the end, nothing had come of it. Clearly, it hadn't been a challenge for him. He'd just chosen to give the tickets to Evelyn instead.

The more I read, the harder I trembled. My finger flew down the screen until I hit the last entry.

"Met a total hottie at the bar today—he's definitely some rich big shot. He looked heartbroken, though. If his girlfriend doesn't know how to cherish him, then she can't blame me for stepping in!"

The date was the exact day Brian and I had had a huge fight.

I couldn't hold it in anymore. I hurled my phone to the floor and broke down in tears. Five years of devotion, trust, and love had shattered into dust in an instant.

He'd personally destroyed my job and wrecked all my career plans for a woman he'd known for only a year. He'd even given part of our engagement ring set to her.

I cried until my eyes were swollen and burning. Through my blurred vision, I caught sight of the engagement ring that was still on my finger. I slid it off and tossed it straight into the trash without a second thought.

Then, I picked up my phone and recorded every single thing on Evelyn's account, making sure every detail was saved.

I didn't sleep a wink that night. When Brian came home the next day, he was still the same gentle, considerate man he'd always been. He was carrying my favorite strawberry cheesecake.

"Babe, I brought you that cake you love from your favorite place," he said.

When I stayed quiet, he just assumed I was sulking. He continued cajolingly, "There really was an emergency at work last night. I'm not going anywhere tonight. I'll stay home and keep you company, okay?"

As he spoke, his hands suddenly paused in the middle of unboxing the cake. His gaze fell on my bare ring finger. "Babe, where's your ring?"

"It's gone," I said flatly.

Brian frowned, thinking I'd just lost it by accident. However, when he saw how red and puffy my eyes were, he only sighed. "It's okay. Don't be upset. We're getting married in a few days, anyway, so you can just wear the wedding band then."

I pressed my lips together and didn't respond. I just stared straight into his eyes and asked pointedly, "Brian, is there anything you've been hiding from me?"

[Bella's POV]

I saw a flash of panic in Brian's eyes, but it was gone almost as soon as it appeared.

"Babe, what are you thinking? Why would I hide anything from you?" he asked, trying to brush me off.

He was about to go on when his phone suddenly rang, cutting him off. He glanced at the screen once, then stood up and grabbed his coat. He said, "Sorry, Bella. There's something urgent I need to deal with at the office. I have to go."

I watched him hurriedly shrug into his coat and asked softly, "Can you not go?"

Brian paused for a second, but he didn't turn back around. "Bella, you know this is all for our future."

I'd heard that line more times than I could count. Every time he said he had some emergency at work, and every time I tried to ask him to stay, he would say that exact line.

He was born into old money—a reputable family with accumulated wealth. Meanwhile, I came from an ordinary background. We were from two completely different worlds. That was why his family had never been willing to acknowledge me or our relationship.

Back then, he'd gone against them for my sake. He'd walked away from the family business and started his own company from scratch, eventually making a name for himself in the industry.

I'd also worked hard and built my own career step by step. Only then did his family finally relent and agree to our marriage.

How could I not be grateful for everything he'd done for me all these years?

So, whenever Brian said he had to work late, had to travel for work, or had to handle something urgent at the office, I never questioned it. Even when I was sick, vulnerable, and needed someone by my side, I never tried to hold him back.

It never once occurred to me that all those so-called "urgent matters" were just lies. They were just excuses to go spend time with another woman.

Brian kept talking, still completely in his own world. "Once the company gets bigger, I'll be able to give you more money. You won't ever have to stress about work again."

I bit down hard on my lower lip, clenching my hands so tightly that my knuckles went white. I locked my gaze on him as I pressed on. "Is that so? You're not giving money to anyone other than me?"

He clearly hadn't expected that question. He froze for a moment and frowned. "Of course not. You're the woman I love most. Everything I do is for you."

Yet he gave Evelyn 100,000 dollars a month.

Brian's phone rang again. He hurriedly rejected the call, then leaned down to kiss my forehead. "I'll definitely come home to be with you tonight. Be good and wait for me."

The words were barely out of his mouth as he strode out the front door.

I closed my eyes and took a long, steadying breath. Then, I picked up my phone. As expected, Evelyn had posted another update. "Waiting outside Daddy's place to surprise him!"

I shot up from the couch and headed straight out the door.

[Bella's POV]

Brian's car was parked right in front of the villa, but he still hadn't started the engine.

The window was rolled down. I ducked behind the car, listening to the intimate, playful voices coming from inside.

"Why did you sneak over here by yourself? Naughty little things like you need to be punished," Brian drawled.

"What are you afraid of? She doesn't even know me. Even if she sees us, just say I'm your secretary," Evelyn purred coquettishly.

Brian chuckled while doing something that made her let out a sharp, breathy gasp. "You're such a tease. But you can't do this again, alright? You know she's my bottom line. She absolutely can't find out about you."

Evelyn seemed displeased. "Aren't you tired of sneaking around behind her back and running between the two of us?"

"Not at all. She's the woman I love most, so I can't let her get hurt."

"Then do you love me, Daddy?"

"Of course. You're my favorite little thing—you're second only to her."

Evelyn let out a satisfied laugh. Then followed the sound of heated, wet kisses. The window slowly rolled up, sealing their intimacy within the car.

With my phone in hand, I recorded the whole exchange. I even secretly snapped a few photos. After that, I went back inside the house.

The cake on the table still smelled delicious, but it only made my stomach turn. I picked it up and tossed it right into the trash.

I looked around the home that Brian and I had shared for close to five years. Almost every corner had memories of our time together and our love.

I started packing my things. I threw away all the gifts, photos, and souvenirs. I erased all traces of our relationship. In the end, all I had was a tiny suitcase with my own clothes and design drafts.

As the sky grew darker, my phone screen lit up. It was a text from Brian.

"Bella, I'm sorry. I really can't step away from the office right now. Our wedding is in two days, so let's go for a proper honeymoon once I'm done with this wave of work."

I knew it. I'd lost count of how many times he'd stood me up after keeping me waiting for nothing. It didn't seem like it would ever come to an end. But it didn't matter anymore—I no longer cared.

I turned on my laptop. At the same time, I called our wedding planner. "Hi, I'd like to add a video segment to the wedding ceremony. It's about the memories of my relationship with my fiance."

They readily agreed.

After hanging up, I transferred all the evidence of Brian's cheating from my phone to my laptop. Then, I slowly started editing them into a video.

I hoped he would enjoy this surprise.