Giselle, who had hesitated for a brief moment, seemed to be swayed by Davis’s self-righteous speech.
Her expression turned smug again as she lowered her voice and said to me, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
“Davis is my husband now. I’m giving you a chance to stay on good terms with us. If you make him unhappy, don’t even dream about being a side piece. Pay up, or don’t blame me for cutting you off completely.”
I stared at her, barely restraining a laugh.
All that so-called spending on her? The gifts, the luxuries?
They were nothing more than leftovers—crumbs.
Davis ate the rest of her food. Slept in the house my father bought for me. Lived off a life built by someone else’s money.
But because of one car crash, one twist of fate, the tables turned—and suddenly I was the outcast, the “stain” that had to be kicked aside.
Five years. I once thought she was the love of my life.
But the moment she left me at the licensing office, all that passion turned cold.
Now, standing here and looking at her again—there’s nothing left but disgust.
How could I have been so blind? So slow to see the truth?
I wasted five years on someone like this.
When I didn’t respond, Giselle grew impatient and snatched the jade bracelet from my hand.
Before I could stop her, she unwrapped it and slipped it onto her wrist.
“You gave it to me, didn’t you? Now that I’ve taken it, don’t play coy. If you keep acting like this, I will ignore you. And when you’re on your knees begging to give me five billion just to say a word to you—I won’t even look your way.”
Her friends jumped in, voices sharp with mockery.
“Adam, Giselle’s already given you more face than you deserve. Tone it down—playing the mysterious, brooding type is cute for a while, but you’re just coming off desperate.”
“Exactly. Two and a half billion is pocket change for someone like you and you’re still hesitating? That’s not a man. You should learn from Davis’s generosity. Every gift he gives Giselle, he earns with his own hands, penny by penny.”
My eyes fell on Giselle’s phone, where a cheap plastic egg-shaped charm dangled from the case—gaudy and childish.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“Very thoughtful. What did that cost—nine dollars and ninety-nine cents? Generous.”
Davis’s face flushed red. He looked like he’d been mortally insulted.
“I may not be rich like you, but everything I buy is with money I earned myself. I’m cleaner than you. You have no right to look down on me!”
Giselle quickly comforted him, then shot me a cold glare.
“Apologize to Davis!”
I laughed again, this time colder.
Shoving the stack of auction slips into Davis’s arms, I said.
“You’re clean. I’m dirty. Then go ahead—use your clean money to buy these gifts for your Giselle.”
Davis’s face turned deathly pale. His body trembled like he might collapse at any moment.
Giselle’s fury boiled over. She slapped me hard across the face.
“Adam! I gave you a chance! How dare you bully Davis like this?! On the day of your birthday banquet, even if you crawl to me and beg, I won’t agree to the union!”
She grabbed Davis’s arm and stormed out with him in tow.
In the past, words like those would’ve made me panic. I’d have dropped to my knees without hesitation, willing to do anything just to keep her from leaving.
But now? I felt nothing.
That slap? Consider it repayment for the time, five years ago, when she jumped between me and a kidnapper without hesitation.
We're even.
A few days later, I got a call from the watch store. The custom piece Sophia Jolie ordered for me had finally arrived.
But when I rushed over, I found Giselle there instead—wrapped tightly around Davis as she tried on my watch.
Their bodies were practically glued together. She looked up and spotted me entering.
With a smug sneer, she leaned into Davis and deliberately bit his ear.
He responded by kissing her neck, hard—leaving a dark red strawberry mark for everyone to see.
