Chapter 1

The night my girlfriend, Lesley Cohen—whom I've financially supported for years—officially announces her relationship with Archie Gould, the System determines that I have failed my mission and strips me of my "saint's heart".

From that moment on, I stop caring about her future and focus entirely on my career, eventually landing a spot among the Fortune 500.

However, once I withdraw all financial support, Lesley confronts me with tearful eyes. "You always said that loving someone means giving them everything they want or need without asking for anything in return!"

I'm baffled. She is the one who finds my money filthy, so why is she suddenly being so calculating about it now?

Chapter 1

"Today, I'm standing here on this stage because someone has given me the courage and belief to persevere over the past seven years."

My girlfriend, Lesley Cohen, stood at the podium in a white dress, holding her award trophy with composure as she delivered her speech.

"That person is none other than my soulmate…"

Before she could even finish her sentence, all eyes in the hall turned directly toward me.

A smile curved the corner of my mouth, my eyes shining with happiness.

Everyone in the hall knew I was planning to propose to my girlfriend of seven years moments later.

I'd fallen deeply in love with Lesley after she saved my life seven years ago.

She came from a very impoverished family in the village, so I sponsored her entire education.

She was also very sensitive and easily hurt, so I gave up my affluent lifestyle, used a cheap second-hand flip phone, and rode a rented bicycle to take her to and from work.

Today, I'd gathered all the media outlets in the city and invested millions of dollars into this competition to fulfill her lifelong dream of breaking into the art world.

Proposing to her right as she received her award was supposed to be the climax of it all.

Clutching the engagement ring in my pocket, I straightened my suit and stood up to head toward the stage.

A split second later, Lesley's next words shattered my heart.

"He is… Archie Gould!"

Instantly, the spotlight swung away from me and illuminated a young man in the audience.

Amidst the bewildered gazes of the crowd, he rose to his feet and slowly walked up the steps toward Lesley.

Lesley met him halfway, took his hand, and looked at him with eyes brimming with love.

I stood there, rooted to the spot, feeling like a complete clown as I struggled to process what had just happened.

I was the one who had given her everything she owned.

Yet now, Lesley was holding another man's hand, turning everything I'd prepared for her into a joke.

"Ms. Cohen! According to our sources, shouldn't your boyfriend be Mr. Calvin Gardner?"

"How can you dump him the moment you win your award? Don't you think that's a bit—"

Hearing the reporters shouting questions from below the stage, Lesley turned to glare at me, her eyes filled with open hatred and disgust.

"Are you done making a scene, Calvin Gardner? Just because you invested in this competition, did you really think you could manipulate it and dismiss all the hard work Archie put in?

"Archie has studied painting for 12 years, yet he never received a single award! You were jealous of his talent, so you bribed the judges to deliberately eliminate him!"

I stared at Lesley's icy expression, completely stunned.

Bribed the judges?

I did invest millions in the competition, but only to ensure that Lesley—who'd missed the initial registration deadline—could still participate.

I had never once interfered with the judging panel.

I quickly explained myself to her.

"It's not what you think, Lesley! He was eliminated because he plagiarized—"

Before I could finish, she rushed straight up to me and delivered a sharp, stinging slap across my face.

"Calvin Gardner! I won't let you dismiss Archie's hard work!

"Just because you're rich, you think you can do whatever you want? Well, I'm telling you right now—you'll never win my heart. Never!"

With that, she hurled the trophy to the floor, smashing it into a million pieces under the horrified gazes of the audience.

An uproar erupted across the hall instantly.

Before I could even process what was happening, Archie suddenly dropped to his knees in front of me and began to sob.

"Mr. Gardner! If you want to hit me just like you used to, go ahead! You can even blacklist me from the industry if it makes you happy! I'll take whatever punishment you dish out!"

Chapter 2

Archie continued, "I beg you not to blacklist Lesley, please! She was just a little too impulsive, that's all. I'm willing to take all the punishment on her behalf!"

Archie's tone was sorrowful, yet his expression was one of steadfast acceptance, as though he were prepared to die in battle for the one he loved. His actions left the entire hall silent.

Lesley shoved me aside and hurriedly helped Archie to his feet, glaring at me with eyes full of venom.

"Forget it, Archie. Calvin is nothing but a hypocritical scumbag. There's no need to beg for mercy from a jerk like him!"

Looking at Lesley on the verge of tears, I felt my heart shatter—just like the trophy on the floor.

So, this was the stark contrast between how she treated someone she loved and someone she didn't.

I'd sponsored all of her living expenses for seven years, subjecting myself to endless ridicule from high society and willingly turning my back on my family's inheritance.

Yet all I got in return was her labeling me a hypocritical scumbag.

By this point, everyone in attendance seemed deeply moved by the poignant love story between her and Archie.

Lesley's friends, who had come to cheer her on, even began throwing their makeup compacts at me to protest the "injustice" I had allegedly made her suffer.

They seemed to have conveniently forgotten that their daily necessities—even the very cosmetics they were hurling at me—were bought entirely with my money.

In an instant, the venue erupted into a torrent of insults and abuse directed squarely at me.

Facing the hostile glares of the crowd, I couldn't help but smile bitterly. I never imagined my kindness would ultimately be turned into a weapon against me.

Clenching my fists, I tilted my head upward to forcefully hold back my tears.

[Time's up. You have failed your mission, Calvin Gardner.]

The System's cold voice rang out in my head. Only then did I remember today was the final deadline for my mission.

Seven years ago, right after Lesley saved my life from an overpass, I had been bound to this System.

It told me I had 100 chances to win her heart and marry her. If I succeeded, all of her dreams would come true, and her life would undergo a magnificent transformation.

If I failed, however, I would face punishment.

Back then, I had agreed without a moment's hesitation.

I initially thought I would accomplish the mission in no time at all. Never did I imagine that seven years would pass, only for Lesley to drift further and further away from me.

After a long bout of silence, I stared at the engagement ring pressing deep into the palm of my hand and chuckled bitterly once more.

[Fine. I lost. I'll take the punishment.]

Taking a deep breath, I ignored the remaining insults hurled at me, bracing myself for death.

To my surprise, the System's voice echoed again.

[I'll remove your saint's heart. Unbounded kindness is worthless. From now on, you'll live only for yourself.]

I froze. What did it mean to remove my "saint's heart"?

Before I could wrap my head around it, the System executed the punishment.

Instantly, memories of my past with Lesley flooded my mind, carrying me back seven years to the day we first met.

At that time, my family had fallen on hard times, and my phone constantly buzzed with calls from debt collectors. I felt like a stray, battered dog surviving in the concrete jungle of the city.

Just as I was standing on the edge of the overpass, ready to jump after having had enough of it all, Lesley pulled me back from the brink and saved my life.

Seeing how dejected I was, she took me home with her.

That was when I learned she had no parents and had never relied on anyone else.

She worked part-time jobs while studying, struggling single-handedly to support herself and her sick younger sister, Livia Cohen.

Lesley told me the future was filled with infinite possibilities, and if we persevered, the storm would soon pass and everything would fall into place.

The moonlight had shone across her face that night, illuminating my wounded heart.

Her optimism and resilience gave me the courage to keep living.

And from that moment on, only one thought had consumed my mind.

Chapter 3

I swore that I would protect Lesley for the rest of my life.

She and I quickly became a couple. Maybe it was love at first sight, or perhaps it was simply two wounded souls trying to find solace in each other.

Back then, as I was still heavily shrouded in debt, I constantly kept her on the run from my creditors so they wouldn't be able to hurt her.

While other couples enjoyed Christmas dinner in brightly lit restaurants, I huddled in a tiny hut with Lesley, eating discounted grocery-store rotisserie chicken past its prime.

Yet, she never once complained.

Instead, she would rest her chin in her hand and grin as she listened to me boast about making a comeback, buying the biggest villa in the city, and throwing her the wedding of the century.

Back then, her eyes held nothing but me.

Later, my company's performance gradually improved. I honestly believed she and I would continue down that path until we finally tied the knot.

However, everything changed the moment Archie appeared in our lives.

Archie came from a village in the mountains. He was a truly impoverished young man. Lacking the basic skills required for office work, he was only hired because Lesley strongly recommended him.

For the next three months, Archie failed to generate any profit for the company. In fact, his mistakes caused significant financial losses.

Still, Lesley pitied him. Watching him grind through endless nights, she pressed me to give him a raise and better benefits. When I refused, we argued for the first time.

She accused me of being a privileged rich heir mooching off my parents' inheritance, claiming I would never understand the struggles of people at the bottom rung of society.

At first, I didn't think much of it, assuming my relationship with her was too solid to be threatened by a new employee.

Gradually, however, I noticed Lesley coming home later and later, spending her nights keeping Archie company at the office.

I worried she was wearing herself down, so I urged her to rest and even offered paid leave. But even that small gesture became the spark of another fight.

"Calvin! You think you can buy anything just because you have money? A conceited heir like you will never understand how I feel!"

As time passed, friction between Lesley and me multiplied, turning daily conversations into exhausting brawls. If I tried to make amends with gifts, she would claim she didn't want them—only to accept them anyway and hand them over to Archie the next day.

Eventually, she began publicly accompanying Archie to various events under the guise of work, while her attitude toward me grew increasingly hostile, as though my very presence tainted her reputation.

Reflecting on the past, I found it hard to reconcile the Lesley standing before me with the genuine, carefree young woman from seven years ago—the one who had shared dreams of an infinite future with me.

Perhaps because my "saint's heart" was gone, I didn't feel a shred of sorrow or heartache. Instead, an overwhelming sense of relief washed over me.

For seven years, I had tiptoed around Lesley's feelings, terrified my family background might unsettle her. But now, I'd finally come to my senses.

How could she possibly call herself independent? I had been the one footing her bills all along, only to be met with constant scolding and criticism.

I wasn't just providing financial assistance; I was funding an ingrate and teaching her how to disrespect me.

Beside me, Lesley still hadn't realized that the "saint's heart" inside me had been stripped away. Crossing her arms over her chest, she demanded arrogantly, "Take your filthy money and get out of my sight, Calvin Gardner!

"I can win the championship and hold my own art exhibition on my own merits without any help from you!"

Had this been the past, I would have immediately caved, groveled at her feet, apologized for my lack of consideration, and begged her to stop. Then, she would "reluctantly" accept whatever apology gift I offered.

Now? I just found the whole spectacle laughable. She was clearly asking for a favor, yet she put on an aloof, self-righteous front, expecting me to grovel and feed her pathetic ego.

Chapter 4

Lesley had to be out of her mind.

Besides, I had initially planned for this competition to pave the way for her to achieve financial independence. But since she believed she was far too superior to be tainted by my "filthy" money, there was no need for me to keep making a fool of myself.

At that thought, I chuckled coldly, stepped up to the microphone, and made an announcement to the entire hall.

"Alright. From this moment onward, all competition awards are voided, all partnerships are terminated, and the champion's art exhibition is officially canceled."

Then, I turned to look at Lesley and sneered lightly.

"By the way, Ms. Cohen, I agree wholeheartedly with you. My money is indeed too filthy for you. Therefore, I am revoking every cent of funding I have ever provided you. As for the exhibition—surely you can manage it yourself, can't you?"

"You're revoking the funding?"

Lesley's face drained of color instantly. She stared at me, her lips parting as if she wanted to say something, but she only swallowed hard, her face flushing red. In the end, she couldn't bring herself to utter a single word.

A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd as people debated what my announcement meant.

"For real? Isn't Mr. Gardner supposed to be a total simp? How dare he publicly threaten Ms. Cohen like that?"

"Tch. I bet Calvin's just throwing a temper tantrum and trying to emotionally blackmail Lesley over her exhibition. Rich people are all jerks."

"Exactly! I'd always said Lesley and Archie were a better match. I knew Calvin was just a spoiled brat the moment I laid eyes on him. He knows nothing about love."

Hearing the audience take his side, Archie's eyes gleamed with triumph. He rushed over to me, sobbing theatrically. "Mr. Gardner! She was just speaking out of anger! She didn't mean it! Please don't throw a fit and ruin her future like this!

"If you have to punish someone, punish me instead!"

His performance disgusted me. He was framing me as the villain for reclaiming what was mine.

Lesley's glare grew icier as Archie wailed louder.

"Stop begging him, Archie! Poverty will never crush ambition! I can live without his help!"

With that, Lesley pretended to storm off, though she lingered near the exit as if waiting to see how I would react.

I knew she was waiting for me to chase after her and apologize. In the past, I always caved first, terrified that my actions would hurt her feelings, damage her pride, or make her feel wronged.

But now, I didn't care.

Without waiting for her to say another word, I turned on my heel and walked out the door without looking back. The moment I stepped out of the venue, I tossed my old phone into the trash can and bought the latest iPhone at the mall.

I was done playing stupid, childish games with Lesley.

As soon as I got home and finally sat down to relax, my phone rang. It was Livia Cohen.

"Hey, you! Where the hell have you been? Why are you only answering my phone now?

"Are you fucking daft or what? Don't you know today is the last day to pay my tuition fees? If you don't wire the money right this second, I'm telling Lesley!"

That was when I remembered today was the day Livia's college tuition was due.

In the past, I had taken it upon myself to cover all of Livia's expenses so Lesley wouldn't have to worry about a thing. But listening to the abrasive, demanding voice on the other end of the line, a deep frown crossed my face.

Years ago, Livia had nearly died on the street from an asthma attack, and I had spent a fortune to pull her back from the jaws of death. Yet she never thanked me—only complained I hadn't found her sooner and continually took advantage of my love for Lesley to order me around like her personal servant.

Thinking about it now, the apple clearly hadn't fallen far from the tree.

"Is that really how you ask someone for a favor?" I asked coldly. "Besides, what does your tuition fee have to do with me? Don't you have arms and legs? Can't you earn your own tuition fees?"

Chapter 5

Livia was momentarily stunned into silence on the phone. After all, I'd never talked back to her like this before.

A moment later, her rage boiled over.

"Calvin Gardner! How dare you speak to me like that! Just wait until I tell Lesley! I'll—"

I didn't wait for her to finish. I hung up, blocked her number, and returned to my rented apartment.

The place was still cluttered with Lesley's belongings. I didn't want to owe her anything anymore. It was high time I returned everything to her—out of sight, out of mind.

I was about to start packing when a loud pounding rattled the front door. I opened it and found Lesley clutching a bank card. The moment she noticed the brand-new phone in my hand, she flew into another fit of rage.

"Calvin, you disgusting jerk! Don't you know Livia is about to be kicked out of college? How dare you use her tuition money to buy yourself a new phone? Do you even have a conscience?"

In the past, I would have folded instantly—apologizing and begging her forgiveness. But now, I only found her fury laughable.

What did she mean by Livia's tuition? That was my bank card and my money. I didn't need anyone's permission to spend it.

I let out a cold chuckle. "What? Weren't you the one who said my money was filthy and you didn't need my financial help anymore?"

Lesley looked as though she had never expected me to talk back. Stunned, she stammered at the doorway, unable to form another word.

Sensing things weren't going their way, Archie shoved himself between us and began slapping his own face.

"It's all my fault, Mr. Gardner! Do whatever you want to me! Fire me if you must! I'll even cut ties with Lesley if that's what it takes! But Livia's innocent! She's just a poor young woman—she can't afford to be expelled!"

I couldn't help rolling my eyes at his pathetic performance. With those weak slaps, he couldn't kill a mosquito if he tried.

Even so, Lesley fell for his crocodile tears. She rushed to grab his wrists, her eyes brimming with pity.

"No! Don't do this, Archie!"

Then, she whipped around and slapped me across the face.

"I was blind! I was so wrong about you! I thought you were different from those other snobby, blood-sucking heirs who only care about luxury!

"I'm warning you, if you fire Archie, I'll break up with you right now!"

Her voice trembled with sorrow as she glared at me.

Before today, seeing her cry would have thrown me into a panic. I would have bent over backward to give her anything just to see her smile.

Now? Not a single emotion stirred inside me; I'd already given up on her.

The moment the System stripped away my "saint's heart", whatever positive image I had of Lesley shattered completely.

So much for her lofty principles and fierce independence. She was nothing more than a fragile parasite, feeding her self-esteem by trampling on others' dignity.

When she realized I wasn't responding, a smug glint flickered in her eyes. She then demanded haughtily, "For the sake of our history together, Calvin, I'll give you one last chance to fix this. Apologize to Livia and Archie, and I might—"

Before she could finish, I snatched the bank card from her hand, snapped it in two, and tossed it into the trash.

"Forget it, Ms. Cohen. I'm done playing your childish games. Let's break up."