Chapter 1

Back when "manifesting" was all over social media, my boyfriend Ethan Lockwood asked me, "Is there anything you want?"

I jumped up, barely able to contain my excitement, and told him:

"I want a MINI Cooper. I've wanted one for three years."

"Once I get it, I'm posting on Instagram: Serena wants it, Serena gets it."

He listened, then just patted me on the head without saying a word.

I assumed he was secretly planning a surprise for me.

Until the next day, when his assistant Hannah Collins posted an Instagram story:

"Just mentioned yesterday that I wanted a Bentley, and today Boss went and bought me one~"

The photo showed a fully loaded Bentley Continental GT.

And Ethan, who never interacted on social media, left a comment underneath:

"Hannah wants it, Hannah gets it."

In that moment, it all clicked.

It wasn't that he didn't know how to make me happy.

He simply didn't want to.

Fine then. From now on, whatever I wanted, I'd get it myself.

...

Ethan came home just as I finished reading that post.

He caught a glimpse of my phone screen from the corner of his eye.

"Mad about something?"

His tone was completely casual.

I didn't speak. I just looked at him.

"Hannah needs a car more than you do."

"She delivers documents for me, picks up my meals. She needs a car."

"You don't have a job or a career. A car would be useless to you."

He explained it so calmly, every word landing like a blade in my chest.

I had given up my career to support his startup.

I spent hours making the meals he liked.

I walked to buy groceries even in pouring rain.

Now that he'd made it, I asked him for a MINI Cooper.

And he was telling me I didn't deserve a car.

"It's not like you can't afford one. You could buy two, one for me and one for her. But instead you chose to humiliate me like this. Ethan, when did you become this person?"

"Every single day, rain or shine, blistering heat or howling wind, I walk over a mile to the grocery store. All I wanted was a MINI Cooper. It wasn't even a fraction of what you spent on her Bentley. Was that really so much to ask?"

"From now on, I won't bother telling you any of this. And I won't need you to fulfill a single wish of mine ever again."

I said everything in one breath, my voice trembling the entire time.

But Ethan just looked at me.

He raised his index finger to his lips and let out a quiet "Shh."

I froze.

He just thought I was being noisy.

He used to be the one who never stopped talking to me.

Back in that tiny rental apartment, buzzing with excitement as we dreamed about the future together.

Back then he said, "Once I make it, I'm going to give you everything you ever wish for."

I'd laughed along with him like a fool, imagining our future together a thousand times over.

But now, there was someone new by his side, clinging to him like a piece of gum that wouldn't unstick.

Hannah had wormed her way into every corner of our life.

Meals. Movies. Trips.

She was everywhere.

He dressed it up as necessity: Hannah was responsible for both his work and his personal life, and couldn't be out of his sight.

Including right now, as he completely ignored how defeated I felt.

He opened the door, and there was Hannah.

"Ethan, I'm so happy! Driving that Bentley makes me feel like the whole world belongs to me!"

Her face was glowing with joy.

Ethan couldn't help but reach over and pat her on the head.

His voice went soft. "You deserve to be happy. People who are never satisfied just throw tantrums all day. Hannah, next time I'll get you an even better car."

I stood frozen behind him.

He was calling me the one who was never satisfied.

But what I wanted to tell him was that just yesterday, the number one investment bank in the world had extended me an offer, inviting me back into the industry.

He'd long forgotten that before I was with him, I was already one of the best in finance. Not this woman standing behind him, reduced to holding out her hand for his money.

But for him, I'd been willing to give up everything.

Yesterday, I was going to turn it down and stay by his side.

Now, I wanted to say yes. I wanted to leave him.