Chapter 1

Julian Reed was hailed as a once-in-a-generation genius. At eighteen, he made a solemn vow:

"I will not marry until I achieve a breakthrough in my research!"

I waited for him for five long years. I watched him climb to the peak of success three times, only to fall back down.

The first time, his lab notebooks were mysteriously contaminated.

The second time, when he collapsed from exhaustion, he "accidentally" knocked over a critical petri dish.

The third time, his imported lab equipment suffered a series of bizarre technical glitches.

I couldn't bear to see his hard work go to waste. I used all the connections and the inheritance my mother left me to purchase brand-new equipment for him.

But right before the delivery, I overheard his assistant, Chloe Bennett, crying in his office.

"Julian, you succeeded five years ago!"

"It's all because of me... Maybe we should just break up!"

Julian’s voice was incredibly gentle as he comforted her:

"The Vance family has been so generous to me. Marrying Harper is my duty. I can't reject her, so I can only delay it."

"But my heart has always belonged to you."

I stood outside the door, feeling like I had been plunged into an ice bath.

A month later, the research breakthrough that was supposed to make Julian famous was published by his fiercest rival instead.

On the dedication page of the paper, there was only one line:

"I dedicate this achievement to my investor, Ms. Harper Vance."

I stood in the hallway, completely numb. Julian and Chloe’s conversation replayed in my head like a broken record.

The weight of it was suffocating. All I wanted was to be alone and clear my head.

Just as I turned to leave, the lab door at the end of the hall clicked open. Julian stepped out, followed by Chloe, whose eyes were red and puffy.

Looking exhausted, Julian looked up and saw me. He let out a deep sigh.

"Harper, I'm so sorry. The experiment failed again. Because of the faulty equipment, the data got completely corrupted. We have to start from scratch."

"Our wedding... I'm afraid we have to postpone it again. I'm so sorry."

I listened in silence. I clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, but I couldn't feel the pain.

Suppressing the lump in my throat, I gave a hollow response:

"Okay, I get it."

With that, I slipped my phone into my pocket and turned to walk away.

"Harper, wait!"

Julian’s voice called out behind me. He grabbed my hand, comforting me with his usual warmth.

"Harper, I know you're disappointed. I am too."

"But for you, I won't give up."

"Those machines are definitely useless now. Could you talk to your father about releasing the next phase of funding from Vance Enterprises? Even though we failed this time, our direction is definitely right. I'm confident that next time..."

The harsh fluorescent lights of the hallway shone down, reflecting the blatant calculation in Julian’s eyes.

In that instant, my head cleared.

To Julian, I, Harper Vance, had never been his beloved fiancée.

I was just a human ATM that spit out cash whenever he pleased.

Seeing my silence, Chloe chimed in, her voice dripping with sweet concern.

"She's right, Harper. Julian has been working overnight for days just so he can marry you. Nobody expected this to happen. You can't back out at the finish line!"

I looked down, intending to brush Chloe's hand off my sleeve.

But my eyes froze on her wrist.

A diamond-encrusted Cartier Love bracelet?

It was the latest model, and it cost a fortune.

How could Chloe, a mere research assistant, afford something like that?

The truth hit me instantly—it was paid for with my family's money.

I almost wanted to laugh. Rage flared up inside me, but I forced it down.

I looked slowly at the two hypocrites in front of me. Simply throwing a tantrum and tearing them apart right now would be too easy on them.

Oh, you want to put on a show?

Fine. I'll play along.

I pretended to be swayed, offering a soft smile.

"I know Julian is doing all of this for me."

"Since you both are so confident, I’ll go home and speak to my father. Don't worry. This time, the funding will only be more, not less."

Relief and excitement flashed across their faces, barely concealed.

Before I left, Julian wrapped his coat around my shoulders, acting like the perfect, caring partner.

"Drive safe."

"I’ll come over later and cook your favorite dinner."

I smiled, nodded, and got into my car.

The moment the research institute faded in my rearview mirror, the smile vanished from my face.

I pulled over and looked at the thick stack of funding and equipment applications sitting on the passenger seat.

It was submitted by a very young researcher named Ethan Cross. I had read his profile. He was even more talented than Julian, if not a borderline prodigy.

His only problem was a lack of funding and resources.

Without a second thought, I grabbed the document, dialed the number on the contact page, and hit call.

"Hello?"

Hearing the steady, deep voice on the other end, I cut straight to the chase.

"This is Harper Vance. Your funding will be approved within two hours, and the equipment will be delivered to your lab by 3:00 PM today."

"I want to see results in a month."

There was a brief silence. Then, the man replied, his voice trembling with suppressed excitement.

"Thank you, Ms. Vance. I won't let you down!"

Second Chapter