Everyone in our circle knew I was a professional gold digger. I married Holt Sterling purely for his money. He treated me like a substitute for his true love, and I treated him like an ATM. Then Holt’s first love—his stepsister—came back from overseas. Just when I should’ve gracefully bowed out, I suddenly realized I couldn’t let go. After all, good-looking, generous sugar daddies are hard to come by. While I was figuring out how to cling on shamelessly, I caught Holt prying the gemstone from my mom’s ring to impress Zara Young. That ring was her only memento. Holt watched my face go pale and impatiently pulled out his checkbook: “Name your price. I’ll double it.” Looking into his cold eyes, I sobered up fast. People should waste less time on pointless emotions and more on good old-fashioned cash. I immediately looked up with a big smile: “Triple. What do you say?” Holt froze. Then, like he’d expected this all along, he scoffed and shook his head. His pen slashed across the checkbook with a bigger number. With a sharp rip, he tore it off and held the check out to me. “Half a million dollars.” “That old ring is worth fifty grand tops. I’m giving you ten times that. Satisfied?” I’d only seen that many zeros back in Chengdu. When I took it, my eyes crinkled into crescents: “More than satisfied! Way more!” Seeing how happy I looked, Zara squeezed the newly pried gemstone, looking both pleased and irritated. She’d come today just to put me down. She’d intentionally mentioned how nice the main stone on my vanity ring looked, sure Holt would pry it out for her. When I walked in and caught them red-handed, I was supposed to break down and make a scene like some scorned wife. Then she could play the scared little innocent, making Holt hate me even more—maybe even kick me out. But Zara never expected I’d be this cheap to buy off. Fuming, she couldn’t help snapping at me: “Sandra, are you really this materialistic?” “Mrs. Lily said that ring was your mom’s only keepsake. If you’re this heartless toward your own family, how could you possibly care about Holt? And this lousy stone… here, take it back!” “Touching things from people like you makes me feel dirty!” The gemstone hit the floor by my feet, rolling a few times and picking up tiny scratches. Holt watched Zara’s over-the-top reaction with a barely noticeable frown. But I wasn’t even mad. Instead, I bent down to pick it up, blew off the dust, and said slowly: “Zara, there’s something Mrs. Lily probably didn’t tell you.” “My mom was a human trafficker. The first kid she sold was me. Later, when she saw I’d made something of myself, she tried to weasel back into my life. So she splurged on this ring as a gift, claiming she wanted to make amends.” “I said no and turned her in. She got the death penalty. She’s been gone for years.” I stuffed the gemstone in my pocket and gave Zara a huge grin: “So trading this little trinket for half a million? Total steal! But since you hate it so much, Zara, I’ll just keep the cash windfall.” “Thanks a bunch, Zara!” Zara was left tongue-tied, her anger caught in her throat. I was loving every second of her frustration, channeling my inner trophy wife to twist the knife: “You must be exhausted after your trip, Zara. Mrs. Lily prepared the guest room for you. You should get some rest.” Then I gave Holt a suggestive look and purred: “Well… honey, I’ll head up to the bedroom first.” “I’ll be waiting for you in our room.” As I walked away, I could practically hear Zara grinding her teeth behind me. Sigh. I’m a pro at this gold-digging thing. Don’t mess with my career when this is just your little hobby. Back in our bedroom, the ring setting Holt had pried apart was still on the vanity. I pulled the gemstone from my pocket and set it next to the pieces. With a quiet sigh, I hunted for glue to try putting it back together. My mom sold me to a childless couple. Forty thousand yuan. Since I was a girl, she settled for thirty thousand and dumped me cheap. I was six—old enough to remember everything and start working. Funny thing, that couple had their own son a few years later. My adoptive parents turned around and sold me again. Twenty-three thousand six hundred yuan. Sold to some old drunk who said he’d raise me to be his wife. Two years later, the drunkard drowned after getting wasted. Finally, no more being passed around. I scraped by and grew up on my own. My birth mom sold me for cash. My adoptive mom did the same. So don’t call me materialistic. I probably never even knew what “love” felt like growing up. I’ve spent my whole life worrying about money, not love—that’s been my constant. All that lovey-dovey stuff? A few days of real work will cure you of that fantasy. Luckily, I love money, and money loves me right back. I was lost in these messy memories when Holt’s voice suddenly came from behind: “I’m sorry.” “I didn’t know… that was your mom’s keepsake.” I turned around, shook my head, and gave him my professional smile. “It’s fine. You compensated me, right?” “With this much cash, I could buy a whole jewelry store.” Holt glanced at the glue in my hand and didn’t look convinced. He probably thought I was just being stubborn. His eyes dropped, and his expression got complicated for a second. Seeing him go quiet, I paused and picked up my phone to keep going: “Oh, right. There’s actually something I needed to tell you…” Before I could finish, Zara’s panicked scream suddenly came from the guest bedroom down the hall: “Holt! Hurry—” Holt’s face darkened instantly. Without hesitating, he turned and ran out. My hand holding the phone froze midair, the screen showing an electronic prenatal test result: [6 weeks pregnant]. I watched Holt’s hurried back view as the screen dimmed, and the smile slowly faded from my lips. See? Money’s the only thing that never lets you down.
I couldn’t sleep, so I spent the whole night messing with that cheap glue. I finally stopped when morning light slanted through the window onto the vanity. I’d glued it into a rough shape, but cracks crisscrossed everywhere—like an ugly face covered in tear tracks. I picked it up and held it to the light. I really should just throw it away. I sighed, walked straight to the trash can by the desk, and dropped it in. I stood up to leave, then doubled back with a self-deprecating laugh. I fished it out and pried off the valuable gemstone. Forget it. I can’t afford to have issues with anyone, least of all money. I checked the time. Holt should be at the office by now. I tidied up and got ready to go cash the check. After all, with Zara back, I needed to be ready to get kicked out anytime. Walking past the first-floor dining room, Zara immediately put down her silverware when she heard me coming. She gave me a mocking little smile: “Sandra, finally up?” “You look awful. Did you toss and turn all night without Holt there?” She drawled the words and pointedly adjusted her bathrobe collar. Revealing several fresh, suggestive red marks on her collarbone. Only after she was sure I’d seen them did she continue, smirking: “Sorry, but when I can’t sleep from jet lag, Holt always… stays with me like this to help me adjust. You don’t… mind, do you?” “After all, Holt and I go way back. You can’t compete with that.” I took a deep breath, feeling a sharp, sour pain in my chest. But lucky for me, I’ve been toughing out pain since I was a kid. I tilted my head and calmly reminded Zara: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” That comment hit a nerve with Zara. She shot up from her chair, yelling at me: “What are you so proud of!” “If his mom hadn’t been dead set against us back then, we would’ve been together already. I never would’ve had to leave the country!” “Now I’m back. Do you really think you can stay with Holt?” Watching her lose it, I just raised an eyebrow and repeated, deadpan: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” Zara was shaking with rage, screaming like a maniac: “Bitch! Still dreaming about a wedding! Let me tell you, you’ll never marry Holt!” “I’m going to kick you out of here!” Watching Zara practically lose her mind, I stayed calm. I even took my time adjusting my cuffs and replied casually: “Oh, right—Holt and I are getting married at the end of the month, and we’re getting our marriage license early next month.” “Enjoy your breakfast. I’m going wedding dress shopping.” With that, I walked out the door without looking back. Behind me, Zara was so mad she went into full-on table-flipping mode, screaming as she swept all the dishes off the dining table. Plates shattered everywhere. See? Even enemies can’t stand being ignored. After leaving, I rushed to deposit the check into my bank account. Staring at that long string of reassuring numbers, I finally let myself smile—a real, relaxed smile. I detoured to a mid-range apartment complex on the west side of town, where I’d bought a small unit for myself. It was all mine, a place where no one could ever kick me out. Having money really is the best. After resting most of the day, when I got back to the villa, I immediately sensed something was off. The living room lights were on. Holt, “who should’ve been at the office working,” was sitting on the couch with Zara in his arms, still sobbing as he comforted her gently. The sound of me opening the door made them jump. Holt looked over at me. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but nothing came out. Until Zara in his arms tugged his sleeve, sobbing harder. That seemed to make up Holt’s mind. “Sandra, let’s call off the wedding.”
I stood there, taking a couple seconds to process. No big reaction. Just a sharper pain in my chest and a stinging in my nose. My whole body felt that same cold as when I was twelve, when that old drunk took his anger out on me—beat me half to death, then held my head under the well water. It’s okay, Sandra. You’ve always been good at toughing it out. I sniffled twice and nodded: “Alright.” Zara, seeing how calm I was, lifted her head from Holt’s chest to look at me. Her red, tear-streaked eyes were full of victory. I knew exactly what she was flaunting. A few tears and Holt cancels the wedding. His first love really does have that kind of power. I’m not stupid. I wasn’t about to compete with her. She’s the moon in the sky; I’m just dirt on the ground. I glanced at Holt, thinking that honestly, getting this far was pretty good. Anything more would be greedy. I said nothing and headed upstairs. “Wait!” I stopped, but didn’t turn around. “Sterling Jewelry just got a new shipment of gold. I’ll have my assistant send over two gold bars.” I lit up immediately. All those sappy thoughts from a minute ago felt ridiculous now. Love? Keep it. Just give me the money. I spun around, giving Holt my signature sweet smile: “Thank you! I’ll head up then. You two should get some rest too.” Sure enough, before I was even out of earshot, Zara was already complaining about the “gold bar compensation.” She buried her face in Holt’s chest again, sobbing dramatically. Holt looked helplessness with her reaction, bending down to comfort her. I could hear bits and pieces—probably things like “don’t cry,” “it’s not worth it,” “just be patient.” Without looking up, he called to me: "You don’t have to wait up for me tonight.” “Zara’s not doing well. I need to stay with her.” I gave a quick acknowledgment, not slowing down as I rounded the corner. I really didn’t have time to be upset. My mind was totally focused on those two gold bars. How big? How heavy? How many grams? What’s the resale value? After my shower, I grabbed my phone right away, eager to check the current gold price per gram. But just as I tapped the screen a couple times, texts from an unknown number started flooding in. It was Zara, of course. [Sandra, have you no self-respect? Holt already called off the wedding, and you still have the nerve to stay here?] [Bitch! You’re a gold-digging bitch! Take those two gold bars and get lost. Everything in the Sterling family will be mine. You’re stealing what’s mine!] [I won’t put up with you anymore. Just wait. I’ll make sure you’re thrown out of the Sterling house for good!] I read them blankly, then scrolled back up. First time I didn’t leave, I got half a million. The second time I didn’t leave, I got two gold bars. So what if I’m shameless? What’s dignity worth anyway? But right after that, there was a bloodcurdling scream and chaotic footsteps. The maid yelled in a panic: “Emergency! Someone call 911!” “Zara… she cut her wrists!”
Before the maid even finished screaming, Holt had kicked open the bathroom door. He carried the barely conscious Zara and ran for the door. “Allen, get the car! We need to get to the hospital now!” I suddenly got what Zara meant in her texts about kicking me out. That was a pretty smart move, I’ll give her that. If she’d tried manipulating or scheming, there was a chance of getting caught. But self-harm? That… meant I needed to pack my bags. I went back to my room, pulled out my suitcase, and methodically packed my valuables. For the bigger items, I paid extra for movers to come overnight. Another night without sleep. By the time I closed the suitcase, it was already 9:30. I instinctively touched my stomach. This baby… couldn’t stay. After a long sigh, I picked up my phone and scheduled an abortion for tomorrow afternoon. When I finished, I was about to go downstairs to get something to eat when— Click. Holt was home. He looked exhausted, his voice thick with fatigue: “Sandra, Zara’s really emotionally fragile right now. The doctor says we need to avoid upsetting her.” “You can’t stay in this villa anymore.” After speaking, Holt automatically reached for his checkbook in his pocket. “I’ll give you some money. Just move out for a while. Later…” “No need.” It was the first time I’d ever turned down Holt’s money. His hand froze mid-air. He looked up at me confused, then frowned impatiently and upped the offer: “Not enough?” “I’ll add another two hundred thousand. Just be reasonable and don’t…” I reached out and pressed his hand down before he could write another check. “No.” “Holt, what I mean is—let’s end this.” “End this?” For the first time, Holt looked at me with a strange expression, like he was mocking my overconfidence. He scoffed: “You can actually walk away? Give up this lifestyle?” “Enough with the games. You want something new? A car, a house, a bag, jewelry—just behave and I’ll…” Before he could finish, I grabbed my suitcase. For the first time, I met Holt’s eyes directly: “I know my good life exists because I look like Zara. Now the real thing’s back, and she’s dramatic enough to threaten suicide. I can’t… actually let her get hurt, can I?” “More importantly, Holt, I don’t want to be your property anymore.” “I want to be my own person.” As I finished, I pulled my suitcase toward the door. Holt had probably never been talked back to like this. His voice turned icy with anger: “Sandra, you dare defy me? Who do you think you are?” “Do you know how many women would beg for this life? I’m giving you one last chance. Come back! Take the check like you always do. I’ll pretend you never said that nonsense.” “Don’t make me repeat myself.” I stopped but ignored his hostile tone. Instead, I smiled: “Holt, thanks for these years. I really do like the name you gave me.” “I hope… you find what you’re looking for. Goodbye.” With that, I walked out of the villa and didn’t look back. Holt didn’t try to stop me. Instead, he went straight back to the hospital, still fuming. In the hospital room, Zara was propped up on the bed, clearly pleased that I’d “wisely” ended things. But seeing Holt looking distracted, she frowned with dissatisfaction. She was about to complain about pain to get his attention back. Just then— Knock, knock, knock. The hospital room door opened, and an unfamiliar doctor stepped in. He looked eager to please, smiling ingratiatingly at Holt: “Mr. Sterling, I’m the chief of obstetrics here.” “Sandra had a prenatal appointment scheduled that she missed. Since you’re here, I thought I’d ask if you’d like me to reschedule it. We can arrange the best obstetricians in the city!” Holt froze, like he couldn’t process what he was hearing. He asked without thinking: “What?” The doctor finally caught on, quickly switching to a congratulatory smile: “Oh! My mistake—I didn’t realize it was supposed to be a surprise. What wonderful news! During her last visit, Sandra found out she’s pregnant and scheduled a full prenatal exam. Everything looks great, don’t worry.” “Congratulations, Mr. Sterling—you’re going to be a father!” “The baby is already six weeks along!”
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