Chapter 1

I helped Zane Holt, my boyfriend, build his business from the ground up while staying behind the scenes. But after he made it, he saw me as a roadblock to land some rich woman and set me up. On the surface, he treated me like a princess, turning me into the kind of woman others secretly wished they were. But behind my back, he had people siphoning money and racking up debts in my name. He even tricked me into signing a huge accident insurance policy, aiming to cash in on me for every last bit I was worth. "Everyone looks out for themselves, Liz. Don't hate the player—hate the game. It's not my fault that you were naive and had nothing. Maybe you'll have better luck in your next life." Zane thought his scheme had worked and that he was set for life. But little did he know that the Gibson family's heiress he had been flirting with online was me the whole time. My only goal during those five years by his side was to decide whether he was worthy of marrying into the Gibson family. "The probation period is over, Zane. You didn't make the cut." … It was our fifth anniversary. I was in the kitchen whipping up a candlelit dinner for that night when Joyce Carlson, my best friend, suddenly rushed in, holding her phone up. "Is this your boyfriend, Liz?" She pulled up a website, and the top post was titled, "Asking for help. How to wring my girlfriend dry and get everything I can?" The post was from three days ago. "Back in school, I didn't know any better and just wanted to date the prettiest girl around, so I ended up with my current girlfriend. We've had a pretty good relationship all these years. When I first started my business, she stuck by me, eating street food and living in a basement. "But look at me now. I'm worth tens of millions of dollars and have become the youngest CEO in the city. But she's still stuck in the same place and can't offer me any help at all. She's just holding me back. "I've started talking to someone who's a much better fit. How can I squeeze the last bit of value out of my current girlfriend without looking like the bad guy? "I know I'm trash, but we're all adults. There is no reason to pretend it's some deep love story. I'm here for real advice. Don't bother commenting if you're just here to hate." My hand stilled for a second above the soup I was making. Then, I went back to stirring, trying to seem unbothered. Even though it was posted anonymously, every single detail matched what was happening between Zane and me. No wonder Joyce got suspicious. I remarked, "It's probably just someone messing around online." Seeing how lightly I was taking it, Joyce got so frustrated that she almost shoved her phone right toward my face. "Seriously, look at the comment the person upvoted." The comment section exploded with thousands of replies criticizing the person who posted it. They also got wildly inventive with the insults. But one comment stood out starkly. It was the only one the poster had liked. "I've got people who can handle this. Message me." Joyce grabbed the phone from my hand and threw it into the pot. "You've no idea how terrifying these people are. They're the ones who took down Mrs. Vaughn. "She was left with all the debt after the divorce. The debt collectors showed up at her house every day, putting up signs and throwing paint at her door. She ended up with severe depression and jumped from Mr. Vaughn's office building, dying right then and there." She continued, "Mr. Vaughn walked away scot-free and even got a huge insurance payout. Meanwhile, they bled her dry and took everything. You're way too trusting. Watch your back, and don't fall into their trap." I ushered Joyce out of the kitchen and reassured her, "I'll be fine. I'm not falling for anything." Seeing how calm and certain I seemed, she gradually settled down. She pursed her lips but didn't say anything else. … Meanwhile, Zane was sitting on a couch in his office at Holt Group, dressed in a sharp suit. "Here is the information on Eliza, as requested." He tossed the papers and the check down on the desk. When the other person reached to take them, he leaned in and pressed his hand down. "Money isn't an issue, but I want a solution tailored to me. Under no circumstances can this become a public spectacle like the Vaughn affair. Besides…" He pulled his hand away and leaned back against the couch, his eyes glinting with feigned pity. "She was with me for five years. I plan to make it worth my while."