Chapter 1

Elena's first love, Marcus Blackwood, came back.

I heard he was a ruthless gang member who killed without batting an eye.

Terrified of being silenced, I fled overnight with my daughter.

Over the past eight years, Elena was busy holding a grand wedding with Marcus, traveling the world together, and attending various events.

They became the enviable power couple everyone admired.

But they never had children.

Meanwhile, I struggled to make ends meet, working seven jobs a day, scrimping and saving every penny for my daughter's medical expenses.

I became the laughingstock everyone mocked—a cheapskate.

In the ninth year, I was working as a server at an important event.

While pouring wine for a guest, I accidentally bumped right into Elena.

She stared at me in shock, her voice trembling.

"Nathan. Where have you been all these years? Our daughter—is she still alive?"

Eight years had passed. Elena remained as coldly beautiful as ever, while I stood frozen in place, momentarily speechless.

"You blind bastard! How dare you bump into Miss Winters! You must have a death wish! Get on your knees and apologize!"

The event manager rushed over and slapped me across the face.

"I'm sorry, Miss Winters. I didn't mean to dirty your clothes."

I quickly apologized. Just as I was about to kneel, Elena suddenly spoke.

"Forget it."

She frowned and glanced at me, then added, "If someone tells you to kneel, you just kneel? Don't you have any dignity left? Living this pathetically—you might as well be dead."

Dignity?

I'd stopped caring about that long ago.

I still remembered the first time I knelt—when my daughter Piper had a fever and I had no money. I knelt at the clinic entrance.

Later, I knelt to beg for jobs, to demand unpaid wages, when bullied by thugs... I'd knelt so many times I'd become numb to it.

As long as I could stay alive and Piper was doing well, that was enough.

But I didn't tell Elena any of this. I forced an ugly smile, thanked her, and turned to leave.

"Mr. Blackwood is here!"

At that moment, the crowd suddenly stirred with excitement.

I turned to look, my pupils constricting slightly. I deeply regretted accepting this event gig.

From the scar on his face, I could confirm it was Elena's first love, Marcus Blackwood.

When he'd returned to the country years ago, he'd threatened to chop me into mincemeat and feed me to the dogs, to strangle my daughter.

Afraid of being discovered, I quickly ducked into the crowd and headed straight for the break room to hide.

Buzz buzz!

Just then, my phone vibrated. The private hospital was calling.

"Mr. Anderson."

"We currently have a donor whose heart matches your daughter, but there's another competing recipient."

"The other party has money and influence. I can stall for one hour at most. If you can't get here and pay within that time, you'll have to wait for the next opportunity."

I was ecstatic.

"Within one hour, I'll definitely come pay and sign the papers!"

After hanging up, I immediately called a loan shark to borrow money at high interest.

The entire heart transplant surgery would cost at least two million dollars.

I didn't have enough money, but if I waited for next time, who knew when that would be—or if my daughter could even hold on that long.

So I'd rather sell my body, sell my blood... anything to seize this chance.

Once the loan came through, I was about to leave when the event manager blocked me at the door.

"Mr. Blackwood's wedding ring is missing."

"All employees must go to the main hall for inspection."

I said I'd been at least thirty feet away from Marcus when I saw him earlier, so it definitely wasn't me. Plus, I urgently needed to get to the hospital.

But the manager wouldn't listen at all. He had security drag me to the main hall.

I hid in the back row, trying hard to keep my head down, terrified Marcus would recognize me.

"Whoever stole my wedding ring, step forward now! I'll spare your life. Otherwise, don't blame me for throwing you in the river to feed the fish!"

Marcus's cold eyes swept over everyone. "Last row, fifth from the right—lift your head!"