Chapter 1

I spent three years loving Derek. From our college days to our first jobs, I poured my entire heart into that man.

It wasn't until we sat down to discuss marriage that I saw the truth. In the eyes of the Miller family, I was nothing but a cheap bargain.

They slashed the engagement gift to a laughable amount and piled on one insulting condition after another. Throughout it all, the man I loved stayed silent, refusing to say a single word in my defense.

I ended the engagement right then and there. I might have wasted three years of my youth, but that was better than spending a lifetime as their unpaid maid.

What I didn't know was that fate had already arranged for someone truly worthy to be waiting for me around the corner.

Chapter 1: Insulted at the Negotiation Table

Zachary and I met in college. We had been together for three years, and our relationship had always been stable.

He came from a small town in the Midwest, a guy with a humble background who seemed honest and hardworking. After graduation, I stayed in the city, and he followed me here, working as a sales rep for a mid-sized company.

His income wasn't high, but we made ends meet.

On the day our parents were supposed to meet, my parents dressed in their best formal clothes. They brought expensive wine and gifts, ready to be as gracious as possible at the restaurant Zachary had chosen.

His mother, Mrs. Miller, sat at the head of the table with her legs crossed. She didn't even look up when we arrived.

"As for the engagement gift, we'll do eight thousand dollars. Just a gesture," she said, her tone sounding like she was haggling at a flea market. "Your family is well-off anyway, so you don't need the money."

My mother blinked, glancing at my father. In this city, eight thousand was an insult; most families expected at least fifty.

Still, my mother forced a smile and nodded. "Fine. If that's what you've decided."

A flash of triumph crossed Mrs. Miller's face. Then, her tone shifted. "However, we have a few conditions. Our family discussed it, and we need to be clear."

She held up her fingers, counting them off one by one.

"First, Zachary's paycheck will be managed by me after the wedding. Boys are reckless with money; he needs someone to keep him on track."

"Second, once Nadine marries in, she handles all the housework. My son has never lifted a finger at home, and I won't have him exhausted after a long day of work."

"Third, can your family provide a car as part of the dowry? Something over sixty thousand dollars would be best. Zachary has a long commute, and it's not convenient without a nice ride."

The private dining room fell deathly silent for several seconds.

The smile on my mother's face had completely frozen. My father's grip on his glass was so tight his knuckles were white.

"Mrs. Miller," my father said, his voice strained but controlled. "We are happy to help our daughter, but these conditions… managing his salary? Doing all the chores? That doesn't seem right."

Mrs. Miller slammed her fork onto the table. "What do you mean, not right? Once she marries him, she belongs to the Miller family. Who else is going to do the chores?"

Zachary sat next to her, head down. He hadn't touched his food or said a single word.

I looked at him. His fingers were nervously picking at his jeans, and his ears were bright red, but his lips were sealed tight.

"One more thing," Mrs. Miller continued, clearly not finished. "When the kids are born, they take our last name."

I finally couldn't take it anymore.

"Mrs. Miller," I said, putting my fork down. My voice was flat and calm. "I understand exactly what you're saying."

"An eight-thousand-dollar gift, a sixty-thousand-dollar car from my parents, you keep his paycheck, I do all the labor, and the kids take your name. You aren't looking for a daughter-in-law. You're looking for a slave."

Mrs. Miller's face darkened. "How dare you speak to me like that?"

"I'm just being honest." I stood up and pushed my chair back. "This wedding is off."

Zachary finally looked up at me. His lips trembled, but nothing came out.

I grabbed my bag and pulled my parents toward the door. As we reached the exit, I heard Mrs. Miller's cold sneer from behind us.

"Fine! Break it off! With an attitude like yours, let's see who else would ever want you!"

I didn't look back.

Three years of my youth had been thrown to the dogs. But ending it today was better than being treated like cattle for the rest of my life.