After Being Framed as a Gold Digger, They Begged Me to Come Back

The day he proposed, my boyfriend gave me a necklace. I had just taken it, touched, when the lights suddenly blazed on. His adoptive sister walked in with a crowd of friends, mocking. "I told you she's a gold digger. Some nobody from the gutter, and she actually dares to take something this expensive." "Sorry, sister-in-law. This necklace isn't for you. It's Enzo's birthday gift to me." I ripped the necklace off and threw it on the floor. I broke up with him on the spot. Two years later, under the gentle pursuit of another heir from the family, I finally agreed to his proposal. The night before we were supposed to get the license, my fiancé said he had a surprise for me. Instead, the room was full of the same people from back then. My ex's adoptive sister laughed so hard she couldn't stand straight. "See? I was right." "Some women pretend to be innocent little flowers, dating family heirs." "When really, they're just fishing for the biggest payoff." My ex looked at me with disappointment. "Shamo, I thought you genuinely liked me." "Didn't expect you to throw yourself at any man with power and money the second he crooks a finger." I looked at my fiancé. He raised his hands innocently. "Don't look at me. I was just playing a game with everyone. You're just too easy to fool." Looking at all their faces, I suddenly found it laughable. This game of proving my sincerity over and over—I quit. I pulled off the ring Alessandro gave me and threw it on the floor. The moment it hit the ground, it clinked, then rolled from my feet into the dark. "Alessandro, we're done." The room went quiet for a second, then burst into laughter. Isabella, the adoptive sister, doubled over, tears streaming. "Alessandro, she says she's done with you. I'm dying." "When did you two even start? We didn't know." My ex, Lorenzo, walked up and patted my head. "Idiot, you and Alessandro were never together." "I was the one texting you. I was the one buying you gifts. Even the ring you thought was from him—I bought it." "Every sweet moment you thought you had with Alessandro? I was behind all of it." Isabella jumped up, hand raised, smug. "And us! Us too!" "All those tricks to pursue you—we came up with them together." "Surprise, sister-in-law! This was all a setup Lorenzo made to test you." The others laughed, eyes scanning me with contempt. "Didn't expect sister-in-law to fall for it so easily." "I told you, Shamo's a gold digger. As long as the guy has money, she'll latch onto anyone." "Honestly, sister-in-law's pretty impressive. She'll do anything for money. Playing both sides—I couldn't do it." My nails dug into my palms. All those times with Alessandro. The heart I'd offered. The pain I'd confessed late at night. It was all just entertainment for their little group. Maybe my face was too pale, because Lorenzo grabbed my wrist. "Shamo, you disappoint me." "You failed the test two years ago, and now you're still the same." "But I like you. I know you want to marry me." "Just sign this prenup, and I'll marry you." I glanced at the document. All of the man's assets after marriage would have nothing to do with the woman. Household expenses split fifty-fifty. Every purchase the woman makes must be pre-approved by the man and reimbursed with receipts, to protect the man's assets. Five years with Lorenzo. I knew we were from different worlds. I never dared accept anything expensive from him. But five years together meant nothing against one guess from his adoptive sister. I tore the document and threw it in his face. "Don't ever let me see any of you again. You make me sick." As I turned, I saw Lorenzo's expression freeze. Then he spoke to my back. "Shamo, stop pretending. If you want something, just say it. I don't like playing games." "I'll give you one chance. Just say the word, hm?" My steps didn't pause. After leaving, I called my boss. "Director Liu, I'll take the Europe assignment."

I went to the office and printed the materials I needed for the visa. By the time I got home, it was past midnight. I heard noise from inside. The moment I opened the door, I froze. Their little group was throwing a party in my apartment. Loud music. Champagne and beer sprayed everywhere. Trash all over the floor. They saw me. No one looked embarrassed. Isabella stumbled over, grabbed me, and grinned. "Shamo, you're really something. Amazing." "You were with Alessandro, but you still kept a backup plan." She waved a charm in front of my face. It was the one Lorenzo got for me when I was sick, before surgery. He climbed the family chapel mountain overnight. It was pouring rain. He climbed up and back, soaked and wrecked. But his eyes were bright. He pressed the charm into my hand. "Shamo, God said yes. Your surgery will be fine." I touched his head and called him an idiot. Before I even went into surgery, he collapsed from exhaustion. After the breakup, I threw away everything connected to Lorenzo. Except this charm. And those bright eyes. The most blazing feeling I'd seen when I was young. I snatched it from her hand. My chest heaved. "Who said you could come into my house!" Lorenzo looked at the charm, a smile at the corner of his eye. "Didn't expect you to still keep this." He started to walk over, but Isabella grabbed him. She turned to the crowd and shouted. "Friends, what's a top-tier gold digger? This is a top-tier gold digger." "Always keeping a backup. I'm impressed." "Lorenzo, seeing this charm, are you about to cry from emotion?" Lorenzo's tender gaze turned cold. The friends caught on, whistling and mocking. "Sister-in-law's amazing. If Alessandro dumps her, she can turn around and use this charm on Lorenzo." "Then Lorenzo sees his worthless childhood gift treasured by his crush, and he's moved." "They get married, and the slum Cinderella becomes the family lady. Genius!" They spun a whole story out of nothing, one sentence at a time. I walked to the window and tore the charm to pieces, throwing it out. Lorenzo's face darkened as the pieces blew away. "Shamo, what do you mean by that?" My hands clenched. I spoke word by word. "I mean get out. Get out of my house." Lorenzo hesitated. Before he could speak, Isabella cut in. "Lorenzo, this is called retreating to advance." "Bet you if you propose right now, she'll say yes." "On one condition: you share the family with her." Lorenzo's face went cold. "Shamo, don't push it." "I'll give you anything you want. But I hate being played." My fiancé, who'd been enjoying the show, spoke up. "Shamo, Lorenzo already said that. Take the out. Stop pretending." I took a deep breath. Just as I was about to call the police, Several security guards appeared at the door. "We've received multiple noise complaints. Please cooperate with our investigation."

At the station, I learned the neighbors had complained multiple times. Security had come twice. They hadn't toned it down at all. "Who organized this party?" After the guard asked, everyone looked at Isabella. No one spoke. Isabella stepped forward, arm out, shielding everyone behind her. "It was me. Nothing to do with her." "Sir, if you're going to punish someone, punish me." She said it nobly, but her arm was trembling. A regular hero. Before the guard could speak, Lorenzo pulled her back. "Sir, Shamo invited us. She's the homeowner." I turned to Lorenzo in disbelief. Alessandro chimed in. "That's right. We were all invited by Shamo." Seeing the two of them, the others followed. I looked at them and spoke slowly. "Do you two know that disturbing the peace at night, after multiple police warnings, can get you detained?" They went silent. They knew. That's exactly why. They couldn't bear to let Isabella suffer. So they made me, the innocent one, take the fall. In that moment, I didn't want to engage anymore. "Sir, I have evidence." Ignoring their protests, I showed proof I was at the office late. After leaving the station, I expedited my visa application online. Booked a flight to Europe in five days. At home, I listed the apartment with an agent and started cleaning up. The room was full of little things Alessandro had given me. Except the proposal ring, I'd never accepted anything valuable from him. I used to think these were proof of our love. Now they felt like slaps across my face. Maybe Alessandro gave me a gift, then immediately opened their group chat to broadcast. How easy I was. How much I loved playing the innocent. Thinking about it, I shoved everything into the trash. Just as I was about to take it downstairs, the police came again. "Miss Shamo, under Article 88 of the Public Order Regulations, you're suspected of repeated noise disturbances. If confirmed, you face five days of administrative detention." I followed them, confused. In the car, I learned this wasn't their first party at my place. Alessandro had my key. Every time he and I made progress, they celebrated by throwing a party at my place. Lorenzo's assistant built a whole chain of evidence, proving I often invited them over and repeatedly disturbed the peace. At the station entrance, I ran into the group escorting Isabella out. Lorenzo saw me and walked over. "Shamo, sorry for the trouble. When you get out, we'll get married." "Isabella's proud. A punishment would affect her life and work." "But you're different. Once you're out, you'll be Mrs. Lorenzo. Quit your job. I'll support you." Isabella whistled. "Sister-in-law's amazing. Five days in jail for a lifetime of security. Worth it!" I ignored them and walked into the station. Following procedure, I called my boss and explained. He came immediately and cleared everything up.

After leaving the station, I never went back to that apartment. I checked into a hotel near the office. My boss told me to rest before the assignment. I refused. I'm not the type to fall apart and hide after being betrayed. My childhood taught me: make money. Only solid things give me security. The night before my flight, my boss took me to dinner. We'd just left the office when we ran into Lorenzo's group. Isabella circled me twice, clapping. "A top-tier gold digger. Impressive!" "Besides Lorenzo and Alessandro, there's a third one." "How do you juggle so many men? Teach a class. I'll pay." She looked at my boss. "But Lorenzo, don't worry. This one's clearly poorer than you." "Definitely just a backup." The group chimed in. "No wonder when we went with Lorenzo to see Shamo, we heard she'd been bailed out." "Turns out the second Lorenzo left, a new man was protecting her." "I've only seen this in news. Didn't expect a top-tier gold digger right next to me." Lorenzo's face was dark, like a husband catching his wife cheating. "Who is he?" I laughed. "Lorenzo, don't forget. We broke up two years ago." "What does this have to do with you?" Lorenzo's temple veins bulged. "Shamo, we never broke up. That was a test." "I told you. I was the one dating you." I looked up at him, word by word. "Really? Then when I slept with Alessandro, was that you too?" Lorenzo froze. His eyes reddened. He turned to Alessandro in disbelief. Alessandro looked down. Lorenzo punched him. "Bastard! Didn't I tell you it was just acting?!" Alessandro, humiliated in public, hit back. Watching them fight like dogs, I left with my boss. Lorenzo shouted after me while fighting. "Shamo, I'll wait for you at home tomorrow. We'll get the license." "As long as we're married, I'll give you everything you want." It was laughable. Even now, Lorenzo thought I loved him. Two years had passed. I didn't care about him anymore. The next day, I took my luggage to the airport. Lorenzo called countless times. I hung up on all of them. I pulled the SIM card out and threw it in the trash. As the plane took off, the familiar city receded. From now on, everyone and everything here had nothing to do with me.