Chapter 1

After I got my year-end bonus, I splurged $10,000 on a wallet for my boyfriend.

I never expected that the very next day, he'd list it online for sale.

I immediately bought the wallet myself, then dialed his number:

"Sweetheart, are you happy with the New Year's gift I got you?"

Nealon's voice was cold.

"That wallet? Yeah, I already got it."

I smiled.

"That wallet? Oh, that was just the wrapping. The real gift was the watch I hid inside, worth $100,000. Didn't you see it?"

I was browsing Amazon’s second-hand marketplace one weekend when a listing from a local seller popped up.

[Handmade Italian leather wallet, only $2000!]

My eyes zeroed in on the text, and I froze for a full two seconds.

The wallet had my boyfriend’s initials embroidered on it. There was no way anyone else would have an identical wallet, especially with that embroidery.

I clicked into the seller’s profile. The IP address showed the seller was in the same state as me.

I sat there in stunned silence for a moment, then clicked open the private chat.

"Hi, is the wallet still available? Is it authentic? Why is it so cheap?"

The reply was instant:

"Don't worry, it's absolutely authentic. A friend gave it to me, but honestly, the color just isn't my style, so I'm letting it go cheap."

Right after that, he sent over a photo of a custom order receipt from an Italian designer.

It was Nealon, alright.

I was the one who'd sent him that very receipt.

My fingers went stiff. I took a deep, shaky breath and clicked into his Amazon seller profile, scrolling down.

In the six months we'd been together, almost everything I'd ever given him was listed there.

The headphones I bought him a month into our relationship, priced at $400.

The game console for our 100-day anniversary, priced at $500.

The latest model tablet I got him recently because he said he needed it for a project, priced at $800.

Every single one of them was marked 'Sold'.

And a scarf.

I'd knitted it for him myself last winter, pricking my fingers countless times.

He’d hugged me then, promising to wear it forever.

Now, it was listed for $50 with free shipping.

The description even said: 'Gift from a friend, not my style, never used.'

Staring at that line, a wave of nausea suddenly hit me.

After we got together, Nealon's requests for gifts were ridiculously frequent.

Every time, he had a reason.

Our one-month anniversary, our 100-day anniversary, his birthday, his thesis proposal approval...

And every time, I bought him something.

I'd been working for two years, while he was still in grad school.

I figured he had no income, so I tried my best to keep him from spending money.

So, even if his return gifts were just snack gift boxes worth a few tens of dollars or cheap little trinkets, I never said a word.

I thought I was being understanding. Now, I saw that in his eyes, I was nothing more than a human ATM.

Just then, another message popped up in the chat.

"Hello? Still interested? If you’re serious, I can knock a bit more off the price. I can ship it today."