Chapter 1

At the wedding reception, Seraphina, in her wedding gown, walked straight to her ex-boyfriend.

"Brad, I can't marry you."

"You really think Seraphina would marry a cripple like him?" the man beside her sneered. "You’re just the Sterling family's lapdog."

I didn't care. I simply shrugged, slipping the ring off my finger and offering it back.

Later, Seraphina begged me, claiming she loved me, that she wanted to marry me.

But in this new life, the debt I owed was finally paid.

I looked at her, my words measured: "Seraphina, I actually never wanted to marry you."

I didn’t use my cane for the wedding ceremony.

My leg was definitely getting tired now.

But what truly drained me was dealing with the scene playing out.

Guests whispered around us, but my fiancée had her arm wrapped around another man.

I knew him. She’d dated him for three years, and after he left, she’d cried for him night after night.

And now, Brad, right in front of me, was practically shouting:

"You actually thought Seraphina would marry a cripple?"

"Leo, you’re just the Sterling family's lapdog. How could Miss Seraphina marry a poor nobody like you?"

"Now that I’m back, you can get lost."

I looked at Seraphina, my gaze unwavering. "Seraphina, is this what you want too?"

Her eyes welled up with tears, but she looked at me with conviction and said, "Leo, I can’t marry you."

"If you felt bad, you wouldn't be doing this on our wedding day."

She could’ve called off the engagement weeks ago. But no, she had to satisfy her first love’s pathetic ego, turning me into the biggest joke of the night.

"I’m sorry, Leo. You’re really a good person. You’ll find someone who loves you."

"Who’d want him, a cripple? And look at how broke he is." Brad spoke without filter, as if that would somehow crush me.

I slipped the ring off my finger and handed it to her. "You two can keep this. Maybe for your future."

Then I walked away.

But what they didn't know was, I secretly sighed in relief.

I owed her a life, and now it was paid.

I was finally free.