The Secret Billionaire's Vow

I spent millions planning an extravagant proposal for my girlfriend, but she beat me to it, arranging a fleet of drones to confess her feelings to me first. My heart was full of joy, believing that our love story was finally getting its fairy-tale ending. Then she took a phone call. Her expression instantly transformed, and she looked at me with chilling disdain. "I was only playing around with a stray dog. I never expected you to take it seriously. A peasant like you really thought you had a shot with me? Do you even understand what it means to be in the same league? Only a man from a true old-money dynasty deserves me." I stared at her sudden 180 in pure disbelief. Just as I opened my mouth to reveal who I actually was, she flicked a ten-million-dollar check right into my face and turned away. "Consider this compensation for the years you wasted on me. Now get lost." Did she not realize that the untouchable dynasty she craved was mine all along? The surprise proposal I had planned came to an abrupt halt thanks to my girlfriend Vivian’s sudden outburst. I couldn't fathom how the woman who had held me so tightly in her arms just the night before could become a complete stranger overnight. Right before my eyes, Vivian slid into the passenger seat of another man’s luxury sports car. I stepped in front of the vehicle to block them. I wasn't about to let our relationship end so vaguely. The man in the driver's seat got out. He scanned me from head to toe, letting out a mocking sneer. "Vivian, this pretty boy you picked up isn't even all that." With every chuckle, his massive beer belly bounced up and down. I couldn't understand why Vivian would trade a man who loved her deeply for a bloated, greasy slob like him. Just a week ago, we were daydreaming about our future together. It was my birthday, and she had personally prepared a unique gift for every year of my life. We bared our souls to each other, promising to stay by each other’s side forever. That night, Vivian let down her usual shyness, igniting a fierce passion between us. Yet the very next day, she vanished, claiming she had an urgent business trip and telling me to wait for her return. Every day she was gone, we FaceTimed, pouring out our longing and love for one another. The moment she left town, I had thrown myself into organizing the proposal. I never expected her to hand me an entirely different kind of shock. She tried to dismiss five whole years of devotion with a measly check. And now she was hopping into another man's car right in front of me. From the moment we started dating, I had told Vivian more than once that money was the one thing I never lacked. She had simply assumed I was putting on a front because I felt inadequate next to her. All because during college, I ran a campus convenience delivery hustle, delivering snacks and packages straight to dorm rooms. Back then, I had merely rejected my parents' plan for my college major. In a fit of rage, they cut off my allowance. I wanted to prove to them that I could thrive entirely on my own. Back then, Vivian had given up high-society galas during the holidays just to pull long hours alongside me to support my small business. If she had just been playing with my heart, why would she have gone to such lengths to treat me so well? "What, isn't Vivian’s money enough for you?" the greasy man sneered. "If you get down on your knees and bark like a good boy, I might throw ten grand your way. Consider it table scraps tossed to a stray." Just as I opened my mouth to hit back, Vivian hurried out of the car. Her brow was furrowed with irritation. She grabbed his arm, without casting a single glance in my direction. "Chad, didn't you say you had a surprise for me? Don't waste your breath on a peasant like him." Vivian’s slender frame couldn't budge Chad at all. Out of options, she spun toward me. "Ethan, why aren't you leaving? Just looking at you makes my skin crawl." Chad tried to cross his chubby arms over his chest, but his rolls of fat restricted the movement. Watching his ridiculous antics only deepened my confusion about Vivian's choice. How could a piece of trash like this ever be worthy of her? Besides, Vivian had always been a sucker for good looks. There had to be an underlying reason. I gazed deeply into her eyes, searching for a trace of a hidden struggle, but she turned her face away in disgust. Chad was visibly thrilled by her coldness. He reached out a greasy hand to stroke her face, even though she visibly stiffened with revulsion. "He's just a boy toy, a stray dog to pass the time. My clever Vivian knows how to make the right choice." Vivian cut her eyes at me and said icily, "A good dog doesn't block the road. Get lost."This was the second time she had spoken to me with such venom. The first time was back when I lived on instant ramen and plain bread for an entire semester just to save up for her anniversary gift. The scene I had envisioned—where she would tearfully embrace me—never happened. Instead, she bit my arm in pure fury. Her eyes, which usually sparkled with warmth whenever she looked at me, flared with anger. Big, bright tears welled up, though she stubbornly refused to let them fall. "Ethan, it's you that I love, not this material garbage! I can get whatever I want with a snap of my fingers. You don't need to starve yourself just to buy me a present! Don't you dare think playing the pity card will move me!" She had deleted all my contact info right in front of me and stormed off. Yet, she never once said the word 'breakup.' I knew she was just heartbroken for me. Later, when people sneered that I was punching way above my weight, Vivian stepped up time and time again to shield me. She happily joined me at street food carts and wore cheap matching hoodies with me. Bit by bit, my heart completely melted for her. There was no way I could accept a sudden breakup like this—especially not for such an absurd reason. I stood my ground before Chad, utterly fearless. He pointed at me contemptuously, playing to the gathering crowd. "Call him a boy toy if you want, but he's just a glorified gigolo. He spends a woman's cash on designer gear and thinks he's part of high society. Today, I'll teach you what real royalty looks like." Vivian's brow furrowed even deeper at his words. She tugged at Chad's arm, muttering petulantly, "Didn't you say you had a surprise for me? Why bring him along? He was just a toy to kill time with when I was bored." Just a toy? If I was just a toy, why would she give me five of the best years of her life? Chad slung a heavy arm around Vivian's shoulder, grinning smugly. "Tsk. When you're a gigolo, you need to know your place. Keep sniffing around Vivian, and don't blame me for crossing a line. With my family's power, crushing you is easier than stepping on an ant." Hearing that, Vivian kicked my shin without hesitation. Caught off guard, I stumbled and fell onto my hands and knees. Vivian clearly hadn't expected me to fall. A flash of raw concern crossed her face, and her hand twitched forward before she caught herself. She averted her gaze from mine, her voice remaining harsh and unyielding. "I told you to get lost! Didn't you hear me? Stop ruining my moment with Chad. I gave you your payout. Stop clinging to me like a mangy dog!" I looked up at her, my resolve unbroken. "I just want an honest reason." Vivian stiffened her neck and raised her voice, enunciating every word. "I said, I'm bored of you! A lowlife like you never belonged with me. Only someone from the wealthy Sterling family is my true match!" "You know you love me!" Vivian scoffed. "Love you? You really flatter yourself. People of my social standing only marry within our class. Love is the most useless thing in the world." "You could barely put food on the table! What, did you think I was blind enough to go broke playing house with you?" Chad guided Vivian back toward his sports car. Before climbing in, he flipped me off and dropped an address. "Hey, country bumpkin. If you've got the guts, follow us. I'll show you the kind of life you'll never touch." Vivian looked at me expressionlessly. "No matter how hard you work in this lifetime, you'll never measure up to a single one of Chad's pinky fingers. Stop daydreaming about marrying me, and take a good, hard look in the mirror." "I suggest you don't humiliate yourself, unless you want to spend the rest of your life crawling." "Don't you dare follow us like a shameless beggar. Your poverty only embarrasses me.""Embarrasses you?" I couldn't help but ask, "What about all those love letters I wrote for you? They didn't cost a dime, but you used to say they were the most precious gifts you'd ever received, that their worth couldn't be measured in cash." Vivian let out a cold chuckle. She pulled a thick stack of papers from her designer bag, took Chad's lighter, and set them ablaze. "Just a pile of worthless trash. And you treated it like treasure." The flames instantly devoured the love I had poured onto every page, reducing it to ash. It extinguished the burning warmth in my chest just as quickly. The five sweet years we spent together were nothing more than garbage to her. Money was all she truly cared about. My fists clenched tight. My chest ached with disappointment, pain, and lingering attachment. At this point, the reasons didn't matter anymore. I swallowed the bitter lump in my throat. "Since you've made your choice, I'll let you go. I hope you get what you deserve." Vivian slipped on her sunglasses, refusing to spare me one last glance. "Glad you finally know your place." The engine roared to life, blasting exhaust directly into my face as if mocking my stupidity. I turned to leave, but a circle of burly men suddenly blocked my path. "Who are you?" I demanded, eyeing them warily. Their faces were set like stone. "You crossed Mr. Sterling in this city. Nobody can save you now. He told us to bring this barking stray along so you can finally see how the other half lives." I let out a cold laugh under my breath. I had played the humble boyfriend for Vivian because I loved her, because I was willing to swallow my pride for her sake. Did a pig like Chad Sterling really think he could step on my head? Delusional. "Move. Don't make us get rough." A bodyguard shoved me. I offered just enough resistance to look natural before stepping into their black SUV. If they wanted to set a trap, I was more than happy to walk right into it. I was genuinely curious to see how big the Sterling family really was to summon me like this. The second I sat down, a voice spoke through the hidden earpiece in my ear. "Young Master, do you want us to take them down?" I gave a slight shake of my head. Since Chad had extended such a warm invitation, how could I turn it down? I pulled up the dossier on Chad Sterling on my phone. It was thorough enough to detail every single sleazy message he had ever sent on Snapchat. What a piece of work. He had even booked a hotel room with another woman just a few days ago. Before long, we reached the private marina. An impossibly lavish superyacht sat moored before us. The bodyguard behind me shoved me out of the car. "Open your eyes wide and see the gap between you and Mr. Sterling." I dusted off my clothes in disgust where his hands had touched me, which visibly ticked them off. They gave me another hard push forward. Immediately, a crowd of people in designer evening wear turned their heads toward the commotion. Because I had planned to propose to Vivian today, I was wearing a bespoke, high-end suit. Paired with my naturally striking features, I instantly caught the attention of several young socialites. One of them boldly sashayed over to break the ice. "Whose family are you from? I don't think I've seen you around before." I gave a polite nod, turning my head to scan the deck for Vivian. She was leaning against the railing on the upper deck. The moment her eyes landed on me, a surge of pure panic flashed across her face. She looked around frantically. Seeing that no one was watching her closely, she urgently waved her hands at me. She was telling me to run! She actually cared about me. She didn't want me walking into danger! That realization breathed life back into my deadened heart. Before I could signal back, a sharp jolt of pain radiated across my back. "To be a good dog, you first have to learn to walk on all fours." Chad stood behind me, a baseball bat resting on his shoulder, an ugly sneer plastered across his face. I didn't have time to spare him a glance. My eyes were locked on Vivian. The moment she saw me get struck, she hitched up her gown and sprinted down the stairs in a frenzy. She still cared. She still loved me.Seeing me ignore him, Chad pointed the baseball bat directly at my nose. "Tsk, tsk. The stray's got some fight in him. But I love breaking unruly mutts." "The last stubborn kitten that hissed at me is currently purring softly in my lap." His sleazy implication made my blood boil instantly. The Sterling family had indeed been a dominant power in this city back in his great-grandfather's day. But with each generation, their influence had dwindled. By the time it trickled down to Chad, even his seat at the table had to be bought with bribes. Meanwhile, the Miller family—Vivian's family—had struck gold overnight through a sudden stroke of luck. Her father was desperate not to let that newfound wealth slip away. He needed an old-money connection to anchor his empire. He threw his cash around, courting several prominent families, but they just took his money and treated him like a clown. That was when he set his sights on the declining Sterlings. He targeted Vivian, the eldest daughter from his first marriage, using her sick mother as leverage to force her into an arranged marriage with Chad. During that week she disappeared, she had tried desperately to fight back. In the end, she had no choice but to bend to her father's threats. Seeing me disregard him once again, Chad, who was used to throwing his weight around, snapped at the perceived disrespect. He swung the bat straight toward my head. "Look out!" Vivian's terrified scream pulled me from my thoughts. I reached out, catching the baseball bat mid-swing, and yanked it forward with all my strength. Chad was completely unprepared for the sudden resistance. He lost his footing and crashed heavily onto the deck. His massive belly hit the wooden planks with a loud, dull thud. The surrounding socialites bit their lips to stifle their laughter, though they hurried to voice their fake concern. "Mr. Sterling, are you alright?" "Where did this bum come from, putting hands on the Sterling heir?" "He's completely out of his mind!" Vivian skidded to a halt just a few feet away. She bit the inside of her cheek to suppress a smile before rushing over to Chad's side. "Are you okay? Did you get hurt anywhere? I've never seen such a massive yacht before, let's not waste our time on someone like him." Chad's face darkened even further at her arrival. No man wanted to be humiliated in front of his peers, let alone in front of his romantic rival. His face turned as red as a tomato as he glared at me with pure malice. "You dare play me? If I don't peel the skin off your back today, where is the Sterling family pride supposed to go?" He barked at his surrounding bodyguards, "Grab this bastard! I'm going to break him myself!" Seeing the guards move, Vivian threw herself in front of me, shoving my chest violently. "Who gave you the nerve to push Mr. Sterling? Do you want to die? Get lost! Get out of my sight!" Her words were razor-sharp, but the terror in her eyes was threatening to spill over. She shoved me hard, desperately trying to create an opening for me to slip away in the chaos. Furious as he was, Chad was never going to let me walk. With the help of his guards, he hauled his heavy frame back onto his feet, his rolls of fat trembling with rage. "I'll make this clear right now: anyone who lets him leave is an enemy of the Sterling family!" Vivian tried to appease him. "Mr. Sterling, why lower yourself to get angry over a nobody? I'm still waiting for that surprise you promised me." Chad grabbed her by the chin, his gaze venomous. "Don't think I don't know what you're doing. This pretty boy of yours pisses me off. I'm putting him down today." He signaled with a flick of his wrist, and several guards instantly grabbed both of my arms. "I hear there are sharks lurking in this bay. I don't mind tossing them a mid-afternoon snack. And if anyone tries to stop me, they can go overboard right along with him." The yes-men hanging around Chad chimed in immediately. "A stray dog is just a nuisance anyway. Mr. Sterling is doing the city a public service!" "Exactly. A generous soul like Mr. Sterling is hard to come by these days." "In this town, who dares cross Mr. Sterling?" Just then, a deep, commanding voice cut through the noise from the back of the crowd. "Oh? Since when does a little boy from the Sterling family call all the shots around here?" The crowd instantly parted down the middle in hushed reverence. A distinguished man in an impeccably tailored three-piece suit walked forward with steady, measured steps. Chad's eyes widened, his lips trembling as he scrambled to find his words. "I was just... putting a stray in its place, Mr. Vance. I didn't mean to make a scene in front of you. Of course your word is law in this city! Quick, drag the boy over here, let Mr. Vance have the first crack at him!" Vivian tugged urgently at my sleeve, whispering under her breath, "Watch your tone. Mr. Vance is the only man here with the power to save your life." I casually shook off the bodyguards' grip and strolled leisurely toward Mr. Vance.