Chapter 1
I had been a kept woman for three years.
To milk more money out of my sugar daddy, Alex Carter, I told him I had a little brother and played the role of a doting sister who'd do anything for her sibling.
Alex kept transferring money, no questions asked.
The moment I found out I was pregnant, I wanted to test his reaction.
I asked, "So, what if someone else started living here, eating your food, spending your money?
"He might have my last name, but you gotta love him no matter what."
Alex completely lost it.
"No way! I won't let him move in," he snapped.
Alright, guess it was time to keep the kid and kick the dad to the curb.
The day after I left my resignation letter, Alex came looking for me.
He said, "You're seriously leaving me because I won't accept your brother?
"Come back already! I love your brother, okay?"
Huh? I was totally baffled.
*****
Alex and I first crossed paths because of a bet among his friends.
In college, everyone called me the workaholic princess.
Sometimes, I'd juggle as many as five part-time jobs in a single day.
I worked at a convenience store, waited tables, tutored in the afternoon, picked up packages in the evening, and capped it off by delivering food at night.
Growing up broke, I developed an extreme passion for making money.
That was when those spoiled rich kids started sizing me up.
They made a bet that whoever could win over a poor, tough girl like me first would score a brand new car and a condo.
If I weren't the target of their bet, honestly, I'd be tempted to try for it myself.
Alex was the most generous one in the group.
He had the looks, too.
So, I picked him.
An ATM that came right to one's door, only an idiot would turn that down.
A few months later, I thought the bet was over, and Alex would call it quits.
Alex looked serious, frowning as he said, "If I'd known you were such a gold-digger, I never would've chased after you.
"But since you're so blinded by money you can't live without it, I'll begrudgingly keep you as my sugar baby. Don't let anyone know about it, alright?"
Turned out, whenever his friends teased him about falling for me, Alex adamantly denied it.
He'd threaten to break up with me, but behind the scenes, he secretly kept me on the side.
Hmph, stupid rich guy.
Alright, Alex was loaded, loved the high life, and he sure knew how to enjoy himself.
So, I played the role of a doting sister, always acting like my family had me wrapped around their finger and I'd do anything for my brother.
Just watch, I was gonna milk Alex for everything he got.
For three years straight, I kept up the act.
I always had some excuse—buying my brother a house, getting him a car, building a new home for my folks, or saving up for my parents' retirement.
When I checked my bank balance, I was floored to see I had actually stacked up a whopping one hundred million dollars.
Who would've thought I'd end up a billionaire without even trying?
Honestly, Alex was really skeptical at first.
Back when we were dating, if he so much as took an extra bite of my food, I'd make him spit it out.
If he spent even a single cent of my money, I'd make sure he transferred it back to me in the middle of the night.
On Valentine's Day, I transferred him 20 bucks.
Ten minutes after that, I told him to pay me back a hundred times over.
Alex posted late at night: [Remember, never spend a poor person's money—because you'll end up paying for it in the end.]
Whatever.
Luckily, I was a pretty good actress.
Even though my parents abandoned me at birth, my grandparents, who made a living picking up junk, took me in and raised me.
I wasn't born into love, but I ended up growing up with it.
Whenever I thought about how my grandparents passed away one after another because we couldn't afford their medical bills, my heart ached so much, and I couldn't help but cry my eyes out.
Alex totally bought it, and he kept sending me money without a single complaint.
One day, he asked, a bit bashful, "Since your parents and brother are so happy with their new house and car, when are you going to take me to see it?"
Uh-oh, I thought my bank balance just changed.
I instantly rattled off a bunch of excuses.
"It's really not convenient. My hometown is a small town, and my parents are total hermits; they really don't like seeing anyone," I said.
Alex said it was no big deal.
But that night, Alex was way more energetic than usual.
Lately, I had been planning to milk him for more money by saying my brother was getting married.
But unexpectedly, I found out I was pregnant.
Thinking back, it must've been the last time we didn't use protection.
Alex was all over me, like he was in heat or something.
I was so mad, I sat up in bed in the middle of the night and whacked him.
Alex, all groggy, reached out and grabbed my hand.
He asked, "Baby, does your hand hurt?
"Did you hurt yourself hitting me? Here, let me blow on it."
Out of nowhere, a thought hit me.
Maybe Alex might be cool with me being pregnant, and maybe we could make this work and raise the kid together.
So, I started testing the waters.