He Married My BFF, I Mocked Him Publicly

"What are you doing here?" Dominic Sterling's eyes were rimmed with red as he stared at me in disbelief. I yanked my hand out of his grip and smirked, instantly wincing as a sharp pain shot through the bruises on my face. "Making money," I said, bending down to pick up my jacket from the corner. "Is there a problem with that?" Dominic seemed choked by my words, remaining silent for a long moment. Not caring about whatever expression he had on his face, I walked straight toward the side of the ring. The crowd below automatically parted to make a path for me. Many of them recognized Dominic, and whispers began to break out. "Why is Boss here?" "Who is that woman? They look like they have a history!" Years ago, when I cut ties with my family and gave up everything as the Whitford heiress to run with his gang, I never imagined I would end up like this. But then he told me he was tired of me and crawled into bed with my best friend, leaving me absolutely no way out. Overnight, all the people who had once sworn to live and die by my side turned their backs on me to support him instead. My bank accounts were frozen, I was banned from every single operation, and my landlord kicked me out of my rented apartment in the middle of the night. For a long time, I slept under bridges, washed dishes, and delivered takeout. Eventually, Drake took me in and let me work as a sparring partner at his gym. It wasn't until later that I realized there was an underground fighting ring hidden beneath it. "Next round!" the referee bellowed behind me. I waved my hand in annoyance, cursing Drake a thousand times in my head. My body was no longer what it used to be. Countless injuries had left me with chronic pain and lingering health issues, but a favor owed must be repaid. That was simply the rule of the underworld. My opponent for this round was a two-hundred-pound brute. I was completely overpowered, spitting up mouthfuls of blood under his relentless assault. When I collapsed onto the floor, my eyes locked with Dominic's. He just stood there, staring down at me with a complicated expression, as motionless as a statue. I turned my head away, refusing to look at him any longer. By the time the matches ended, it was already late into the night. Having not eaten all day, my stomach was cramping with hunger, so I decided to stop by a street food stall. "A bowl of wonton soup, extra spicy," I said, sliding onto a greasy plastic stool. The owner glanced at the bruises on my face but asked no questions, quickly tossing the ingredients into the boiling pot. When the wonton soup was served, it was piping hot, with a layer of chopped scallions floating on top. Just as I picked up my spoon, the stool opposite me was pulled back. Dominic sat down. He glanced at my bowl, frowning, and instinctively reached out to pick the scallions out of my soup. I raised my hand to block him. "No need," I said flatly. "I can eat them now." His hand froze mid-air before slowly retreating. "Why are you doing underground fighting?" he asked. "With your skills, you could be a coach at a legitimate gym, or..." "Do you honestly think I can get a decent job right now?" I let out a dry laugh. "Which operation in this city would dare take me in? Which gym would dare hire me? Isn't all of that decided by a single word from you?" He watched me in silence, his eyes filled with mixed emotions. I knew exactly what he was thinking. He was wondering how I had fallen so low, and why I hadn't gone to him to beg for help. But he had forgotten that he was the one who pushed me off the cliff in the first place. I finished the last sip of my soup, tossed some money onto the table, and stood up. "Serena," Dominic called out. I didn't look back, continuing my walk out of the alley. Just as I reached the exit, the sharp click of high heels echoed from behind, followed by a respectful greeting: "Hello, ma'am!" I paused in my tracks. Celeste Sterling, Dominic's new wife, stood at the entrance of the alley, wearing exquisite makeup and clad in designer clothes. She slid her arm through Dominic's and looked at my face, her eyes widening in mock surprise. "Is that really you, Serena? It's been so long!" She looked me up and down, her gaze lingering on the bruises covering my face as her smile widened. "Why are you still hanging around like a ghost? Haven't you learned to stay away yet?"