After His Betrayal, I Revealed My True Identity

Nina Carter was the heiress of Southport's wealthiest family. Ever since she was a child, everyone who came into her life had wanted something from her, whether it was money, influence, or access to her family's fortune. Genuine affection was almost nonexistent. Tired of living that way, she chose to hide her identity and live like an ordinary person. She survived on cheap boxed meals, shared an apartment with roommates, and picked up part-time jobs during school breaks to earn spending money. For the first time in her life, people treated her like a regular young woman instead of the daughter of the city's richest man. That night, she received a delivery order. On her way, she was blocked by a group of thugs who began to harass her. She threw the delivery package at them and turned to run, but she was quickly caught up. A luxury car suddenly cut off her path and stopped right in front of her. A man in an impeccably tailored suit stepped out. The moment the thugs saw him, their faces turned deathly pale. "Mr. Hawke, we didn't know it was your private suite. We didn't mean any disrespect. We'll leave right away..." Without waiting for a response, they fled in panic. A shiver ran down Nina's spine. The man lifted a brow, amusement flickering in his eyes. "A Harbor City University student should be studying, not hanging around places like this. Short on money?" Nina wanted to say she wasn't that poor, but before she could answer, he had already risen and walked over. "Stay away from places like this in the future," he said. "They're not safe." At that moment, Nina found herself caught in the easy smile lingering in his dark eyes. Later, a classmate told her that the man from the private suite that night was Preston Hawke, the second son of Harbor City's most powerful family. According to campus gossip, Preston was notorious for his ruthless methods and icy temperament. None of it stopped women from chasing after him. Rumor had it the women chasing Preston could line up all the way from Harbor City University to the other side of Harbor City. He also happened to be one of Harbor City University's trustees, which Nina assumed was the reason he had stepped in to help her that night. Afterward, Preston became impossible to forget. Even stranger, their paths kept crossing. She ran into him while making deliveries, working as a designated driver, and even during food deliveries. Every time his address appeared on a delivery order, her pulse sped up before she could stop it. Preston seemed to grow accustomed to her presence as well. He would personally drive her back to campus whenever it rained. A well-meaning classmate tried to warn her. "Nina, Preston and you are from completely different worlds. How could a man like him ever fall for you? There are countless socialites and heiresses chasing after him, and he's never given any of them a second glance. You should know your place." But when Nina handed Preston her gift, he smiled and pulled her into his arms. "Thank you," he said softly. "I really like it." In that moment, something impulsive took over. "Preston..." Nina's face burned as the words tumbled out. "I like you." She had already prepared herself to be rejected. In Preston's eyes, she was nothing more than a poor college girl juggling part-time jobs just to cover tuition. It would have been perfectly natural for him not to feel the same. Instead, she heard his low laugh. "Then would you like to be my girlfriend?" Nina froze. For a moment, she forgot how to breathe. "I would." That was how Nina became Preston's girlfriend. He picked her up from campus openly, attended the school's masquerade ball for her sake, and showed her affection in front of everyone without the slightest attempt to hide it. The socialites Preston had once rejected mocked him for being blind, but he only wrapped an arm around Nina more tightly and said coldly, "If I hear anyone talking s**t about her again, they'll answer to me." Because of him, Nina became the target of endless jealousy. She was mocked, threatened, and deliberately excluded, but none of it mattered to her. Until graduation day. Nina put on an expensive gown and dazzling jewelry, finally ready to tell Preston the truth about who she really was. But as she approached, she saw Preston dragging a blood-soaked man out of a car. He stomped on the man's wrist, then severed his tendons without a second thought. "Finally found you, you rat from the gutter. Didn't I warn you—if you ever bully Chloe again, I'll bury your whole family with you." A girl stood behind him, clutching her arm over a tiny scratch, shrinking into his shadow like it was a mortal wound. Chloe Vance was a graduate student at Harbor City University. Nina's ears rang violently as whispers drifted over from a group of Preston's friends nearby. "Back then, Preston's father destroyed someone's family. Preston was afraid the retaliation would hurt Chloe, so he found Nina to use as a shield." "He originally wanted Chloe to give up on him, but she's too stubborn. She refused to let go of him, so naturally she became a target." Nina felt as if all the blood had drained from her body. Through the crowd, she saw the bloodthirsty fury in Preston's eyes. Someone asked quietly, "Did Preston ever have any real feelings for Nina at all?" Another man laughed. "Preston Hawke? Interested in a poor girl like her? He picked her because she was broke. Girls like that are easy to get rid of." Every word stabbed into Nina's heart like ice. She watched Preston beat the man until he collapsed in a bloody heap on the ground before finally picking Chloe up and carrying her away. Even though Preston clearly saw Nina standing there, he walked past her without slowing down for even a second. The man who had once wrapped her in so much warmth now felt like a complete stranger. In that moment, Nina finally understood that every act of kindness, every bit of affection he had shown her, had only ever existed to protect the woman he truly loved. Nina wandered aimlessly through the city in a daze. By the time she finally stopped walking, she realized she had somehow ended up outside Preston's house. She sat beside the door and waited there all night in a half-conscious haze. Just before dawn, she finally saw Preston walking toward her through the dim morning light. "Nina?" The moment she heard his voice, her eyes burned with sudden tears. Preston frowned slightly as his gaze swept over her dress and jewelry. "Why are you dressed like this?" His voice was low. "I still prefer the way you usually look. Simple suits you better. These..." He paused briefly. "They don't." Nina's heart twisted violently. She remembered what his friends had said. He chose her because poor girls were easier to get rid of. So that was all she was worth to him? Nina trembled uncontrollably. Clinging to the last shred of hope she had left, she looked up at him through tear-filled eyes. "Preston... I graduated." Her voice cracked. "You once said you'd marry me after graduation." She paused, barely able to force out the final words. "Does that still mean anything?"