Chapter 1

Mike Allen handed me a piece of paper, his eyes cold. It was an itemized list of every cent he'd spent on me during our year-long relationship.

The list was ridiculous in its detail. Movie tickets, Starbucks coffees, even a $2 lottery ticket from gas station – it was all there.

The priciest item?

A MAC lipstick that, as it turned out, was a cheap knockoff from a street vendor.

Now that we were splitting up, he wanted me to reimburse him for everything and return all his gifts.

I stared at the man in front of me, unable to hide my contempt.

Just days ago, I'd been dreaming about our future together. Now, looking at his smug face, all I felt was revulsion.

As I mentally added up the total, Mike spoke up, trying to sound generous. "Look, just pay me back for the dinners and stuff. For the gifts – used or not – just give 'em all back. That's fair, right?"

How magnanimous of him.

I let out a bitter laugh and pulled out my phone, quickly transferring him $2,000 through Venmo – more than enough to cover his list.

"Keep the change," I said. "Consider it an idiot tax. I don't want any of it back."

I turned to leave, but Mike grabbed my wrist.

"No way! I don't want the money. I want my stuff back!"

He jabbed his finger at the last item on the list. "Fine, keep everything else. But that lottery ticket – I need that back."

His reaction was odd, and suddenly I had a hunch.

I yanked my arm free. "Tough luck. I tossed it ages ago."

—

I found the lottery ticket and checked the winning numbers. Sure enough, the random numbers I’d picked that day had won five million dollars.

So this was what Mike had been circling around—the lottery ticket. How ironic; it had originally been a half-hearted birthday gift he’d given me, and now it was worth a fortune.

My phone buzzed. It was a message from Mike, containing a voice note and a partial refund.

He’d sent back some money, but not the full amount.

After quickly comparing it to the itemized list he’d given me, I realized he’d kept the exact amount that covered the food, drinks, and entertainment expenses.

He was demanding I return all the items, emphasizing that he wanted everything back.

“Shirley, I’ve always thought of you as someone who isn’t materialistic or shallow. I hope you don’t let me down this time and spoil the image I have of you.”

“This isn’t about being petty. I just believe a clean break is best after a breakup, with no lingering ties. I’m sure you understand, right?”

Oh, I understood perfectly.

I snapped a screenshot of the money I’d spent on him and sent it back. If we were going to have a “clean break,” it wasn’t just going to be me returning things.

Every piece of clothing he owned, including his underwear, was something I’d bought him. If he really wanted to settle up, he’d better start by stripping down and paying me back the thousands I’d spent.

I saw he was “typing…” in the chat box, but after several long minutes, he hadn’t sent a single word. I knew he’d gone radio silent.

I couldn’t believe I’d wasted a year on such a pathetic excuse for a man. I wanted to slap myself for being so blind.

I’d met Mike at work. I was a new intern, and he took the initiative to show me around and help me get settled. Later, he confessed his feelings for me, and I fell for his sweet talk and ended up dating him.

He used to tell me that he’d grown up poor and had developed frugal habits, so he didn’t like spending money on food, clothes, or luxuries. I fell for it and, in the name of understanding, bought him all kinds of things, even covering many expenses.

The cheap gifts he gave me, worth no more than fifty dollars, I cherished like they were treasures because he’d said I was the first person he’d ever given a gift to.

I let him fool me for a whole year.

Two days ago, on my birthday, he claimed he had work to finish and couldn’t spend the day with me. Instead, he took me to buy a lottery ticket.

“Even though a lottery ticket only costs two bucks, it’s a symbol of hope and my most sincere blessing for you.”

I didn’t expect much from him, so I brushed off his lack of effort. But a few hours later, I saw him at an upscale restaurant, dining with another woman. He’d given her a huge bouquet of flowers and paid the bill himself.

That was when I realized it wasn’t that he was unwilling to spend money—he just wasn’t willing to spend it on me.

Now that he knew the ticket had won, he was trying to get it back without even telling me about the prize.

I smirked to myself, took the day off, and went to claim my winnings.