Emily Rivers went from being the pampered daughter of the Rivers family to a penniless "discard." After her father collapsed under the weight of debts, she had to take on the responsibility of supporting her family. Working three jobs, she still couldn't make ends meet. With her father hospitalized and her mother mentally unwell, her life descended into chaos.

The Lu family offered to pay off the Rivers family's debts if Emily married Andrew Lu. She initially refused to be part of such a transaction but relented after witnessing her parents' suffering.

As the wedding was arranged, Emily remembered her teenage admiration for Andrew Lu. Once the shining heir of the Lu family, he had been her unattainable dream. Now, standing beside him as his wife, she felt like an outsider.

On the wedding day, Andrew's indifference was palpable. At the banquet, he openly stated, "This marriage is a business deal. Don't expect anything more." Holding back tears, Emily forced a smile as she walked away.

After the ceremony, Emily spent her first night in the villa alone. Clutching her wedding ring, she tried to find comfort in the cold, empty room.

Andrew's mother, Madam Lu, made no attempt to hide her disdain for Emily. "You're nothing more than a debt-ridden woman," she sneered. Emily bowed her head and replied softly, "I know my place."

The media painted their marriage as a fairy tale, dubbing Emily a "lucky Cinderella." At public events, she smiled beside him, enduring his biting sarcasm in private.

Sophia Lin, Andrew's first love, returned to town. Elegant and poised, she was everything Emily was not. Watching Andrew's tenderness toward Sophia, Emily finally understood she was merely a substitute.

Sophia cornered Emily, smiling as she said, "You know Andrew only loves me, right?" Emily clenched her fists but maintained her composure. "If that's true, why aren't you together?"

Andrew stayed out late more frequently. Emily waited up for him, often falling asleep on the couch. One drunken night, he mistook her for Sophia and murmured, "Don't leave." Tears silently streamed down her face.