His cold words hammered into me, shattering my heart.

I lifted my head to meet his deep, unreadable gaze.

There was no sympathy, no guilt.

'That's right, how could I have forgotten.'

'In his eyes, I'm just a woman who would do anything for money.'

The first time Mr. Monroe's company faced a crisis, Julian and I were together. Everyone said I was only after the power and status of The Lockwood Family.

Now that my family is bankrupt, asking him for money has only cemented my reputation as a gold digger.

'I didn't care what the world thought, as long as Julian understood me.'

'But Julian didn't believe me, either.'

'And that wasn't the only reason he disliked me.'

I suppressed the sob rising in my throat and forced a smile. "That's right, I'm desperate for money. What did you expect? Did President Lockwood think I came here for the experience?"

"Or has President Lockwood's great memory failed him? Have you already forgotten that I begged you for a loan to keep the company afloat?"

My words struck a nerve.

Julian's brow furrowed, a sneer twisting his lips:

"Zella Monroe, you think I'd believe you? Why would Mr. Monroe's company suddenly go bankrupt? Cut the sob story. Don't embarrass yourself here!"

His words were sharper than any blade.

I let out a cold laugh. "I'm selling my mother's heirloom to save Mr. Monroe's life. How is that embarrassing? Is it more honorable to be like you, using $500,000 to win over another woman?!"

His face instantly turned livid.

Bianca White, who was standing nearby, quickly rushed over. She grabbed his arm and tried to placate him. "Julian, don't be angry. Zella must be joking with you."

She turned to me, her voice feigning understanding. "But Zella, even if you are in a tight spot, you shouldn't joke about your father's company like that. Julian will take it seriously. You can just tell him what you want. You two are a couple, after all."

I looked into her seemingly innocent eyes, finding the situation deeply ironic.

'She knows I'm Julian Lockwood's girlfriend, yet she still clings to him without any sense of boundaries.'

'And Julian, acting as if he can't see her true intentions, has never once pushed her away.'

I stared at her coldly. "I did tell him. But this President Lockwood next to you doesn't seem to be listening."

Bianca's face went pale. She bit her lower lip, looking hurt, her eyes instantly welling with tears.

Julian immediately pulled her behind him, his eyes on me turning even icier:

"Zella Monroe, I can't believe you've become like this—so sharp-tongued and unreasonable! Bianca was just concerned about you. Why does every word out of your mouth have to be so barbed?"

"Like what?"

The grief and anger swirling inside me threatened to burst from my chest.

"I've been pushed to a dead end, forced to sell my mother's only heirloom, while my boyfriend is over here cooing with another woman! Don't I even have the right to question it? In your heart, that Bianca White is a pure, innocent saint, and I'm just a shrew who only causes you trouble, is that right?!"

"You're being completely irrational!" Julian was thoroughly enraged by my words.

Just then, the auctioneer on stage began to call out the bid:

"$300,000 going once, $300,000 going twice... Are there any other bids from our distinguished guests? If not..."

"I bid $350,000!" a voice suddenly rang out.

I followed the sound of the voice and saw it was Mr. Shaw from Westwood, a notoriously sleazy nouveau riche.

He was raking me over with a blatant, lecherous gaze.

Julian's expression darkened even further.

'I knew it wasn't the jewelry Mr. Shaw was after, but me.'

'If I accepted his money, it would be the same as accepting him.'

'And the last shred of hesitation in my heart vanished when I saw the look exchanged between Julian and Mr. Shaw.'

'I understood in an instant.'

'This was Julian's way of humiliating me.'

'He wanted to see me at my lowest, to see me in agony.'

The auctioneer called out excitedly, "$350,000! Mr. Shaw bids $350,000! Is there a higher offer?"

I straightened my spine and said to the auctioneer, "Sold!"

Then, I turned to Julian Lockwood and said, word by word, "Julian Lockwood, from this moment on, we're over."

Before he could react, I turned and walked away.

From behind me came Julian's furious roar.

"Zella Monroe, you dare!"

'Of course I dared.'

'When a person is pushed to the brink, there's nothing left to fear.'

The moment I got the $350,000 check from Mr. Shaw, still warm with his greasy body heat, I raced to the meeting spot.

Several vicious-looking men were surrounding my dad, spewing profanities.

My dad was curled up in a corner. The once vibrant and spirited man now had graying hair and a haggard face.

When he saw me, a flicker of light appeared in his cloudy eyes. "Zella, you... why are you here? Go! It's dangerous here!"

"Dad, I'm here to pay the money."

I handed the check to their leader, a man with a scar on his face, my voice trembling with fear.

"Here's $350,000. For the remaining $150,000, please give me a few more days."

Scarface took the check and spat on the ground, his eyes full of contempt.

"A few days? You think we're a charity? We said three days, and we meant three days. If you're short by even a penny, your dad's leaving one of his legs here today!"

As he spoke, he pulled a shiny steel pipe from behind his back.

My dad's face went pale with fright, and he desperately protected his legs.

I rushed over and spread my arms, shielding my dad. My legs were trembling, but I refused to retreat a single step.

"I will pay back the money! If you dare touch my dad, I'll fight you to the death!"

"Fight?" Scarface scoffed, closing in on me. "You?"

"Little lady, you're not bad-looking. How about this? You don't have to pay back the remaining $150,000. Just come and have some fun with me and the boys for a few days. What do you say?"

I was shaking uncontrollably, and my stomach churned violently.

Just as Scarface was about to rip my clothes, several black cars screeched to a halt in front of us.

The doors flew open, and a group of bodyguards in black suits charged out. They made short work of the thugs, subduing them in seconds.

I watched, still reeling from the shock, until the rear car door opened and a familiar figure stepped out.

It was Julian Lockwood.

He walked up to me, his tall frame casting a shadow that completely enveloped me in my pathetic state.

"Zella Monroe, selling yourself to this kind of person for money? Do you just love getting tangled up with trash like this?!"

I snapped my head up to meet his indifferent eyes, which reflected my own sorrowful figure.

"Julian Lockwood, you have the audacity to lecture me?"

I roared, "I was on my knees, begging you to lend me $500,000 to save my dad's life! I waited for you all day like an idiot, only to find out you were at an auction, spending a fortune on another woman!"

"I called you so many times, why didn't you answer? Do you have any idea that if I were one minute later, my dad could have lost his leg?! You backed me into a corner, and now you turn around and blame me? What gives you the right?!"

My questions were hysterical.

Julian Lockwood's expression faltered, and a flicker of guilt flashed in his eyes.

He remembered my pleas, and he remembered his promise.

But just then, Bianca White got out of the car. She delicately took his arm and looked at me with an aggrieved expression.

"Zella, please don't blame Julian. I just loved that painting so much, I pestered Julian to buy it for me, and he just lost track of time..."

She paused, glanced at the loan sharks on the ground, and then her tone shifted.

"But, Sister, even if Julian was in a rush to buy the painting for me, you can't debase yourself like this for money! Have you forgotten about Luna...?"

"Shut up!"

Julian Lockwood cut her off sharply, but the anger he had just suppressed flared up again.

He glared at me, the hatred in his eyes burning and clear.

"Zella Monroe, you're just as despicable as ever!"

He ground out through clenched teeth, "Ten years ago, you caused one person's death because of this. Who are you trying to kill now?!"

A chill spread from the bottom of my heart, turning into tears that streamed down my face.

I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, to tell him that ten years ago wasn't like that...

But the words died on my lips, replaced by a silent, bitter smile.

'In his heart, I had already been condemned.'

"Julian Lockwood."

My voice was calm. "You never believed me."

After saying that, I pulled my still-shaken father to his feet and stumbled away, fleeing the place that was suffocating me.