Five years ago, I was a college freshman.

In Brad's words, when he pursued me, I was so pure that he felt sorry for me.

He truly loved me back then. He doted on me as well. He treated me like I was a precious treasure.

Our relationship was the longest that he ever had. I even got engaged to him before I graduated college.

It was a pity that I was already in ruins and my reputation was in tatters.

Everyone in the capital knew I had done plenty of shameless things to hold on to a wealthy catch like Brad.

At that time, he said he was tired of me being pure and simple. To pander to him, I forced myself to change and to blend into his dirty social circle. I forced myself to cater to his peculiar interests.

He wanted a woman who was flirtatious, and passionate. He liked a woman who was open and bold.

I endured the embarrassment and satisfied him.

However, what I got in return was his nasty words.

"You're shameless, Leah. Escorts aren't even as wild in bed as you are. Look at you now. Do you even look like a lady from an affluent family?"

He broke up with me.

Walter used my younger siblings to blackmail me.

To make Brad stay, I tried to take my own life.

At that moment, he told me, whose reputation was already in ruins, that he liked Zoe.

He liked that she was just like me five years ago.

I wanted to laugh, but I could not.

"I really like her. I want to make her my wife. She's not like you. She's very timid and very pure. I have to take responsibility for her," Brad said.

I wanted to say something, but my lips seemed glued together. I could not make a sound.

It took me a while to put on a forced smile, and I said, "Alright. I understand."

"I can talk to the Young family for you," he said.

"No need. I'll think of a way to take care of it myself," I said.

"Suit yourself."

He staggered to stand up, and he took out something from his pocket. He threw it on the coffee table, creating a thud.

My eyes widened.

That was the gift I exchanged with him when we got engaged.

It was a heart necklace that belonged to my late mother.

Brad had given a pair of emerald bracelets that his mother wore when she got married. Those were the bracelets that I was wearing at that moment.

"Take the bracelets off. Our engagement is off," he said.

I looked up at him. His eyes used to twinkle, but they were as cold as frost then.

It turned out that he was not going to marry me when he said he wanted to get married.

It turned out that five years of company was not comparable to the thrill of cheating with a new woman for just a few days.

I thought I would be sad and mentally break down, but I did not shed a tear.

I calmly took the bracelets off and returned them to him.

Brad raised his eyebrow a little. He seemed a little surprised.

However, he still accepted the bracelets and left without looking back.

Soon, everybody knew Brad had called off his engagement with me.

Unexpectedly, I was not beaten up.

However, I lost contact with my siblings, who were abroad, again.

I knew that was how my father always used to vent his anger.

He and my stepmother started searching the entire city for a suitable man for me to get married to. They wanted to marry me off to let the Young family remain wealthy.

However, nasty rumors about me gradually started spreading.

They said I had done many nasty things to make Brad happy over the years. They said I was damaged, and I could not even bear a child anymore.

Nobody in the capital city was willing to take in a woman like me anymore.

My father's temper got worse as days passed, and my life got harder and harder to endure.

Two months after Brad broke off his engagement with me, shocking news about him started spreading again.

They said he was about to get engaged again, and it was to Zoe. Brad even fought with his parents for her.

The group of people who loved drama deliberately sent me the news.

I knew what they wanted to see.

They were just too bored and were starting to miss the days when they had a clown like me by their side.

[Leah, I think Brad still likes you very much.]

[You must be having a hard time now, right? Why don't you go beg Brad?]

[He's quite a soft-hearted person. Just go and cry to him. If that doesn't work, just pretend to take your own life. He might just take you back.]

[How could Zoe compare to you, Leah? You're much prettier than her.]

I looked at the texts, and I did not reply to any of them.

I concentrated my efforts on getting ready to get married instead.

A week ago, I spent the whole night begging on my knees.

Finally, I got my father to agree to let me go to Clason City to get married instead of my sister, who had just come of age.

I had heard about James Blackwell, the heir of the Blackwell family from Clason City. He was ruthless, but he was incredibly powerful. He was the uncrowned king of Clason City.

However, his legs were crippled, and he had a violent temper.

Despite that, I was not afraid at all.

I was willing to do anything to escape the Young family and to give my siblings freedom.

Besides, I could not stay in the capital city anymore.

I might have a fighting chance in Clason City.

Before I got married, I went out for a meal with my best friend. When I went to the restroom, I bumped into Zoe.

She looked like a changed person.

She had gorgeous makeup on and was wearing a classic little black dress. She had a slender figure, and she looked flirtatious. She had a cigarette in between her luscious lips.

"You've heard, right, Ms. Young?" Zoe sneered as she looked at me. "Brad is going to be engaged to me."

I looked at her and suddenly thought of how bashful and innocent she looked when I first met her. For some reason, I could not help but sigh.

"Mmhmm... I heard," I replied.

Zoe's smile grew wider. "Are you dying of jealousy, Ms. Young? Rumor has it that you've terminated three pregnancies for him. I also heard you were willing to do all kinds of nasty things to make him stay and to marry him."

She leaned against the window. Her smile was mixed with disdain.

I glanced at her indifferently and said, "You've said it yourself, Ms. Spencer. It's just rumors. You and I are women. There's no need to start a rumor like this about me."

Zoe sneered. "Everyone in this city knows about it. How is it still a rumor?"

I did not want to waste my breath talking to her anymore, so I turned and left.

However, Zoe suddenly said, tauntingly, "Ms. Young, we may be women, but we're not the same. You have no self-respect. Did your mother not teach you that before she died?"

I stopped in my tracks.

I felt my blood boil at the mention of my mother.

I did not have the time to think and could not remain rational. I simply turned around and slapped her.

"Ms. Young—" Zoe was stunned. She immediately cupped her cheek and cried, feeling wronged.

"I know you're upset because Brad and I are getting engaged, but you can't slap me. I understand you're angry, but relationships can't be forced. It's not my fault that Brad doesn't like a loose woman like you."

She sobbed pitifully, but she was killing me with every single word she said.

"I know your mother passed away when you were young, and you had nobody to teach you. So, I'll let you off the hook this time, Ms. Young."

I gritted my teeth so hard that they were hurting. I raised my hand and wanted to slap her again.

However, Brad grabbed my arm with all his might.

"Leah, apologize to Zoe," he ordered.

"I won't apologize," I replied.

I straightened my back. My face and lips were pale, but my reddened eyes were bright.