Just because I broke James Jorgensen's secretary's diamond bracelet, he auctioned me off at a low price at the wedding.

"Compensate her? Jennie Jarquín, do you still think you're the Jarquíns' precious daughter? Look at yourself now, this used-up body of yours isn't even worth a cent. Just use yourself to pay off the debt for Jordyn's bracelet."

"Everyone, she used to be the lady of the Jarquíns. Starting bid: one dollar."

I was auctioned off cheaply, but James didn't care.

"She's like an animal, you can't even chase her away. Just watch, in less than two days, she'll call me, begging me to take her back."

Two days passed, but this time, I didn't call him. Instead, James came to pick me up himself.

However, when he broke down the Wade Family's door, all he found was my corpse.

——

"Marry me, but I hate strangers living freely in my house. So, you have to sleep in the yard. I won't give you a single cent for a dowry and the wedding dress and ring will go to Jordyn. Even with all that, are you still willing to marry me?"

"I am."

This answer has never changed since I was 18 years old.

James scoffed and laughed.

"Jennie Jarquín, you're really pathetic. You saw I had money and couldn't wait to cling to me, right?"

He laughed, but his eyes turned red. He threw away his cigarette and bit down hard on my lips.

"You didn't marry me because I was poor, I get that. But why did you have your father throw my mom out of the hospital? Why did you have to get my dad killed? Just because I loved you, you had to destroy my family?"

It felt like my body was being torn apart. I trembled from the pain, but I didn't fight back.

"I'm sorry. If it'll make you feel better, I'm willing to die."

James' movements paused. The next second, he bit my shoulder, leaving a bloody tooth mark.

He grabbed my throat, his voice dripping with hatred. "Die? Jennie, don't even think about it. You're not getting off that easy. You're going to stay by my side for the rest of your life, trapped between life and death."

Tears streamed down my cheeks, landing on James' hand.

His fingers trembled. He let go, his voice cold and full of disgust.

"Now get out of my room. The courtyard is where you belong. Don't dirty my floors."

As I walked out of James' room, I received a call from my psychiatrist. Her voice was urgent.

"Who let you check out of the hospital? You're in a very dangerous state. If you stop treatment now, you could … "

I cut her off, telling her somewhat happily.

"I'm getting married. James is going to marry me."

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone. I kept talking.

"From the age of eighteen until now, I've been waiting for him to marry me. I never thought I'd actually live to see this day."

Sandra Lake finally spoke, "Are you still not going to tell him? You clearly ran away back then, but you just didn't escape."

I smiled faintly. "No, the damage is done. Let the hatred stay pure. I won't go back. In my last moments, I'll properly atone for my sins."

I hung up. Then, I heard a mocking voice behind me.

"You're getting married, huh? Jennie, don't you find it laughable to say those words? How's it feels living in the courtyard?"

Jordyn Nolan spread her fingers, revealing the dazzling diamond ring on her ring finger.

"James said you're not worthy of his diamond ring. Married? Your diamond ring, your wedding dress, even your husband, are all mine."

I listened expressionlessly until she took out a diamond bracelet.

"This is James' mother's keepsake, only passed down to the Jorgensens' daughter-in-law."

I instinctively lunged forward to look, then retreated two steps in a daze.

I knew it was real because I used to have an identical one.

Back then, my father even dislocated both my wrists to snatch the bracelets and pay off his debts.

James had even given that bracelet to her.

Seeing my expression, Jordyn curled her lips and let go of my hand.

Before I could catch it, the bracelet fell to the ground and broke into pieces. She looked like she was about to cry.

"Jennie, I just said it was Mrs. Jorgensen's keepsake. Why did you smash it?"

The next second, I was slapped to the ground, my ears were buzzing and James gritted his teeth.

"Jennie, you still look down on my mother, don't you? You threw away that bracelet back then and you want to destroy this one too!"

I subconsciously defended myself. "I didn't, I really like it."

Jordyn huddled into James' arms.

"It seems Jennie didn't mean to smash it. She just liked my bracelet too much and accidentally dropped it while trying to grab it."

James scoffed, "So that's it. Back then, Miss Jarquín looked down on my bracelet and tossed it aside. Now that you've heard it's a symbol of the Jorgensens' matriarch, you regret it and are desperate to snatch it back?"

He looked down at me.

"Didn't you say you'd compensate me? Now, adding that bracelet from back then, what will you use to compensate me? You've destroyed my mother's last keepsake. How about using the inheritance your mother left you to pay it back?"

I stayed silent, not answering.

James was so angry he laughed instead, then nodded.

"What? Can't bear to part with it? Fine. Then we'll do this my way."

He didn't spare me another glance, turning and leaving with Jordyn.

I wasn't lying. If I could, I would give everything to compensate James, but that inheritance was long gone.

I gave a bitter smile. Even if I explained it like that, James probably wouldn't believe me.

Soon, the wedding day arrived and James took me to the wedding scene.

There was no wedding dress, ring, or blessing and it was nothing like the wedding in my dream.

James, who was proposing, had a sarcastic look on his face.

"Jennie Jarquín, do you want to marry me?"

Even so, I nodded solemnly and answered.

"I do."

Because when I was eighteen, I had promised James that I would marry him, whether we were rich or poor.

The moment I finished answering, a burst of laughter broke out from the audience.

"Haha! James, this shameless woman actually believed you'd marry her!"

"She really can swallow her pride just to marry into the Jorgensens. If I'd known how easy it was to marry the Jarquíns' precious daughter, I would've shown up with five million cash. She'd probably kneel and lick my shoes!"

The ridicule around me was like a needle piercing my head, making it impossible to think properly.

Was the wedding … fake?

James' gaze swept over me.

"I told you, you're paying me back my way. Compensation? Look at yourself now, this used-up body of yours isn't even worth a cent. Just use yourself to pay off the debt for Jordyn's bracelet."

I struggled to understand what James meant.

Then he flung my hand away and turned to leave without looking back.

At that moment, all the spotlights in the venue shone on me.

"Everyone, she used to be the lady of the Jarquíns. Starting bid: one dollar."

The light blinded me and my blood ran cold. I instinctively reached out in the direction James had left.

James sat below the stage, watching me, his expression completely unfazed.

It was then that I realized James was serious.

My heart felt like a piece had been gouged out; the pain was so intense I could barely breathe.

There was a time when my dad forced me to perform on stage and I dreaded being the center of attention.

James had once cast aside his self-respect, going to great lengths to act goofy and ugly to draw everyone's attention away from me.

Now, the moment his voice fell, the atmosphere in the room exploded.

Every malicious gaze locked onto me.

"The starting price is one dollar? It's so worthless. I'm afraid she has been slept with by others after the Jarquíns went bankrupt. No wonder James doesn't want her. I think she's filthy."

"They're not asking for five million anymore. Five hundred bucks would make her kneel down and lick shoes now.

"Forget it, what's the use of this kind of beauty? I don't want it even if you pay me. Who knows what disease she has?"

The audience's atmosphere was heated and the malice continued, but no one raised a sign to bid.

Until this time, James raised the sign slowly.

"One dollar and five cents."

James' bid sparked another round of uproarious laughter.

"James, you're too generous! How is trash like that even worth fifty cents?"

Meanwhile, James leisurely observed my expression with amusement.

"I'm quite pleased with the look of despair on your face. If you behave yourself, I might just take you home as my pet."

Jordyn leaned against James, smiling as she asked.

"What if Jennie actually gets bought by someone else?"

James' expression was disdainful. "Who would want such a piece of junk?"

My whole body began to tremble uncontrollably. I curled up on the ground, trying to escape those malicious stares.

"Turn off the lights ... don't look at me."

The symptoms of somatization, like stomach cramps and difficulty breathing, began to surface. I gagged a few times but couldn't throw up anything.

Someone's voice hesitated.

"Jennie doesn't seem to be doing well. Should we call an ambulance first?"

James' smile faltered, his gaze falling on my face. He instinctively stood up but still complained.

"What a bummer."

Jordyn hugged his arm.

"I remember Jennie studied acting before. We were just letting everyone see her, not feeding her anything, so how could she be vomiting? Look, she's been gagging forever and hasn't thrown up a thing. Do you think she's faking it?"

Hearing that, James' expression slowly shifted from concern to disgust.

"Jennie, why didn't I see it before? You're such a good actress. Desperate to stay by my side like a dog, huh?"

He waved his hand. "Continue the auction."

Just then, someone in the back row raised a paddle.

"Ten dollars."

The smile on James' face froze.

Garrett Wade laughed loudly. "This woman, though cheap, is certainly beautiful. I'd like to taste what she's like. If you all aren't interested, please don't compete with me."

James' hand, which had been about to raise the paddle, ultimately stayed down.

He abruptly stood up, looking at me with a cold sneer.

"I really underestimated you. Even in this state, you can still seduce men. Seems you'll stop at nothing for money."

He turned and left without looking back.

With three strikes of the gavel, the auction finally ended.

Garrett's gaze lingered on me, making me sick. He spoke to the staff.

"Please tell your Mr. Jorgensen to keep his promise and send the person to the Wade Family as soon as possible."

I was carried backstage like a piece of merchandise.

James stared at me with a cold gaze.

"I didn't realize you had such nerve. You think you can use Garrett to get rid of me and live a life of luxury in the Wade Family? Don't even dream about it."