To help ease my grandmother's burden, I would often rummage through trash bins after school to collect bottles for her. Because of that, my classmates looked down on me, whispering that I smelled bad. So, from the very first day of high school, I’d always sat alone at my desk.

The teacher who knew about my situation harshly scolded anyone who mocked me.

Bottlenecks probably could be sealed, but human hearts remained untamed.

Behind my back, they nicknamed me "Little Ragpicker."

Ignoring their mockery, I gripped my shirt hem nervously and asked John. "John, would you be willing to be my deskmate?"

I was terrified he'd think I smelled too. But to my surprise, John nodded firmly. "As long as you're not afraid of me, I'd be happy to!"

After that, we started spending more time together.

I soon discovered how brilliant he was; he always ranked first in our grade.

He'd help me with my studies and I'd thank him with the chicken wraps my grandmother made.

When the thugs outside of school bullied him, I grabbed a baseball bat and fought them. And when I couldn't afford lunch, he split his allowance with me.

In our senior year, he suddenly confessed his feelings.

He asked me to attend the same university as him, promising that we would study at one of the city's best universities.

I accepted his confession and listed one of them as my first choice. But on the night before the submission deadline, while working part-time at a five-star hotel, I ran into John's family for dinner.

There was a stunningly beautiful girl sitting beside him.

While their parents were away in the restroom, I overheard them discussing how this girl would accompany John abroad for treatment during the summer and that their engagement would be announced upon their return.

I admit I had low self-esteem.

When I got back, I changed my university application. I sent John a message saying I'd fallen in love with someone else and wanted to break up with him. Then, I immediately blocked all his contact information.

At that time, no one knew which university I went to. I also never heard anything from John again.

"If Jeremy hadn't returned home that day and if the paparazzi hadn't spotted you, I might still have no idea you'd already come back to this city." James' voice was filled with anger.

"The 'someone else' you mentioned is that Jeremy Foster?"

I hadn't expected the random excuse I'd made up to break up with him would be something he'd remembered until now.

I struggled to break free from his grip. "What does it matter now? If I remember correctly, I already broke up with you!"

James was furious. "Am I a dog you raised? You think you can break up with me just because you say so?"

As his voice fell silent, the villa door opened.

A girl in a high-fashion designer dress walked out. She was very beautiful, like a princess in a castle.

I had seen her before. She was the person who was having dinner with James in the private room that day. I recalled their parents had arranged their engagement back then.

So, James already had a fiancée and still wanted to harass me? Did they all think I was easy to bully?

"Bridget Lockhe? Babe, you finally found her?"

The girl's voice brimmed with excitement as soon as she spoke.

Babe? What exactly was the relationship between this girl and James?