Chapter 1

Stella Carter, the number one socialite of Gortian, had fallen hopelessly in love with a motorcycle-riding bad boy.

For him, Stella had done countless foolish things.

Arthur Scott loved skydiving, so she conquered her fear of heights to jump with him.

Arthur complimented her on how beautiful she looked in high heels, so she wore them every single time they met.

Arthur claimed he was not good enough for her and asked Stella to wait a few more years for him.

She waited until she was twenty-nine, turning down every eligible bachelor in Gortian.

In the fifth year of their relationship, fed up with her family's constant pressure to marry, she bought a bottle of red wine and drove to see Arthur.

As soon as she parked her car, she heard the deafening roar of motorcycles revving nearby.

Soon enough, a row of ultra-rare, limited-edition bikes pulled up right next to her brand-new car.

It was Arthur and his friends.

Stella was about to get out and greet them when one of the men pulled off his helmet, grinned, and clapped Arthur on the shoulder.

"Arthur, how much longer do you plan on playing this game? Aren't you afraid that once Stella finds out you're actually the second son of the Scott family in Jinlarwan, she'll cling to you and beg to marry you?"

"So what if she finds out? Arthur never loves her. Why would he ever marry her? Besides, Arthur can't stand the sight of her, let alone marry her. That's why he personally handed her over to Elijah's bed."

"Arthur, you really let her go? Stella's got a smoking-hot body. She kept herself pure for years for you, and you turned around and sent her straight to Elijah's bed. He got a freebie."

Arthur flashed a reckless grin, but his tipsy eyes were icy cold. "Heh, I don't like her. Sleep with her? Please, she's filthy. I'd feel disgusted."

Stella's mind went completely blank. A sharp, piercing ringing exploded in her ears.

Her hand suddenly clenched around the steering wheel.

It was like all the blood in her body drained away, leaving her hands and feet frozen to the bone.

But the mocking laughter outside her car wouldn't stop.

"Geez, I can't tell if you're soft-hearted or plain ruthless. For Margaret, you're really putting Stella through hell." As soon as the man finished, Arthur's eyes instantly darkened.

Arthur sneered, "It's all her fault. Back then, she kept calling Margaret the mistress's daughter, forcing her and her mother abroad with nothing.

"She even bragged that as long as she was in Gortian, they'd never be allowed to come home for the rest of their lives."

Another guy laughed, "Yeah, she was arrogant. But she's also incredibly stupid. She has no idea that every time you asked us to cover for you, you were actually with Margaret.

"You secretly took dozens of Stella's private photos, waiting for the Carter family's shareholders' meeting in a month to ruin her reputation completely."

Each word from them hit Stella like a slap in the face.

Arthur tossed his helmet up into the air. That smirk on his lips stung her eyes. "Heh, she's always been an idiot. In a month, at the Carter family's shareholders' meeting, I'll personally bring Margaret and her mom to enjoy the spectacle."

Still laughing, they headed into Arthur's place.

Stella's hands dropped onto her thighs, her whole body shaking and her shoulders quivering uncontrollably. Tears welled up in her eyes and fell with a heavy thud onto her legs.

For five years, she had run through every possible reason in her head. But it never once occurred to her that Arthur hadn't married her out of revenge.

Her long, wavy hair tumbled down, veiling her face.

Stella first met Arthur on a winding mountain road.

It was the birthday party of her dad, Harold Carter. He was trying to bring his mistress and her daughter, Margaret Turner, back home behind Stella's back.

Stella publicly humiliated him, ruined his birthday party in a fit of rage, and they parted bitterly after a fierce argument.

She tore around the mountain road over and over, pushing her car until it finally broke down. Left stranded halfway up the mountain, she was forced to pull over.

That was when Arthur, decked out in his riding gear and helmet, parked his motorcycle right next to hers.

He knocked on her window, and Stella instinctively reached for the pepper spray she kept in her car.

As she was about to aim it at his eyes, he spoke. "Miss, do you need any help?"

Arthur helped her fix the car, then spotted blood still oozing from her palm. He pulled a Band-Aid from his pocket and saw she was struggling to put it on by herself.

He asked if she wanted help, and with her permission, gently put the band-aid on her wound.

From that day on, the two of them were friends.

Arthur loved adventure, and he thrived on challenges.

Stella, meanwhile, was scared of heights and totally claustrophobic. To be with him, she tried things she never would have otherwise, including falling for a man.

She fell in love with Arthur. All for love, she spent five years of her life waiting for him. But in the end, she turned herself into nothing but a complete joke.

Stella grabbed her phone, numb, and dialed the number without thinking. "Fine. I'll marry into the Scott family in Jinlarwan. I'll marry Elijah."