I took the blame for him and was in jail for ten years. On the day I was released from prison, he was having a sweet wedding with my best friend, Belle.

My boyfriend, James, became someone else's groom, but I could only smile and wish them a happy marriage.

I felt like a stray dog. Everyone could trample on me.

"Your parents both died. Your family went bankrupt. You spent ten years in prison... Your parents entrusted Miss Belle to care for you before they passed away. Miss Bell meant for you to go home together after the wedding."

The butler sneered as he told me Belle's instructions.

I gratefully thanked her for her thoughtfulness and promised to give her a grand gift.

At night, I appeared in their wedding room.

--

"Number 2207 has served all her sentences and is officially released today."

The prison guard was indifferent, and so was I.

I was released from prison.

But my boyfriend who said he would love me forever didn't come to pick me up.

I was not surprised by this.

After all, I spent ten years in prison for him, but he never came to visit me.

I thought he would avoid me for the rest of his life, but I didn't expect that we would reunite so soon.

We reunited at his wedding.

"Natalya Patton, you are out."

Wearing a black suit, James Solomon was no longer the poor boy in sportswear back then.

I looked at the wedding photo next to him and smiled.

"I spent ten years in prison for you. As soon as I came out, you married my best friend. What a coincidence."

He looked a little angry and dragged me to a deserted corner.

"Natalya, I advise you to be sensible and get lost."

I approached him and said, "It's good for her to see it. Then, she can recall the scenes when we were in love."

"Get lost!"

He suddenly pushed me hard. I almost fell to the ground, but someone caught me with a pair of hands.

"Natalya, why are you here?"

The one speaking was wearing a flawless white trailing wedding dress, looking noble like a princess.

"Belle, aren't you doing your makeup?"

James immediately changed his face and looked attentive towards Belle Conner.

Belle didn't respond to him as she anxiously searched my body with her hands.

"Natalya, I..."

"Don't touch me."

I stood firm and avoided her.

"Are you blaming me?"

With tears in her eyes, Belle awkwardly held onto me.

"I know you're angry, but James and I are about to get married. Considering our previous relationship, can you not make a scene today, okay?"

Making a scene? I didn't."

I smiled and let go of her hand.

Ms. Conner, please let go of me first. I need to serve the dishes."

My gaze shifted to James. He was looking at me with embarrassment and anger.

"Wishing you both forever happiness."

I turned around and walked away. Walking through the banquet, I could hear the comments of my former classmates occasionally.

“They are mocking me, the former shining Miss Patton, who has fallen into the mud."

“Ms. Patton."

I was about to skip their vows, but a butler-like person stopped me.

“Ms. Conner just told me to make sure you stay."

The butler took a small piece of paper from his pocket and read the information they had gathered about my life with a hint of sarcasm.

"Your parents both died. Your family went bankrupt. You spent ten years in prison... Your parents entrusted Miss Belle to care for you before they passed away. Miss Bell meant for you to go home together after the wedding."

"Belle Conner is quite considerate, but the words she instructed the butler to say to me are heart-wrenching."

I looked up at them holding hands and making romantic vows on the stage, determined to give them a grand gift.

So, in the evening, Belle was back from sending the guests off.

What she saw was James and I hugging and kissing each other.

"How could you do this to me?"

Belle stood in front of the door, looking at us in shock.

"Belle!"

James pushed me away and ran down, stumbling and hugging Belle's fragile body. When he looked at me, he had a malicious and hateful look.

"It's all because of her shamelessness. She seduced me!"

"Natalya, I know you blame me."

Belle shed a few tears, pitifully explaining to me.

"During the ten years you were in jail, James was in so much pain. At first, it was because I resembled you that he couldn't control himself and ended up being with me. We truly love each other. We didn't mean to betray you."

"Belle, please don't cry."

James quickly embraced her and scolded me angrily, saying, "Belle kindly brought you back home, but you are so shameless!"

"What a malicious man."

I laughed at them in my heart, but I remembered the days we had spent together.

When we were in college, the three of us started a business together, but the company suddenly encountered a huge crisis at the beginning.

My family background was pretty good. So, James begged me earnestly to be the legal person of the company.

Perhaps love could make people lose their reason. At that time, I agreed to his request.

I thought that my father, who was the chairman, could easily get me out of jail.

On the second day after I was imprisoned, I received news that my family's industry was on the verge of bankruptcy.

My father couldn't accept the failure of his career. He jumped off the top of the headquarters building.

And my mother, who had been hit repeatedly, killed herself.

"James, I have been in prison for you for ten years. Don't you think you are heartless?"

"I didn't force you. It was your own choice!"

"Look! This is the man I have loved for over ten years."

"I'll give you 1 million dollars. Consider it as compensation from James."

Belle finally remembered to maintain her hypocritical appearance. She spoke to me with great compassion.

"100 thousand dollars a year is too cheap, I don't want these 1 million dollars. I have nowhere to go now. Please continue to take me in with great compassion."

I casually sat aside, acting as shamelessly as I could.

Belle's face changed unpredictably after she heard that.

"Although we are good friends, James is now married to me."

She held James's arm and looked at me pitifully.

She thought that I still considered James as everything in my life. Unfortunately, I had forgotten about him during the ten years of imprisonment.

"I wish he would die."

"Don't worry. I have no feelings for him. If he hadn't deceived me, I wouldn't have gone to jail."

I was convinced again and again that I had no feelings for James, and Belle finally relaxed.

then stay here first. Your parents are not alive anymore. Treat this place as your home."

I nodded and smiled at her, saying, "You married a good man."

After saying that, I watched her go to the bridal chamber with my ex-boyfriend for their wedding night.

Before leaving, James turned back and said with his lips, "You are so cheap."

...

Waving my hand, I didn't care about his insults at all.

"After all, what interests me more now is Belle's self-righteous confidence."

“She wants to be a good person in front of me, but she doesn't know that the person she likes betrayed her ten years ago."

"James has now become a typical man who relied on a rich woman to get rid of his poor background."

"As long as Belle is here, he will treat her dearly."

Belle intentionally or unintentionally showed off in front of me.

"After James and I graduated, we started a business together. Lou's contribution to the Conner Group is remarkable!"

At the dining table, she boasted about her achievements with James, forgetting her parents who passed away two years ago.

They were always affectionate. I heard their shameful vows through the wall.

Their shamelessness made me unable to fall asleep. Upon pushing the door open, I happened to see James coming out to smoke.

His shirt was hanging loosely on him, with a few red marks on his skin.

We looked at each other from a distance. Then, we quickly averted our gaze.

"Honey."

Belle walked out from behind and leaned softly on James.

"Natalya, you're here too. That's great. We're going on a date, so could you please clean the room for us?"

As she spoke, she took James to the cloakroom.

In no time, they left the house, looking glamorous, while I, wearing an apron, pushed open their bridal chamber.

It was messy everywhere.

I squatted down and silently picked up the used sanitary items on the ground.

A nauseating smell like the stone orchid hit me, stirring up some memories deep in my mind.

I thought for a long time and decided.

Then, I threw it into the trash can with force.