"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.

The next day, Belle generously said she would take me to a banquet.

She pretended to treat me as her former best friend, but everyone knew that she wanted to humiliate me.

"People in this world love to see the former noble lady turn into a lowly maid to show off their superiority."

When a disgusting middle-aged man teased me about my figure, Belle did not refute it.

Instead, she flirtatiously glanced at the middle-aged man, saying that she guaranteed there would be no mistakes.

I finally understood why she brought me here.

they probably planned a scheme, and Belle decided to sell me!"

"Belle, what gives you the right?"

I suppressed my disgust and dragged her aside, venting my anger at her in a corner.

Meanwhile, she held a glass of champagne and laughed openly, revealing her intentions.

"Do you think I don't know that you still have feelings for James in your heart? I am most familiar with the look in your eyes when you look at him. Natalya, you are a time bomb. I will never let you stay by my side forever."

I wanted to retort, but my body gradually weakened. My consciousness became hazy.

Seeing her proudly waving her glass, I understood in my heart.

She had put something else in the drink I was having.

"Natalya, show your last bit of value!"

This was the last sentence I heard before fainting.

I had a beautiful dream.

In my former home, my parents were always with me.

I had many playmates who envied me, but I never noticed that among this group of friends, there was a wild beast.

Suddenly, that wild beast went crazy and killed my parents with one slap.

The gaping jaws clamped down on my throat the next second.

"Dad! Mom!"

I suddenly woke up, but I couldn't open my eyes.

I felt like I was unable to move after being under general anesthesia. Gradually, I was regaining consciousness.

I suddenly felt a burst of chill in my heart when I recalled Belle's behavior at the banquet last night.

"Am I now..."

As my body's senses gradually awakened, the anticipated pain did not come.

Upon waking up, I was lying quietly in bed without any discomfort.

"Who drugged her?"

I heard a deep and pleasant male voice beside me.

But I couldn't retrieve the consciousness in my mind.

I had never been able to hear his words.

"Natalya, wait for me."

"I will be back soon."

He leaned close to my ear as he spoke. The next second, a warm kiss landed on my cheek.

I didn't know who he was, but I found the only source of warmth from this unfamiliar kiss.

Desperately opening my eyes, I only saw a tall figure leaving calmly.

I saw light from ten years of imprisonment.