Chapter 1
1105 Words
Elaine Warner was stunningly beautiful, yet she was known across the campus as the perfect good girl.
She never caused trouble. She only studied, finished every assignment on time, and followed the same routine every single day, going from home to school and back again.
People said she was dull and boring, that such a pretty face was wasted on her.
Until the day she hosted the graduation ceremony.
The giant screen behind her suddenly switched to the school forum.
A: [Breaking news! Innocent good girl with secret sexy bombshell paintings. The change is insane. Auction starts now, highest bidder wins!]
The description beneath the post made everyone catch their breath.
The first four collections recorded the girl's private moments from everyday life: half-naked shots, lace lingerie, and all kinds of seductive poses.
The fifth collection was the ultimate reveal. It showed the girl's true self after stripping away her innocent disguise, putting her flawless curves fully on display.
Anyone could tell the girl in the drawings was Elaine. Even the beauty mark beneath the corner of her eye was identical.
But who could possibly know so many of her secrets?
The answer was obvious. Simon Blaine, the boyfriend she had secretly dated for three years.
After Elaine pulled off her heavy gown, she clenched her fists, wanting to confront Simon to demand an explanation.
But the moment she reached the entrance of the building, she abruptly stopped.
Simon was sitting by the fountain with a group of people, their laughter loud to her ears.
"Simon, these comics you drew are seriously lifelike!"
One of the boys deliberately raised his voice, wiggling his brows suggestively.
"Who would've thought Elaine, the proper little good girl, would have such a bombastic body beneath those layers?"
"Come on, tell us already. Does Elaine really have a figure that good?"
Before he could finish speaking, another boy suddenly smacked him hard on the back of the head.
"Shut up already! No matter how good she is, can she compare to Suzy Porter? Everyone knows Simon pulled this stunt on purpose just to get revenge for Suzy, right, Simon?"
Simon's expression stayed cold and indifferent. His handsome face remained emotionless as he casually flicked a pebble into the fountain with perfect accuracy.
"Elaine? The moment she stole Suzy's role as the host, she should've expected this to happen. Now everyone can see what she's really like. Let's see how she keeps pretending to be innocent and pure in front of the teachers and students."
Someone could not help asking, "Just the images on the forum alone have already branded Elaine as a tramp. If all five collections really get auctioned off, Elaine probably won't be able to stay at this school anymore, right?"
Simon lowered his eyes. His hand suddenly froze halfway through tossing another pebble.
He jumped down from the steps and slowly walked forward, his tall figure looking cold and distant.
"I'm only teaching her a lesson. When the time comes, I'll buy the collections back at a high price and play the hero. She'll probably cry tears of gratitude and throw herself at me. As for the future, if she ever makes Suzy unhappy again, I've got leverage on her. I wouldn't mind letting the whole world see the seductive side she hides behind her innocent act."
The group noisily climbed into the luxury car parked nearby. The engine roared as they sped away.
Elaine stood frozen in place, as though all the strength had been drained from her body.
Her heart felt like it was being tightly crushed in someone's hand, twisting little by little until the pain nearly made her collapse.
She could not understand why Simon would do this to her.
Back then, he had been the one who asked her out.
In college, Elaine had always been the perfect good little girl. She was beautiful enough to turn heads, yet so quiet and obedient that every time she walked down the hallway, a bunch of boys would whistle and hit on her.
"Elaine, you walk around looking like some bookworm every single day. Doesn't matter how pretty you are, no guy's gonna fall for a girl that boring, you know?" one boy jeered.
"Come racing with me tonight," another called out with a grin. "I'll show you a real thrill ride and teach you how to be a proper woman."
Their mocking laughter followed behind her, digging into her like sharp needles.
Then Simon showed up.
A few lackeys trailed behind him, but he only glanced at the boys coldly and said, "You asking for trouble?"
The boys instantly went quiet as mice, awkwardly scattering without another word.
Before leaving, Simon bent down slightly and leaned close to her ear. In a voice only she could hear, he murmured softly, "Good girls are cute too. Just be yourself."
His warm breath brushed against her ear, and her heart skipped a beat.
But Elaine had never wanted to get too involved with him.
There were countless girls chasing after Simon.
Some even fought each other over him and ended up getting dragged away by the police.
She did not want to become one of them.
But that same year, when she came home from school one evening, Mr. Warner had just returned from gambling and gotten cornered by debt collectors.
Those men set their sights on her and threatened to sell her off to pay back Mr. Warner's gambling debts.
Just when she thought she was up the creek without a paddle, Simon appeared and pulled her out of the fire.
Not only did he pay off Mr. Warner's debts, he even helped clean up the mess after their house had been smashed to pieces.
Elaine had been overwhelmed with gratitude. She nodded frantically and thanked him over and over again.
Simon only let out a soft chuckle.
"If you really want to thank me that badly," he said with a teasing smile, "then be my girlfriend. What do you think?"
At that moment, her heart pounded like a drum.
That breathtakingly handsome face was right in front of her. In the end, she agreed.
Three years.
More than a thousand days and nights.
She had thought she was loved.
But she never imagined that for another woman, he would use the very talent he was most proud of to cut her deepest.
Elaine slowly opened her eyes. Her fingernails dug hard into her palms until they went numb from the pain.
She pulled out her phone and dialed Mrs. Warner's overseas number.
"Mom," she said quietly, "I've decided. I'll further my studies abroad."
- Writer
