I used to be a bad girl. I spent five years chasing the guy everyone called the golden boy, Liam. He was aloof and arrogant, and he was always disgusted by me. "You smell like smoke. It stinks." But I would shamelessly hug him, bite his lip, and pass him a mint to cover the smell. We dated for a year, and I custom-made a pair of rings for us. I went to see him, thrilled, only to hear someone ask him what he thought of the heiress, Chloe. His eyes were indifferent: "Not bad. She's pretty good." My breath caught, and then I heard them ask what he thought of me. "Too wild. Not marriage material. I like good girls." I was wild. She was good. I guess I had my answer. It was time to let go. 01 When Liam got home, he saw me chewing on a mint. He frowned: "Smoking again?" Usually, when I saw that look on his face, I would have already pounced on him, hanging off him coquettishly, kissing him over and over, trying to make the icy man melt with desire. Then, I'd smile and ask: "Can you taste the smoke?" His eyes would darken, his fingers subconsciously rubbing my waist, but his face would remain stern. "It's broad daylight, stop messing around!" "Can't you be a little more modest as a woman?" Facing the person I'd loved for seven years, what did I know about modesty? So, I wrapped my fingers around his tie and pulled gently. "Babe, how about we go to the bedroom and you teach me?" A faint blush would quietly creep up Liam's ears, brighter than the lipstick smeared on the corner of his mouth. His voice would turn husky, but he'd still act serious: "Teach you what?" I'd give him a sultry smile and lead him step-by-step into the bedroom. But this time, I didn't have the energy. I swallowed the crushed mint and walked up to him. His Adam's apple bobbed, his gaze unreadable, as if he was expecting something. I chased him for five years and we were together for one. I've seen disappointment, disgust, and impatience in his eyes. The only things missing were love and expectation. He agreed to be my boyfriend only because when he first started his company and was cornered by debt collectors, I called some guys from the bar to help him out. I used both soft and hard tactics, paying off a hundred thousand dollars of his debt. At that time, he looked at me with distant eyes. "What do you want?" I rested my chin on my hand, my eyes tracing his features. He had lost some of the boyishness from seven years ago. I smiled, looking alluring. "I like you. Be my boyfriend." That was my twentieth confession. He was silent for a long time, so long that I thought he was going to reject me again, until a soft "Yeah" sounded. I was instantly shocked and thrilled, excitedly kissing him on the cheek. The guys from the bar cheered, urging us to kiss on the lips. My face felt a little hot. I looked at Liam. But his icy expression was like a bucket of cold water. He didn't like me. He looked down on me. But it didn't matter, time changes everything. How stupid. I suddenly laughed. Liam's slender fingers tugged at his collar, looking impatient. "What are you acting crazy for?" "I don't have any contact with Chloe anymore. If you keep throwing these baseless tantrums, then let's break up." In the past year, he had said "let's break up" countless times. If you smoke again, we break up. Drink, we break up. Dye your hair, we break up. To keep him, I willingly closed my bar, gave up the bad habits he disapproved of, and learned to act like a proper lady. After all, my wildness was for him in the first place. But this time, I was tired. "Okay, Liam. Let's break up." 02 A flicker of emotion flashed in Liam's indifferent eyes, and then he lazily pulled out his phone and threw it on the table. "Spit it out, who do you want me to block? Who do you want me to fire?" Once, I made him fire an assistant who deliberately spilled coffee on him, and made him delete the heiress Chloe, who had been making eyes at him. At that time, his eyes were full of exhaustion: "You just don't understand anything, do you?" I panicked. Liam wasn't born with a silver spoon, but he became a rising star in the business world through his high IQ and Ivy League education. And I went to a community college. We were worlds apart. People around us constantly hinted that I should let Liam go, let him step into a broader world. And that so-called world was the heiress, Chloe. Liam and I hadn't been together for long, and I didn't want to break up. So, when I caught them on a date. Sitting in a high-end restaurant I had wanted to go to for a long time but didn't have the status to book. I didn't even dare to go up and confront them, didn't dare to question him. Late that night, Liam came back. I feigned a casual tone. "What were you doing? Coming back so late." Liam unbuttoned his shirt, responding nonchalantly. "Having dinner with an important client." My heart trembled, my eyes instantly welled up, and I turned my back to him, not saying another word. He quietly came up behind me and suddenly wrapped his arms around me. "It's just that the person I was dealing with was a woman, the heiress to the Vance family. Out of politeness, I dropped her home, so it got a bit late." His tone was deep and gentle. Liam's chin rested on my shoulder, his warm breath hitting my skin. Even though there wasn't any overtly romantic gesture. I still couldn't control my blushing. "Oh? So is Miss Vance prettier, or am I?" It was a flirtatious question, but it made Liam think for a long time before answering. "Your styles are different. You can't just say who is prettier." His attitude returned to its usual seriousness, his tone cold. "You shouldn't ask questions like that. Saying someone isn't pretty is a very awkward thing to do." I was stunned by his words and broke free from his embrace. "But you saying I'm pretty doesn't mean Miss Vance isn't. Why would it be awkward? Is Miss Vance going to hear our conversation?" He pursed his lips and looked at me, his gaze deep. I felt wronged. Since we got together, he had never complimented me, nor shown any affection. I just wanted a little bit of preference, a little bit of proof. But he silently stood up and went upstairs without hesitation. I was angry too. I wrapped myself in a blanket and slept on the living room sofa all night. For the whole night, I didn't sleep, and Liam never came downstairs. He just let me stay there, all alone. 03 The reason I stopped being mad at Liam was that he bought an SUV. He knew I loved driving heavy-duty vehicles, but after we got together, I never went off-roading anymore, so I sold my old one. My bad mood vanished into thin air. I made some soup and walked into his office, saying excitedly: "Babe, I made chicken soup. Let's drink it together." Liam flatly refused: "I can't. I have a lunch meeting." I frowned: "Okay, then drink it when you come back tonight." "Liam, that Thai place on the West Side is pretty good," a woman suddenly pushed the door open and walked in. Seeing me, her expression showed a hint of surprise: "And this is?" "My girlfriend." Liam stood up and turned to me, "This is Miss Vance." Chloe generously and naturally came over to shake my hand: "I've always wondered what kind of amazing woman could win Liam over. Today I finally get to meet you." I smiled without speaking. Liam put his hands in his pockets: "Audrey, you go back first. Miss Vance and I have business at noon." But Chloe took the initiative to invite me: "Don't do that. It's nothing serious, just lunch. Let Audrey join us." "Alright then," Liam agreed. So the lunch meeting was just the two of them. Liam's tone when he agreed made me feel a distinctly different attitude. He was never compliant with me. On the way to the restaurant, they walked side-by-side, talking Animatedly. Whenever I tried to interject. Chloe always managed to find a topic Liam was interested in to talk over me. Gradually, I fell behind them. At the restaurant, Liam pulled out a chair for Chloe first, paused, and then pulled one out for me. I could tell I was only enjoying Liam's chivalry because of Chloe. The waiter handed the menu to Liam. Liam raised his hand to stop him: "Let the ladies look." The waiter realized his mistake and handed it to Chloe: "Sorry about that. The girlfriend should order." When he said this, everyone froze for a moment. Anyone with eyes could see they were the matching pair. No one was going to explain a misunderstanding to a waiter. In the end, the atmosphere during the meal was stifling. As we were leaving, Chloe grabbed my hand: "Audrey, please don't mind that. You're Liam's real girlfriend." I pulled my hand away: "I know." Liam frowned. Chloe playfully stuck out her tongue, turning to look at Liam: "Liam, I hope your wife doesn't punish you tonight." Liam's brow relaxed: "Don't joke around. Audrey isn't petty." I finally got a compliment, so why did hearing it still make me unhappy? Watching the two of them get along so harmoniously. I felt like a third wheel. 04 After that meeting with Chloe. The well-behaved, proper Chloe he talked about frequently appeared between us. After that, my alone time with Liam gradually decreased. Because of this, we often fought. We had another unpleasant argument because I wanted him to fire his assistant, and we barely saw each other for almost a month. Liam took the initiative to suggest taking me on a vacation. I also wanted to make up, so I naturally agreed. But it was ruined by a phone call. Under the dim light, Liam's profile looked exceptionally handsome. After hanging up, he kissed my lips, sweeping away the mint I was addicted to. I was just about to respond when he pushed me away. "Chloe says she's also coming to Miami. We'll hang out together then." When did Miss Vance become Chloe? My face fell: "Again? You're doing business with them, not selling your soul." Liam withdrew the arm holding me, his tone cold and hard. "Don't talk like that." "If there was really something going on between us, would I contact her openly in front of you?" They seemed very transparent. Liam reported to me every time he was alone with Chloe. But can the things you see and don't see really be explained away? I rolled over and turned my back to him. Liam sighed, turned off the lamp, and hugged me from behind. "The Vance Group is currently evaluating whether our company is worth investing in. Chloe just got back from abroad and doesn't have any friends, so she treats me like an older brother." "I just treat her as an investor, with a little respect. I don't have any other thoughts." "I don't want to fight anymore. Can we just get along?" His body temperature was high, and leaning against him made my whole body feel warm, just like the warmth from his palm when he saved me seven years ago. I understood that starting a business wasn't easy for him, so his attitude towards Chloe would be different. After all, the backing of the Vance family was a huge temptation for an ordinary company. I temporarily suppressed my anger, but the next day, it flared up again. Chloe took over my role completely. One minute she wanted water, the next she couldn't open the bottle cap, the next she needed a towel. I couldn't stand lying on the beach chair anymore and said I was going in the water. Liam said he'd come with me. Chloe, who had been lying perfectly fine, immediately stood up and said she wanted to join. I ignored her and went straight to the changing room to put on my swimsuit. Chloe and I changed and walked out of the changing room at the same time. Liam's eyes fell on me first, then shifted to her. She excitedly twirled her skirt: "Liam, does it look good?" But before she could spin many times, Liam stopped her. Chloe instantly put on a pitiful expression. Liam sighed helplessly, his explanation mixed with comfort. "Spinning around is dangerous, protect yourself." His tone was gentle and doting. Under the blazing sun, I felt a bit cold. I prepared to leave. Chloe obediently said "Oh," then adjusted her knee-length skirt, and casually looked at me. "Ah, Audrey, wearing that... isn't it too dangerous?" I stopped, just about to snap back. Liam beat me to it, his tone indifferent and lazy. "She's just like that." "You're not like her." I froze. I didn't understand what he meant by that. By the time I recovered, the two of them had already jumped into the ocean. The sun hung high in the sky, every ray of light like a red-hot steel needle, piercing the eyes. I walked sullenly towards the beach. I saw Liam abruptly let go of the hand gripping Chloe's arm. He turned and waved at me: "Audrey, come teach Chloe how to swim." It seemed like he was forcing an explanation. But why be nervous? I watched for a few seconds, calmed myself down, and slowly walked over. Seeing me coming, the distance between Liam and Chloe increased a bit. "It's better for Audrey to teach me, Liam is too clumsy." Chloe smiled sweetly, affectionately grabbing my hand. I kept a straight face and directly started guiding her on how to float, telling her to relax her whole body. After trying to take her feet off the ground a few times without success, Liam hesitated before leaving the water and walking to the beach. Miraculously, as soon as Liam left, Chloe succeeded. Chloe's expression turned cold, and she withdrew her arm without warning. "Thanks, Audrey." My hands stiffened on the water's surface. "You're still not used to it, I'll hold you." Chloe looked at me sideways, a sneer curling the corner of her mouth. "Stop pretending. A bad girl who's been mixing in society early on, how could you not know this?" "Isn't it tiring clinging to someone from a different world?" "Audrey, you sure can endure." I frowned tightly, the hands hidden in the water clenched until they hurt. Suddenly, a wave crashed over us without warning. Both Chloe and I were caught off guard and fell into the water. I quickly steadied myself and started treading water. "Chloe!" A roar came from the shore. I turned my head and saw that Chloe had been carried out by the wave. I was startled. I immediately adjusted my direction and swam towards her. But I was pulled away by a fierce force. "Don't go!" Liam's eyes were wide with panic. It was a warning tone. Because of his sudden action, I was caught off guard and choked on a few mouthfuls of water. The bitter seawater was like sharp little knives. Bringing a burning pain to my throat. More than the physical pain, a coldness spreading from my heart made me clench my teeth. This time, I saw it very clearly. Liam's concern for Chloe had always been different. 05 Back on the shore. Liam was performing CPR on Chloe. He was kneeling on the ground, having lost his composure, his face full of regret and anxiety. What he was regretting, I didn't know. The next second, Liam pinched Chloe's mouth and lowered his head. Just as they were about to touch, I grabbed Liam's shoulder, my tone stiff. "Let me do it. You're a man after all..." Liam seemed to be going crazy, slapping my hand away hard. "Audrey, I didn't think you were this kind of person." "Is your mind only filled with that kind of stuff between men and women? Do you understand that saving a life is the priority!" Liam's fury caught me off guard. Under the gaze of the crowd, I embarrassedly withdrew my hand. Logically, I knew Liam was anxious to save her, but emotionally, I knew artificial respiration didn't have to be done by a man with a girlfriend. Then, Liam covered Chloe's lips right in front of me. I ran away. I found an empty, secluded spot. Tears fell to the ground in streams. Except for high school, when my family went bankrupt and I was almost forced to drop out because we had no money, I hadn't cried. This was the first time I cried in seven years. It wasn't out of grievance, nor was it because I was provoked. It was because I knew I had to face reality. He didn't like me. From a high school crush to college, confessing and being rejected every time, his coldness and impatience were like an insurmountable peak. I finally succeeded, but it was just an illusion. A small pebble could easily make it disappear. "Little wildcat?" "It's been so long, and you're still crying." A relaxed and slightly teasing male voice sounded. I looked up at the sound and met a pair of deep eyes. I was stunned. After a long while, the face merged with someone from seven years ago. Carter. 06 The memory broke, and my gaze focused on the phone on the table. Exhaustion followed, and I twitched the corner of my mouth. "Not interested." "You've brought up breaking up so many times. Let me be the one to bring it up the last time." "Liam, we're done." Liam's impatient gaze turned dark, his face sinking. "What do you mean?" Sometimes you have to doubt a man's comprehension skills. I said it twice, and he acted like he was deaf. This time it was my turn to be impatient. I walked past him in silence. "Is it Carter? He came looking for you again?" Liam firmly grabbed my wrist. His eyes suppressed something, as if the moment I answered yes, the things inside would instantly erupt. At the end of that trip, Carter and I exchanged contact info. Liam and I took separate flights back. We didn't speak to each other when we got home. Until I saw Carter post on Instagram that his new bar was opening and everyone was welcome. I drove over as if possessed. I plunged into the dazzling dance floor. The deafening drumbeats crashed like raging waves, constantly assaulting my senses. When I got tired of dancing, a glass of water was handed to me. "Nice dancing, very captivating." I raised my hand to take it, said thanks, but didn't drink. Carter's appearance was flamboyant and eye-catching. The clothes he wore were brightly colored and uniquely styled, showing off his rebellious personality. His vibe was exactly the same as seven years ago. But he was no good guy. He shrugged and smiled: "Still holding a grudge? Wasn't it you who dressed up as a guy and walked down that alley?" "I ended up getting arrested by the cops and had a leg broken by my dad." His voice was light and bouncy, making people drop their guard inadvertently. I took a sip of water, trying not to think about those memories. "You deserved it." "Yeah, yeah, I deserved it." He exaggeratedly leaned on the bar, his body suddenly getting close. His gorgeous features were suddenly magnified, and my heart clenched tightly. He smirked slightly, looking like a total bad boy: "Then what you owe me..." "Audrey!" A furious roar exploded behind me. Liam's face was very dark. He stared gloomily at Carter. But Carter didn't change his expression. He slightly raised his chin, exuding a lawless aura. Liam gritted his teeth and said to me: "Stay away from people like this." After saying that, he dragged me out of the bar. I shook off his hand. He stopped and hugged me tightly. "The artificial respiration was poorly thought out on my part, but she was traveling with us. If something happened to her, I wouldn't be able to explain it." "I'm sorry, Audrey." Strange, this apology didn't stir any ripples in my heart. I was very calm. I even had the mood to wonder what people around us would think of us hugging on the street. They probably thought we looked stupid. The issue was temporarily turned over because of his apology, but our official reconciliation actually stemmed from another explosion. After that, he and Chloe kept in constant contact using work as an excuse. He had all sorts of reasonable explanations. And I went from calm to completely apathetic, even responding to Carter, who contacted me one after another. We were communicating legitimately, because we were going to partner up to open a bar. Liam and Chloe had meetings at night, and Carter and I had site visits at night. He was very angry, but I would hit back using his own excuses. His face looked worse day by day. He would always say things out of nowhere. "Why haven't you been eating mints lately?" "Did you smoke with Carter?" He sat on the sofa, unmoving. His eyelashes covered his eyelids, making it impossible to read his expression. I ignored him. "Didn't you say you'd quit smoking for me? Audrey, how can you break your promise!" His voice suddenly rose, the last few words almost bursting from his chest. My heart trembled, and I left. One day when I was about to go out, he blocked the door. "Please don't go." "I've been feeling so miserable lately, so miserable." His tone was very clingy, as if he had been greatly wronged. I remained silent and shifted my body. Liam blocked me even tighter, his whole body almost pressing against me. His scorching body temperature made me instantly recall the palm that pulled me out of the abyss. I couldn't breathe properly: "Fine, one condition. Delete Chloe." He froze for a moment, then said: "Okay, but you have to delete Carter too." I was a bit surprised. He agreed so quickly; I didn't expect Carter to be such a big threat to him. Afterward, I asked him why he hated Carter. He looked cold and arrogant, unable to hide the disgust in his eyes. "We were in the same class in high school. He slacked off all day and messed around." "Arrogant, loved to fight, and dragged the class down. Like an unevolved savage, really annoying." "How do you know him?" I thought about this question: "I saw him once or twice in high school." He didn't ask more, and I didn't say more. We seemed to have made up, but I knew some things had already changed. For example, my emotions. They no longer fluctuated because of him. 07 Pulling my thoughts back. In the end, it just meant he could act unpredictable because of Chloe, but I couldn't have any connection with Carter. I couldn't help but laugh, my chest vibrating constantly, then stopping abruptly as I met his gaze. "Yeah, he's wild enough." "And you're too good, not suited for dating." Liam was stunned for a moment, then his face turned slightly pale. "You heard?" "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that he suddenly asked... I..." I looked up, my tone mocking: "Did you need time to prepare?" "Was it a diplomat asking or the UN asking, that you needed a pre-written script to answer?" Liam pressed his lips tightly together and fell silent. After a long time, he pulled me closer into his arms. "I'm sorry, I spoke without thinking. I do like good, obedient girls, but we've been together for so long." "You chased me for so long, my heart isn't made of stone..." Liam's tone was very soft. But I couldn't listen to it at all and interrupted him. "Do you think the straw that broke the camel's back was really just the last straw?" "Or do you think I, Audrey, need a man's charity?" Taking off the ring wasn't to secure Liam, but to remind myself. Was I really going to give up on someone I'd hoped for for seven years? His face looked bad. This time he stayed silent longer, his fingers tightening their grip on my wrist. "Are you sure?" I let out a pained "Mm," but he didn't loosen his grip. He was used to being high and mighty in front of me, used to maintaining a cold and arrogant posture, never spending more than two sentences to coax me. And my decisiveness also angered him. I had had enough of the low posture, had enough of walking on eggshells. I struggled hard, ignoring the pain in my wrist. "I'm sure." "Actually, you did consider Chloe, or maybe even liked her." "But you couldn't take the next step because of some unknown problem, and the reason wasn't me, right?" Liam's pupils contracted, and he continued to remain silent. I took his silence as agreement and looked seriously into his eyes. "Actually, you could have just rejected me. I liked you for so many years, confessed so many times, one more rejection wouldn't have mattered." "You repeatedly ignoring my feelings means you never respected me." "Bad girl, delinquent—is that what you told Chloe?" These words crushed Liam. He panicked and raised his hand to grab me. "No, I..." I turned sideways, his hand caught empty air and hung suspended. "Stop talking." "Seven years ago, you saved me." "I was being bullied, you took me to the clinic. The medical bill was 20 bucks, and later you lent me 300 for tuition. Now, I'm returning it all to you." I closed my eyes, took a deep breath. Opened my eyes, typed the numbers. His phone dinged with a notification. Clearing a 320-dollar debt of gratitude after seven years. He didn't lose out. Liam's emotions completely broke down, his cold eyes turning bloodshot. "Audrey, don't regret this!" 08 Everyone thought I was desperately in love with Liam. That I could never be the one to initiate a breakup. They teased me: "Did your god-tier boyfriend dump you?" Looking at my former employees, I downed the liquor in my glass. Smiling lightly: "Do I look like someone who isn't chill?" My bartender, Lily, clicked her tongue twice and poured some more liquor. "Not 'look like,' you are. Even cool, badass women have to bow down to the god's suit pants." Faced with such an evaluation, I remained noncommittal. My phone suddenly rang, and I answered it naturally. "Audrey, come get your things." Liam's cold, hard voice came through clearly. I paused: "Throw them away." He didn't speak, but rapid breathing came through the receiver. I have always been decisive about things I've made up my mind about. Just as I was about to hang up, the other party gritted his teeth. "I don't deal with trash, come back and throw it away yourself!" After saying that, he hung up. Even though he was the one who called, he was still acting high and mighty. I looked down at the dark screen, lit it up, and decisively added him to the blocklist. When I don't like you, who do you think you are? I've been thinking about this a lot lately. Liam was perhaps just an obsession of mine. That year, I was a freshman and he was a sophomore. I was dragged into an alley and beaten by a group of girls. His accidental intrusion scared those girls away. I was covered in mud, lying pathetically on the ground. The hand he reached out exuded warmth in the sunlight. He took me to the clinic, paid for me, and left a sentence. "People who don't know how to fight back can only endure bullying." After that day, my personality changed drastically. Anyone who provoked me, I fought back with a fearless attitude. The title of "bad girl" began to emerge from then on. I thought about it carefully. I had the thought of fighting back long ago; Liam's appearance was a catalyst, and also a mental pillar. Especially when I fell into the despair of being forced to drop out because I had no money. It was salvation. So during my one year of dating Liam, it was almost entirely me yielding and compromising. This is not a normal concept of love. What made me indulge him without limits? Was it love? Maybe a little, but it had already vanished when he favored Chloe.
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