Chapter 1

Avery Whitlock was the ideal woman at Northbridge University that all the guys fantasized about. However, her private photos were suddenly leaked onto the campus forum one day. Her reputation was shredded overnight, and the university revoked her direct admission to the master's program. When she walked down the street, strangers jeered, "How much for a night?" There could only be one person who had those photos—her boyfriend, Julian Mercer. Avery ran to Julian's apartment to demand an explanation. She had one hand on the doorknob when voices traveled from the door. "Julian, that was brutal," Ryan Kincaid said, laughing sharply. "You posted those photos, and Avery's finished. Her direct admission is gone. Let's see if she ever dares challenge Tessa again." Logan Hart chimed in, "Come on! Julian has never liked Avery in the last two years and couldn't even stand to touch her. He sent his brother instead. Just imagine her face if she ever found out!" The words detonated in Avery's head. She clapped a hand over her mouth to choke back the scream rising in her throat, and the color drained from her face. Logan elbowed the man sitting beside Julian, who looked so much like him. "Hey, Jace, you slept with your brother's girlfriend for two years. How's that feel? We're dying to know." Jace raised his glass, flashed a crooked grin, and said, "What else? She's a knockout. She has smooth skin, the sweetest moan, and she lets me do whatever I want to her. Why do you think I'm transferring to Northbridge? It's so I can make out with her whenever I want." Julian finally spoke, his voice sounding cold and indifferent, with each word sharp as a blade. "You've got a few days. Do what you want now. Once Tessa's admission is secured, I'll cut Avery off and ask Tessa to be my girlfriend." "Seriously? You're finally making a move on Tessa?" Ryan whooped. "You've been into her for years—spoiling her since you were kids. There's only one direct admission slot, and Tessa wanted it badly. "As soon as you knew Avery was her biggest competition, you started dating Avery and worked out this scheme. Man, who could treat Tessa better than you?" Every word hit Avery like a blow to the chest. She froze from the inside out. Even her blood felt cold. So, this was the truth—vile and brutally cruel. She couldn't stand there for another second. She turned and ran, stumbling down the stairs and into the alley until tears blurred the world. Her parents were strict to the core, so she had never dated before Julian. She even believed romance was nothing but trouble and a waste of time. That all changed freshman year, when she was crossing the outdoor courts with an armful of books and a basketball came flying at her face. She flinched, bracing for the hit, but it never came. A tall, cool guy stepped in and caught the ball. When she looked up, she met a pair of dark, indifferent eyes. The setting sun cast gold across his shoulders, and sweat glistened at his temple. He looked carved rather than born, and her heart skipped off script in a way she couldn't explain. Later, she learned his name—Julian Mercer, the heartthrob everyone at Northbridge admired. He was born into wealth, and his family's name was stamped on several university buildings they had funded. He was obscenely handsome and coolly aloof about it. Women across campus lined up to catch his eye, but he ignored them all except for Tessa Simpson, the rising star of the music department. Avery knew from the start that she and Julian came from different worlds. So, she buried her crush and threw herself into her studies, taking first place in her year again and again. Then, somehow, she kept running into Julian by coincidence. They crossed paths in the library, in lecture halls, and even in the cafeteria. He always seemed to be nearby. One day, after cramming too hard, she dozed off at a study table. When she woke up, she found her head resting on Julian's shoulder. She jerked upright, her cheeks burning, but he caught her wrist. "Avery, do you want to be my girlfriend?" he asked in a low voice. Her mind went blank as a rush of joy flooded her, and she nodded almost dazedly. Dating him felt "strange" from day one. By day, he was distant, barely texting, and showing up for dates like he was checking a box. But at night, he became someone else. Hungry, relentless, and always ready with his phone to snap pictures in bed. The photos made her uneasy, but she brushed them all off. He had always been cool and aloof. He acted distant with her during the day because he was so busy. But at night, he couldn't hold back because he loved her. She never imagined them to be actually two people. Julian spent the days with her, and Jace shared her bed at night. To them, she was nothing more than a plaything and a tool for their own pleasure. All they really wanted was to strip away everything she had worked for and hand it to Tessa. Avery stumbled into an empty alley and sank to the ground. Her tears slipped out in broken sobs that ached all the way to her bones. Just then, her phone rang. It was her mother. With trembling hands, Avery picked up. Margaret Jones didn't waste a word and went straight into a shriek, "Avery, what are those filthy photos on the campus forum? The Student Affairs office already called me. Do you have any idea how much shame you've brought on this family?" Her father, Thomas Whitlock, growled in the background, "We broke our backs for you, and this is how you repay us? You've disgraced us in front of the whole university! Shame on you!" Avery couldn't get the words out. Her chest clenched until she couldn't breathe. Her parents had always been exacting. The only time they ever smiled at her was when she took first place or came home with another award. So, she studied like a machine, depriving herself of everything but excellence, hoping it might win a little more love from them. Yet, in her worst moment, they offered no concern or trust—just scolding and contempt. "You're always crying! Is that all you know? Your direct admission is gone! We've already bought you a ticket to Ardenia for the end of the month. You'll stay abroad for a few years until this is forgotten, and only then will you return," Margaret said coldly, leaving no room for refusal. A chill seeped deep into her heart. "Okay," she replied numbly. She would go to Ardenia, but she was never coming back.