A Life Is Worth Less Than Her Smile

My heart felt like it was being sliced apart as I listened to Julian's cold words.

I looked up at him and stared into his eyes that were like bottomless abysses.

His eyes were devoid of any pain or regret.

How could I have forgotten?

From Julian's perspective, I was a woman who was willing to do anything for the sake of money.

Julian and I were a couple when Dad's company became embroiled in its first financial crisis. Everyone accused me of targeting the Luther family's power and status. Now that my family had declared bankruptcy, I was essentially cementing my image of a gold-digger by asking Julian for money.

I didn't care about the opinions of outsiders. I was content as long as Julian knew who I really was.

However, even Julian didn't believe me. He also had plenty of other reasons to dislike me.

I swallowed the lump in my throat and fixed a smile on my face. "That's right. I desperately need money. Why else would I be here? Did you think that I showed up to experience life, Mr. Luther?

"Or perhaps you've become forgetful, Mr. Luther. After all, you forgot that I begged you for money to transfer to the company."

My words were like blades that stabbed into Julian's heart.

He frowned deeply as the corners of his lips curled up in a mocking smile.

"Did you think that I would believe you, Cecilia? Why would your father's company suddenly go bankrupt when it was doing just fine? Drop the pitiful act and stop humiliating yourself in front of so many people!"

His words cut me deeper than any blade possibly could.

I scoffed and said, "I'm selling the last thing that Mom left for me to save Dad's life. Is that really so humiliating? Or perhaps I should behave like you? Should I spend 500,000 dollars just to make another woman happy? Would that paint me as an impressive person?"

A steely expression appeared on Julian's face.

Rachel hastily approached us and grabbed his arm. Attempting to play mediator, she said, "Calm down, Julian. Cece's probably just pulling your leg."

She then turned to me and said, "But Cece, even if you're truly tight on cash, you shouldn't joke about Mr. Mendez's company like that. Julian will actually believe you. You should just tell him directly what you want. The two of you are a couple, after all."

I couldn't help but feel a sense of mocking course through me as I looked into Rachel's seemingly innocent eyes.

Although she knew that I was Julian's girlfriend, she continued to cling to him without any care for boundaries.

As for Julian, he seemed to be oblivious to her intentions and never pushed her away.

I shot a cold glare at Rachel and snapped, "I already told Mr. Luther what I want, but he seems to be deaf to my words."

The color drained from Rachel's face. She bit her lip with a troubled expression as her eyes began to rapidly redden.

Julian immediately shielded her behind him and shot an icy glare at me. "I never would have guessed that you would turn into such a mean and bitter person, Cecilia. You're being completely unreasonable! Rachel is just worried about you. Why did you feel the need to speak to her so harshly?"

"Mean and bitter?"

Despair and fury raged within me, threatening to burst from my chest.

"I've been forced into a dead end. I had to sell the last thing that Mom left for me while my own boyfriend flirts with another woman! Do I not have the right to question you?

"From your perspective, Rachel is a pure and elegant fairy while I'm just a crazy bitch who only knows how to cause trouble for you, am I right?"

"You're being irrational!" Julian exclaimed indignantly.

Just then, the auctioneer began to call out prices for "Dawn Light" on the stage.

"300,000 dollars going once… 300,000 dollars going twice… Are any of our esteemed guests interested in bidding for this necklace? If there's no one—"

"350,000 dollars!" a voice suddenly called out.

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw Kevin Porter. He hailed from Westview and was notorious for being a greasy man who had made a fortune in recent years.

At that moment, Kevin was blatantly checking me out.

Julian looked even more upset than before.

I knew that Kevin wasn't interested in the necklace. He was interested in me. If I accepted his money, it would also mean that I was accepting him.

However, the last dregs of hesitation within me disappeared when I saw Julian and Kevin exchange glances.

I immediately understood what was going on.

This was Julian's way of humiliating me. He wanted to see me in a pathetic state. He wanted to see me in pain.

"350,000 dollars!" the auctioneer shouted ecstatically. "Mr. Porter has bid on the necklace for 350,000 dollars! Is there anyone here who would like to challenge him and raise the price?"

I straightened my back before hollering at the auctioneer, "It's a deal!"

I then turned to Julian and hissed, "From this moment on, we're over, Julian."

I turned around and left without giving him a chance to respond.

"You wouldn't dare, Cecilia Mendez!" Julian roared furiously from behind me.