So, she came up with a plan to get someone to toast Mr. Lane! Tia knew that at South High, aside from Ashley, the two people Arthur respected the most were Ms. Ruby and Mr. Lane. Since Ms. Ruby never touched alcohol, Mr. Lane was the perfect breakthrough point. Taking advantage of his good mood, Tia kept nudging students to pour him drink after drink. Once he was thoroughly intoxicated, she subtly coaxed him into encouraging Arthur to drink as well. Sure enough, Arthur didn’t refuse. But Ashley never left his side. She watched him closely all night, never giving Tia a single opening. It wasn’t until Ashley finally had to step away to use the restroom that Tia found her chance. Arthur never suspected a thing on the way here, and after they entered the room, she had deliberately left the lights off. She had bought a wig identical to Ashley’s hairstyle and wore the exact same dress as her. Her figure wasn’t as curvy as Ashley’s, but in the dim lighting, with Arthur already drunk, it was nearly impossible to tell the difference. Everything had been going according to plan. Until now. She never expected that at the most critical moment, Arthur would see through her! Arthur had already regained his composure. I’m a man—what’s she going to do? Force herself on me? His gaze swept over Tia’s arm, calm and indifferent. "Ashley’s skin is flawless. Yours has scars." The room was dark, but with the faint glow of moonlight filtering in, Arthur had still noticed. His tone was flat, but the words cut like a blade. Tia flinched as if struck. She instinctively covered her arm. Those scars… Every single one of them was given to her by Zac! Tia suddenly snapped, her voice rising into a hysterical scream. "Flawless?" she spat, eyes blazing with fury. "Arthur, my skin used to be flawless too! But after you broke off our engagement, I was left to suffer at Zac’s hands! He—he tortured me! That’s how I got these scars!"Arthur frowned. Zac. That bastard abused his girlfriend? But even knowing that, Arthur felt no sympathy for Tia. His voice was cold, cutting. "You were the one who humiliated me in front of everyone. You were the one who ended our engagement." Tia froze. That’s right. Back then, she had been blind. She had abandoned a rare gem and chosen a cruel, worthless fool instead! If she had never broken things off, if she had stayed by Arthur’s side, she would have been the one standing next to him today. With her beauty and their engagement, she was certain she could have had Arthur wrapped around her finger! She had made the wrong choice, and now, Ashley had stolen what should have been hers. Tia’s eyes burned with resentment. Lowering her head, she whispered, "I’m sorry, Arthur. I’m sorry. I was wrong. I shouldn’t have humiliated you like that in front of everyone. I shouldn’t have broken off our engagement. It was my mistake." Then, suddenly, she lunged forward and gripped his arm tightly, her desperation on full display. "Arthur, please forgive me, okay? I was young and foolish back then, but I’ve learned my lesson. Can we go back to how things were? Can we be engaged again?" Her voice trembled with anticipation, her words cautious and pleading. Her eyes shimmered with hope. As if she still had a chance. And as she spoke, she deliberately leaned forward, making sure every curve of her body was on full display before him. But Arthur remained unmoved. He didn’t even spare Tia a glance. Without hesitation, he shook off her grip and took a step back. His voice was cold, unwavering. "Engaged or not, I could never like you." Tia’s hand hung in the air, frozen in place. She stared at him, stunned. "Why?" she muttered in disbelief. "I’m the top beauty at South High. So many guys are crazy about me. How could you not like me?" Arthur finally looked at her. But when he spoke, his words were like a blade, sharp and merciless. "Because you have no integrity."Fate was a strange thing. Sometimes, love happened in a single fleeting moment. A glance. A silhouette. An unintentional gesture. Even a casual word. When the right person appeared at the right time, something just clicked. And no matter how much Tia schemed or changed, Arthur would never love her. Tia’s face went pale as the weight of his rejection sank in. No integrity. He said she had no integrity. A bitter laugh formed in her throat. He’s right. She had spent her entire life chasing status and power, using any means necessary to climb higher. Of course, in his eyes, she was nothing more than shallow and ruthless. But if I had grown up like Ashley, in a privileged family, would I have needed to be this way? If I had the luxury of a comfortable life, I wouldn’t have had to chase status so desperately! I would’ve had the freedom to enjoy my life too! But she didn’t come from wealth or power. She never had the freedom to live as she pleased. If she wanted a better future, she had to fight for it—no matter the cost. If Arthur had known what she was thinking, he would have told her without hesitation— Ashley’s family was losing its status as well. Unlike other wealthy girls who relied on their family’s wealth, she never looked for a man to depend on. She had her own goals—and she was determined to achieve them on her own.