After that day, Candice never appeared in front of me again. But small snacks would still show up on my desk.

Because of what happened, everyone in class ostracized me, and Ken assumed the worst about me.

I wanted to explain, but no one believed me. Even though I was the victim, I couldn't get my point across.

This went on for a long time until one day I learned that Ken's mother had fallen seriously ill.

It wasn’t just any illness; the surgery was expensive, and his scholarship money wasn’t nearly enough. So my parents made a deal with him.

He would marry me in a grand ceremony, and...