Chapter 1The Good Girl Myth: Why I Stopped Chasing the Golden Boy

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.

* * *

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."