Chapter 1

Teyara Moon

I slammed Jax's bedroom door open, the heat of furious tears burning behind my eyelids. I forced myself to blink them back, refusing to let my vision blur.

Jax was sprawled across the mattress, completely absorbed in a video game. His eyes flicked to me for a fraction of a second before returning to the screen.

The sheer indifference of it broke me, and the first sob escaped my throat.

He was entirely unbothered by the storm brewing over my life, completely captivated by his console.

“How could you do this, Jax?”

My voice trembled.

He didn't answer, just looked up with a flash of genuine confusion.

I yanked my phone from my pocket and shoved the screen in front of his face, showing him the post currently detonating on social media—his latest update.

“You actually wrote, ‘Last night was unforgettable. Didn't realize taking a girl's innocence could be that incredible. It was her first time, but she handled it like a pro.’ How could you!”

I screamed, the betrayal tearing through me.

“Look, babe, I’m sorry. I didn’t think it was a big deal, I was just riding a high from being with you,” he said, reaching for his phone.

He deleted the post right then and there, offering a casual smile as if erasing the digital ink erased the damage.

“See? It’s gone.”

“The post might be gone, Jax, but I’m a national punchline! People took screenshots immediately. It’s already been viewed tens of thousands of times. How could you be so incredibly reckless? We are done. I never want to look at you again! If my parents see this—when they hear about this—it will destroy them. They sacrificed everything, expecting me to uphold certain values until marriage!”

“What does it matter, Teyara? We're going to end up married anyway,” he said, standing up.

The words hadn't even fully left his mouth before my palm cracked across his jaw.

“You just don’t get it,” I whispered, my voice cold with finality.

“You’ve ruined my life. Don't you dare come near me ever again.”

I turned on my heel and stormed out into the night, tears finally spilling down my cheeks.

My parents had practically moved mountains to secure my spot at this university.

Since arriving, I had worked myself to the bone to send money back to them.

I nannied, cleaned houses, did laundry—anything for a bit of extra cash to ease their burdens.

Now, Jax had burned my reputation to the ground in a matter of seconds, and there was no coming back from it.

Every hallway I walked down became a gauntlet of whispers and pointing fingers.

The whispers carried a cruel new moniker: “The Pristine Prize.”

It was a sickening irony, considering I had given that part of myself to Jax just hours prior.

I had a vision for my life—ambitions, career goals, a desire to make my family proud.

I thought I had a supportive partner by my side, but reality had just delivered a brutal wake-up call.

I was a fool to believe in love, or that people were inherently decent.

When the world is good, everyone claims to be your friend, but the moment a scandal breaks, they scatter like flies.

I was entirely on my own now.

But it didn't matter.

No matter the cost, I was going to survive this.

Unfortunately, the day wasn't done breaking me yet.

I had just escaped a grueling lecture—not from a syllabus, but from an older female professor who had cornered me after class.

She didn't care about the context or my side of the story.

She only knew a virginity milestone had become public gossip, and she felt entitled to deliver a patronizing sermon on morality.

For an hour, I sat there, numbly nodding until she finally dismissed me.

Slinging my bag over my shoulder, I stepped out into the cool evening air.

The campus grounds were still bustling with students, so I crossed my arms tightly against the chill and took a shortcut down a dimly lit, isolated pathway toward the dorms.

Suddenly, two large shadows stretched over the pavement in front of me.

Before I could react, I was ambushed from behind.

They tackled me to the dirt, pinning my limbs to the ground.

A heavy, calloused hand clamped over my mouth, stifling my scream into a pathetic whimper.

In the darkness, I couldn’t make out their features—only the predatory glint in their eyes and the suffocating stench of cheap alcohol that made my stomach turn.

“Well, look who it is. The Pristine Prize,” a rough, gravelly voice sneered above me.

I thrashed against his weight, but it was useless.

“Jax shouldn’t be the only one getting a turn. Sharing is caring, right sweetheart?” the second guy laughed, his voice deep and menacing.

The second assailant pinned my arms over my head while the first reached for his belt.

The sheer malice radiating from them solidified my belief that the world was completely devoid of grace; I was about to be assaulted.

With a violent tug, he tore my shirt down the middle, leaning down aggressively.

I choked on a muffled scream against the hand covering my lips.

Paralyzed with terror, I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the nightmare.

Suddenly, a heavy thud echoed above me, followed by a sharp grunt of pain.

“Get up and run!” a female voice urgently whispered near my ear.

I didn't look back.

Clutching the shredded remnants of my clothes to my chest, I bolted.

I ran blindly until I reached my building, threw my dorm door open, and slammed it shut behind me, panting for air.

Shivering and semi-clothed, I didn't even notice my roommate waking up until her eyes scanned my disheveled state.

“Wow, couldn't get enough of the spotlight, huh?” she muttered sarcastically, rolling over.

I sank onto the edge of my bed, a fresh wave of tears overtaking me.

Jax’s betrayal had set off a domino effect of ruin, and I knew the fallout was only beginning.

But as I sat there in the dark, the sorrow began to harden into something else.

It fueled a desperate, unyielding fire inside me.

No matter what obstacles lay ahead, no matter how much of myself I had to sacrifice, I would climb out of this gutter.

I would become known in a good way and every motherfucker who laughed who bow.