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He Humiliated Me Until He Learned Who My Father Was
Novelix
Completed
For three years, I loved the man who once saved my life—and secretly helped him whenever he needed me. Then, at his company gala, he believed another woman's lies over mine. He let her call me a gold digger, accuse me of plastic surgery and cheating, and even hit me when I fought back. What neither of them knew was that I'm not just a lawyer. I founded one of the city's top law firms, and my father is the richest man in the country.
Chapters (3)
第1章
The first thing Vanessa Reed says to me at Ethan's company gala is that my mother stole someone else's husband.
"So you're Avery." She looks me up and down. "I've heard a lot about you."
Ethan shifts beside me. "Vanessa."
"What?" She laughs. "I'm just saying hello."
Then she turns back to me.
"I heard your mother was the other woman before she married your father. And you followed in her footsteps, didn't you? Dating rich men until you finally landed Ethan."
The table goes quiet.
Vanessa doesn't stop.
"And the plastic surgery? Honestly, your surgeon did an amazing job."
A few people laugh.
I don't.
Because I've finally remembered where I've seen her face.
Vanessa Reed.
A woman I'd seen in one of my firm's archived case files.
She'd had affairs with multiple wealthy married men, and one of those relationships had ended badly enough to require lawyers and a substantial settlement.
I quietly open the voice recorder on my phone.
Occupational habit.
People can deny what they said.
Recordings are harder to argue with.
Vanessa reaches for her wine.
"So, Avery, what do you do?"
"I'm a lawyer."
"Really?"
She sounds amused.
"How much does that pay?"
"Enough."
"Oh, come on. We're all friends here."
I glance at Ethan.
He looks uncomfortable, but says nothing.
So I answer.
"A little over three hundred thousand last year."
Someone nearly chokes on his drink.
Vanessa bursts out laughing.
"Three hundred thousand?"
Her eyes slide over my dress.
"For legal work?"
The implication is obvious.
"That's enough," Ethan says.
Vanessa raises both hands. "Relax. I'm kidding."
She reaches across the table for a bottle of wine and knocks her glass over.
Red wine splashes across her dress.
She gasps.
Then immediately looks at me.
"Avery!"
I stare at her.
"I didn't touch you."
"You bumped the table."
"No, I didn't."
Her eyes fill with tears almost instantly.
"Ethan, forget it. It's just a dress."
Ethan turns to me.
"Just apologize."
"For what?"
"Vanessa wouldn't lie about something this stupid."
There it is.
Not What happened?
Not Are you okay?
Just the assumption that if Vanessa says I did something, I must have done it.
"I didn't touch her."
Vanessa gives a shaky laugh.
"It's fine. Maybe she's just nervous because she knows I remember her from before."
I look at her.
"Before what?" Her smile returns.
"Before the surgery."
She leans closer. "You really don't remember me?"
"No."
"Funny."
She pulls out her phone. "Because I remember exactly what you used to look like."
My recorder is still running.
I smile. "Then show me."
Vanessa's expression brightens.
"Gladly."
第2章
Vanessa doesn't show the photo immediately.
Instead, one of Ethan's coworkers asks what kind of lawyer makes over three hundred thousand dollars a year.
Before I can answer, Vanessa laughs.
"The kind with very generous clients."
Several men exchange looks.
Ethan slams his glass down.
"Watch your mouth."
Vanessa pouts.
"Why are you getting mad at me? I'm defending you. I'd be worried too if my girlfriend suddenly claimed she made four times my salary."
Ethan goes still.
I wish she hadn't said that.
Not because I'm embarrassed by what I earn.
Because I know Ethan is.
Before the argument can go further, someone announces the next party game: everyone has to share the craziest thing they've ever done for a friend.
Vanessa immediately raises her hand.
"I've got one."
She grins at Ethan.
"Remember when I got wasted at Lauren's birthday party?"
Ethan groans. "Don't."
"You drove three hours back to the city because I called you crying."
The table erupts.
"Three hours?"
"That's dedication."
Vanessa beams.
"He stayed with me all night because I was throwing up. He even made me breakfast the next morning."
Everyone laughs.
I don't hear the rest.
Because I remember that night.
I had been driving home when another car ran a red light and hit me.
My car spun across the intersection.
The driver's side door crumpled.
There was blood running down my face when the paramedics pulled me out.
I called Ethan from the ambulance.
When he finally answered, he told me he was out of town and couldn't get back.
I spent the night alone in the ER.
The next morning, he arrived with flowers and held me while I cried.
He said he'd hated himself for not being there.
Apparently, he had been there.
Just not for me.
"Ethan." He looks at me.
"What date was that?" His face changes.
Vanessa answers first.
"Last October. Why?" I stare at him.
He remembers. I can see it.
"Avery, I can explain."
Vanessa rolls her eyes.
"Oh my God. Are you seriously jealous over something from months ago?"
I ignore her.
"You told me you couldn't get back."
"It wasn't like that."
"I was in an ambulance."
"Vanessa was drunk and alone."
He actually said it.
As if that explains everything.
Vanessa sighs.
"You're being dramatic. He was just helping a friend."
Then she unlocks her phone.
"Anyway, since we're digging up the past..."
She turns the screen toward everyone.
"I found this earlier."
Two photos appear side by side.
The woman on the right is me.
The woman on the left with completely different eyes, a wider nose, and a heavy jaw.
Someone gasps.
Vanessa smiles.
"Avery before and after plastic surgery."
Ethan takes the phone from her.
I stare at the woman in the photograph.
I've never seen her in my life.
第3章
"That's not me."
Vanessa laughs.
"Of course you'd say that."
Ethan enlarges the image.
He works in design. He knows photo manipulation better than anyone at the table.
For several seconds, he studies the lighting, shadows, edges, and background.
"It's not edited."
"I didn't say it was."
Vanessa folds her arms.
"See?"
I look at Ethan.
"The woman in that photo isn't me."
"Then who is she?"
"I don't know."
Vanessa laughs again.
I reach for her phone.
She pulls it back.
"Don't delete the evidence."
"Send it to me."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to find out where it came from."
Ethan catches my wrist.
"Enough, Avery."
"Let go."
"Why can't you just admit it?"
"Admit what? Something I didn't do?"
His grip tightens.
"You've been lying all night."
"About what?"
"Your money. Your past. Now this."
"My money?"
I stare at him.
"You've never once asked what I actually earn."
Vanessa cuts in.
"Ethan, don't bother. Women like her lie until they're caught."
I turn toward her.
"Stay out of this."
She smiles. "Or what?"
I step closer.
Ethan moves between us.
"Avery, stop."
"Move."
"No."
"Move."
I try to go around him. His hand comes up.
The slap cracks across my face.
My cheek burns.
Ethan stares at his own hand as if he can't believe what he just did.
"Avery..."
I touch my lip.
Blood.
Something inside me goes very still.
No more arguing.
No more trying to convince him.
I glance around the room instead.
Twenty witnesses.
Security cameras near both exits.
My phone is still recording.
Good.
"Avery, I didn't mean—"
I walk away.
My phone vibrates.
A message from my investigator.
We found the account. You need to see this.
I open the link.
Vanessa's Instagram appears.
At first, I don't understand. Then I start scrolling.
A photo from Florence. My trip.
A museum in Boston. My photo.
My college graduation. My campus.
My life. Except in every picture where I should be standing, Vanessa has replaced me with herself.
She hasn't just stolen photographs.
She's built an entire identity out of pieces of my old public posts—without ever realizing whose life she'd stolen.
Another message appears.
We also traced the "before surgery" photo.
My thumb freezes above the screen.
We know who the woman is.
I type back.
Who?
I stare at the message.
Slowly, I look across the ballroom at Vanessa.
For the first time tonight, I almost smile.
"Come to the gala. Bring everything," I text.
