The Bride He Betrayed

My fiancé looked down on me for being a divorcée, so right before our wedding, he slept with my best friend. He claimed he wanted to date my best friend until our wedding day just so we could be "even." He thought I would obediently walk down the aisle with him. Little did he know, not only had I prepared their sex tapes for the big screen at the wedding, but I had also swapped out the bride. Evelyn's POV At a private gathering a week before our wedding, I caught my fiancé having sex with my best friend in the adjacent VIP lounge. Julian Vance unhurriedly pulled on his clothes. "She was wearing nothing underneath tonight. Too tempting. I couldn't help myself." I froze in place, taking forever to find my voice. "Why? You promised you would never let me suffer betrayal again!" Julian showed not a shred of remorse. "Betrayal? Evelyn, you're a divorcée. What right do you have to talk to me about betrayal?" Tears streamed down my cheeks despite my efforts to stop them. "You two were the people I trusted most in the world..." My best friend, Melanie Sterling, felt no guilt whatsoever. "Evelyn, you can't blame me for this. Blame yourself for being an idiot. Honestly, the woman who checked into a hotel with your ex-husband, Sean Miller, four years ago was also me." Struck by lightning, I could barely stand on my feet. Four years ago, I received photos from an unknown number showing Sean with another woman. It was Melanie who had canceled all her celebrity engagements to drink with me, cursed Sean for being a scumbag, and adamantly pushed me to divorce him. I had thought infidelity was primarily the man's fault, so I never dug into the identity of the woman in those pictures. Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the person stabbing me in the back was my closest friend. Melanie looked at my reaction with satisfaction, a reminiscent smirk playing on her lips. "Then again, even though your taste in best friends is terrible, your taste in men is impeccable. I really like this one, too." Hearing that, Julian patted her playfully. "All right, Evelyn isn't like you. She can't handle games. Stop teasing her." He pulled out a tissue and gently wiped my cheek, even more tenderly than before. The night I received those cheating photos, devastated and unable to accept reality, I had walked alone through the pouring rain to the cliff where Sean and I had first declared our love. Just as I was about to step into the abyss, Julian had appeared out of nowhere to save me. Back then, he had dried my tears with that exact same gentleness. He told me that not all men were as untrustworthy as Sean; I had simply had the bad luck to run into a scumbag. He promised that if I just looked back, someone truly worthy of my love was waiting for me. Julian helped me move, found me lawyers, and handled everything on my behalf so I never had to face Sean directly. When Sean adamantly refused to sign the divorce papers, Julian ruthlessly snatched up projects from the Miller family at any cost, forcing Sean to surrender. The day my divorce was finalized, Julian set off fireworks across the entire state to confess his feelings to me. He asked me to believe in love again—to believe in him. He swore he would only ever love me in this life, and that he would never betray me. I believed him. Little did I know, his so-called lifetime and eternity lasted a mere four years. The contrast between the present and the past was so cruel that for a moment, I forgot to pull away from his hand wiping my tears. He scoffed lightly and tapped the tip of my nose. "You can't even handle this? How are you going to survive the next week, Evelyn?" I asked blankly, "What?" He explained with apparent patience, "There's still one week left until our wedding. I've decided to be Melanie's boyfriend for this week." My brain finally kicked back into gear, comprehending what he meant. He actually dared to humiliate me like this! Boundless fury flared up in my chest. "I don't care whose boyfriend you are! Julian Vance, I'm breaking up with you!" Julian's gaze turned razor-sharp for a split second before returning to his usual nonchalance. With a half-smile, he said, "Evelyn, don't say things like that. I don't like hearing it." Hearing the commotion, his buddies walked over one after another. Chase Brooks tried to explain on Julian's behalf: "Evelyn, men are possessive by nature. Back then, you chose Sean instead of Julian, so it's natural he feels cheated. He still loves you." Harrison Hayes had always looked down on me: "Evelyn, don't be ungrateful. You're damaged goods—you have no right to demand Julian stay pure for you. He's just playing boyfriend, not marrying her. You're still the one getting the better end of the deal!" Xander Reed, who had always been closer to Melanie, chimed in: "In terms of looks and family background, Melanie outshines you in every way. Julian's only dating her for a week—you should count your blessings! You're an orphan with no parents, and what's Julian's net worth? Him marrying you is a once-in-a-lifetime blessing for your ancestral grave!" Their words seemed to validate Julian's inner thoughts, and he softened his tone to coax me: "Evelyn, be a good girl. Just focus on wedding preparations this week, and in seven days, I'll come back and marry you." Lightning flashed outside, accompanied by thunder, and rain began to fall. Ever since that stormy night four years ago, thunderstorms had triggered my PTSD. For four years, Julian had stayed by my side every single time it rained. Tonight, however, he hesitated for only a second before making his decision. "Evelyn, as Melanie's boyfriend, it wouldn't be appropriate for me to drive you home. Take a cab yourself." As the crowd filed out, I overheard Chase asking in a low voice: "Julian, aren't you afraid Evelyn will get genuinely furious and refuse to marry you?" Julian chuckled disdainfully, casting a backward glance at me. "What's there to be afraid of? Evelyn is as meek as a little lamb; a little sweet-talking will fix everything. Besides, who else could she possibly find besides me? Right, Evelyn?" Without waiting for my answer, he walked away with absolute confidence, leading the group out. Brushing past my shoulder, Melanie whispered lightly in my ear, "The mattress in your master bedroom is so soft. Tossing around all night doesn't even hurt my knees." I stood alone by the entrance as several luxury cars sped off, splashing muddy water all over me. A deafening crack of thunder illuminated my pale, devastated face. On a rainy night four years ago, Julian Vance had rescued me from the abyss. Four years later, he was the one summoning the storm into my world. Julian Vance, since you broke your original vows, I will never walk down that wedding aisle with you. I pulled out my phone and dialed a number. "Hello... I'm ready to listen to you. I'll leave Julian Vance and go abroad."Evelyn's POV The man on the other end of the line suppressed his excitement: "Good! I'll process your paperwork and arrange the flight right away. You don't have to worry about a thing. Next week, I'll have Zachary Lowe pick you up personally!" I also fought back the urge to cry. "All right, Dad." "Evelyn, did he hurt you? Tell me, and I'll have Zachary deal with him!" "It's nothing. I can handle it myself." I hung up and stood outside the clubhouse trying to hail a cab. The rain poured down as if someone were dumping buckets from the sky. Drenched from head to toe, I shivered so hard my teeth chattered. After what felt like forever, a cab finally pulled over, and I scrambled in, soaked and miserable. The driver glanced at me in the rearview mirror and quietly turned the heater all the way up. "Young lady, why are you all alone in such heavy rain? Didn't any family come pick you up?" I didn't answer. Family—that word was far too complicated for me. When I was two, my mother divorced my father, changed our names, and went off the grid to raise my grandmother and me. From then on, my father and my brother were erased from my life. When I was little, I asked my mother where Dad and my brother had gone, and why they never came looking for us. The moment my mother heard that, her face turned pale. She smashed the dish she was washing and locked herself in her room for the entire day. I was young, but I could vaguely sense that my father must have done something unforgivable. After that, I never dared ask again. It wasn't until three years ago that my father reappeared in my life. By then, my mother had long since passed away. He said he had spent years searching for us, claiming there had been a monumental misunderstanding between him and my mother, and that he wanted to explain everything to me face-to-face. For the past three years, he had been trying to convince me to move abroad and live with him and my brother. I had refused because I couldn't bear to leave Julian Vance. My father had voiced his objection to my relationship with Julian more than once. He said he understood men, and that Julian was too unsettled in his heart to be a good match. I didn't listen, thinking my father simply didn't understand the depth of our love. Now, it was clear my father had been right all along. The moment I returned home, the first thing I did was check the playback from our security cameras. The recordings began six months ago. Melanie Sterling had always visited me often, which I used to consider completely normal. Yet the footage on the screen froze the blood in my veins. While I was simmering soup in the kitchen, Julian and Melanie were pressed against each other in the guest bathroom. While I was taking a shower in the master bedroom, the two of them were rolling around on the living room sofa. After I left for work, Julian brought Melanie straight into the master bedroom, having his way with her on my bed without a shred of restraint. Clip after clip, the images were horrifyingly shocking. Every single corner of this home had been defiled by them. My hands shook violently, and a sickening surge of bile rushed up from my stomach. I dashed into the bathroom, clinging to the toilet bowl, and threw up until my vision blurred. There was nothing in my stomach, only acidic bile, choking me until tears and snot smeared across my face. I turned on the faucet and splashed cold water aggressively onto my face. The woman in the mirror had bloodshot eyes, looking utterly pathetic. Taking a deep breath, I backed up all the surveillance footage to an encrypted cloud drive, and then began packing my things. Inside the jewelry chest in the walk-in closet lay the sapphire necklace Julian had flown to Geneva to bid on. That day, he had been negotiating a multi-billion-dollar merger, but upon hearing this one-of-a-kind piece was up for auction, he walked out on a room full of executives and boarded a ten-plus-hour flight just to raise his paddle. All because I had once casually mentioned that I loved sapphires. I tossed the necklace into the cardboard box at my feet. Then there was that limited-edition Birkin bag, with only twelve produced worldwide. Julian had pulled strings for over six months just to secure the luxury pre-spend allocation. The day he brought it home, he smiled like a little boy seeking praise. The bag, worth millions, was tossed into the cardboard box just the same. That cross crucifix—Julian had knelt in a church for hours to request it from the priest. He was the privileged heir of the Vance family, yet he had knelt until his knees were black and blue, just to pray for my peace and safety. I stared at the talisman in my hand for a moment before dropping it into the box as well. Born with a silver spoon, Julian had never touched a stove, yet he learned how to cook and brew soup for me. Once, when I nicked my finger cutting fruit, he dragged me to the ER in the dead of night. The ER nurse had teased him, saying it was just a scratch and would have healed on its own had we arrived any later. To marry me, he had turned against the entire Vance family and spent three grueling years securing absolute controlling interest of Vance Enterprises, before finally getting down on one knee to propose. Those acts of devotion had once felt sweet to the very marrow of my bones. Now, they were rancid—like a spoiled delicacy that only induced nausea. I cleared out the things he had given me, item by item, dumping them all into the box. Next were the things I had given him. The scarf I had spent two months knitting, which he wore every single winter. Into the box. The cufflinks I had saved six months of salary to buy, which he once wore on his shirts every day. Into the box. Our relationship scrapbooks—three thick volumes filled with ticket stubs, photos, and handwritten notes. Into the box. I picked up the overstuffed cardboard box, intending to haul it outside. Just as I stepped out the door, I crashed right into a solid chest. Julian Vance stood at the threshold. His hand reflexively caught my wrist, his eyes darting to the box in my arms. "Where are you going so late? What are you holding?"Evelyn's POV "Taking out the trash." Clutching the box, I pushed past him without looking back. Julian leaned against the doorframe, his tone relaxing: "Just let the maids handle it. It's not safe for you to carry so much down the stairs in the middle of the night." "My own trash is better thrown out by myself." I didn't stop, carrying the box straight into the elevator. The cardboard box crashed into the dumpster with a dull thud. The sapphire necklace, the Birkin bag, the cross, the scarf, the cufflinks, the scrapbooks. Along with all that rancid devotion, everything sank into the bottom of the trash heap. The moment I returned to the apartment, Julian walked over, reaching out to wrap an arm around my shoulder. I subtly sidestepped him. His hand grasped at empty air. Turning around, he picked up a cup of mulled wine and offered it to me. "I bought this for you on the way. You were drenched in that downpour. Drink it to ward off the chill, or you'll suffer if you catch a fever later." I took the cup and pulled my lips into a smile. Then, right in front of his eyes, I tossed the mulled wine into the garbage bin, mocking him: "You're Melanie Sterling's boyfriend now. Best not to do things that might give people the wrong idea." Julian's face darkened instantly. Striding over in two steps, he seized my chin, applying just enough pressure to force my head back to look at him. "I told you, it's only for one week. In seven days, I'll come back and marry you. Mrs. Vance will only ever be you." Before he even finished speaking, he dipped his head to kiss me. I jerked my head away frantically, but the grip on my chin didn't budge. His lips pressed down hard, carrying the trace of tobacco and suffocating possessiveness. Unable to break free, I trembled with fury, tears bursting forth unbidden. "Why are you treating me like this!" Pounding against his chest, my voice cracked from crying, "Why did you lie to me?" Julian released me. Looking at me weeping, he let out a sigh. "I thought I didn't care. But the closer we get to the wedding, the more I can't stop thinking about the fact that you were married before." He stared into my eyes, as if forcing me to see his agony. "Do you have any idea how much it hurt to watch you marry Sean Miller? Evelyn, I just want you to taste what I felt back then. Don't you love me? If you love me, why aren't you willing to hurt for me just once?" Staring at him in sheer disbelief, I couldn't stop myself from slapping him across the face. "Do you even hear yourself? Did you only get together with me to take revenge?" Julian's face was struck to the side. He snarled in denial: "It's not revenge! It's because I love you! Because I love you so much, I can't accept it!" He pressed his tongue against the inside of his cheek, his eyes burning with years of pent-up resentment. "Why did I love you faithfully from beginning to end, while you picked Sean Miller over me in the first place!" Back in college, he and Sean had been roommates as well as archrivals. Both had confessed their feelings to me at the same time. Julian was aloof and reserved, while Sean was gentle and refined—exactly the type that made my heart flutter back then. I had chosen Sean. Tears streaming down, I demanded: "If you minded my past marriage so much, you shouldn't have been with me in the first place! Not stay with me, only to betray me later!" "Julian Vance, you disgust me! I won't attend the wedding. We are over!" Julian stared at me, then suddenly laughed—a chilling sound that sent shivers down my spine. "Evelyn, I told you, I don't like hearing that kind of talk. Since you refuse to behave, you need to be punished." I looked at him warily. "What are you going to do?" He didn't answer. Pulling out his phone, he dialed a number: "Come on up." He turned to me with calm composure: "I was originally just going to check on you and leave, but you insisted on making a scene. In that case, I'll let you properly experience the torment I went through back then." The doorbell rang. Melanie Sterling walked in wearing a seductive slip dress. Her eyes skimmed over my red, swollen eyes before she wrapped her arms around Julian's neck with a dazzling smile. "Here tonight? That's hardly appropriate. Our sweet Evelyn is so innocent; she can't handle watching this." Julian sneered, "Innocent? A woman who was slept with by Sean Miller for years—what innocence does she have to speak of?" Melanie planted a loud kiss on his cheek: "Good point. So where are we doing it tonight? The bed, the sofa, or the bathroom?" I turned to leave. A hand clamped onto my wrist with brutal force, making my bones ache. "Where do you think you're going?" "This place makes me sick." I tried violently to shake off his grip, but he didn't budge. Julian laughed out of sheer fury: "Sick already? It's only just beginning." He dragged me toward the master bedroom. I fought frantically, scratching and clawing at him. As if immune to pain, he hauled me inside, unbuckled his leather belt, and in a few swift motions lashed my wrists to the bedpost, cinching it dead tight. "Tonight, you watch every single second." "You pervert!" I yanked desperately against the restraint, but it was useless. Julian gave a cold chuckle. "There's worse to come." He turned around, shoved Melanie—who had followed inside—onto the mattress, and pressed himself down on top of her. Clothes were discarded all over the floor, and the bed began to creak and sway. The sounds coming from the bed battered my ears, suffocating me. I turned my head away, refusing to look, and squeezed my eyes shut. Yet those sounds burrowed into my ears like living things. Pain. It began with my heart shattering, then tore through every bone and nerve in my body, hurting so acutely that I curled into a ball. My stomach convulsed again, and I leaned over, dry-heaving violently. Hearing my retching, Julian slammed into her even harder, even more ruthlessly. "Did Sean Miller touch you like this too? Do I make you sick? You think you don't make me sick?" My mind was a chaotic haze. One second, I remembered a rain-swept cliffside four years ago, where he had wrapped his arms around me from behind, his chest burning hot against my back. He said, “Turn around and look at me. I’m here. Don’t be afraid.” The next second, my ears filled with Melanie's moans and Julian's low, ragged gasps. Then I remembered the day he proposed, dropping to one knee with eyes only for me. He had sworn, I will love you for the rest of my life. I'll never let you suffer a single grievance. And then his words from just moments ago echoed back: If you love me, why won't you endure pain for me just this once? I lost track of time. I had no retches left in me, no tears left to cry. Once my tears ran completely dry, my body felt hollowed out, drained of all sensation. My heart seemed to have finally gone completely numb, feeling nothing at all. I closed my eyes and slumped motionless against the edge of the bed. After what felt like an eternity, the restraint around my wrists suddenly loosened. I opened my eyes. Julian stood over me, completely naked, his skin marked all over with provocative, flushed bruises. He seized my chin in a bruising grip, staring down at me. "Have you learned your lesson?" I looked at the face that had once given me such an absolute sense of safety, and a bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Julian Vance, you pick your girlfriends from Sean Miller's past, and you pick your mistresses from Sean Miller's trash." "How could you ever measure up to him?"Evelyn's POV Julian's face turned livid with fury, his grip tightening instinctively. He was practically crushing my jaw. Fury flared in his eyes like a roaring fire: "Evelyn Taylor, you—!" I looked straight into his eyes, not yielding an inch: "Can't stomach it? Then break up with me." He glared at me, and then he suddenly laughed. Raising a hand, he brushed away the dried tear tracks near the corners of my eyes, his tone turning unnervingly tender: "Trying to bait me? Evelyn, I know you can't live without me. You don't have to worry about me abandoning you either. The wedding is going forward as planned. Once we're married, everything will go back to the way it was." With that, he seized Melanie by the wrist and strode out the door. Melanie glanced back at me, her eyes dripping with resentment and malice. The door clicked shut, plunging the room into absolute silence. Sitting on the floor, I let out a sudden laugh. The laughter grew louder and louder, echoing off the bare walls of the empty room. Evelyn, this is the man you once planned to spend the rest of your life with. Thank God I finally saw his true colors in time to cut my losses. I pulled up the surveillance feed again, made a complete backup of everything that had happened in the bedroom tonight, and uploaded it to an encrypted cloud drive. Early the next morning, I went to the office and submitted my resignation. I had originally trained in fine arts, holding a formal degree in oil painting. Julian, however, was severely allergic to oil pigments. Ever since we got together, I hadn't touched a paintbrush. Instead, I took a mundane administrative desk job just to pass the time. There was nothing about this job worth missing. A coworker grabbed my arm, her face full of gossip: "Evelyn, is Mr. Vance taking pity on you because work is too tiring? Is he having you stay home to live as a billionaire's wife?" "We broke up." Her eyes went wide: "Aren't you two about to get married? The whole city of New York knows about it!" My lips curved into a cold, faint smile: "The wedding is off." Without explaining any further, I packed the few belongings on my desk and walked straight out. The moment I stepped through the company doors, my phone rang. It was the bridal salon. "Hello, Ms. Taylor. The custom wedding gown Mr. Vance ordered for you has arrived. Would it be convenient for you to come in for a fitting?" I was silent for a moment. "I don't want the dress anymore. But the handmade embroidery piece sewn onto it—can it be detached?" That embroidery was left to me by my mother. Before she passed away, she had spent three whole years stitching those twin roses on a single stem, needle by needle. I had given it to the salon to be sewn onto the dress, thinking of it as my mother's way of walking me down the aisle. It was the only thing I intended to take with me. The person on the other end was visibly stunned: "Ms. Taylor, Mr. Vance commissioned this gown six months in advance. Eight master embroiderers rushed it for four solid months, and fabrics were flown in from three different countries. If we remove that embroidery, the entire gown will be ruined. Are you sure you don't want it?" "Yes. I only want the embroidery. Keep the dress." "...Understood. In that case, we must ask you to come in person. The stitching connecting the embroidery to the gown requires a specialized technique. You'll need to confirm the removal process on-site so the fabric isn't damaged." I rushed over to the bridal salon and pushed open the doors to the VIP suite. Melanie was already standing before the mirror in that very gown, the white train spilling across the floor, her smile triumphant and smug. Julian stood beside her in a matching groom's tuxedo, his expression endlessly tender. Seeing me enter, a flash of smug pride crossed his face, and he walked over toward me: "Evelyn, you rushed here for a fitting the moment the dress arrived? Still trying to claim you don't care about me? Still trying to break up?" He reached out to ruffle my hair, his tone patronizing, like he was coaxing a child: "Since you already wore a wedding dress with Sean Miller once, it's only fair that Melanie and I get to wear it together too. No getting jealous, all right?" I didn't reply. I walked straight to the lounge area nearby, sat down, and waited for them to finish their charade so the staff could remove the embroidery. In the mirror, Melanie twirled her skirts and flashed me a grin: "Evelyn, you don't mind wearing a second-hand wedding dress that I've already worn, do you? After all, you're damaged goods—a second-hand wedding dress suits you perfectly." I scrolled through my phone without looking up: "Aren't the men you steal just my second-hand castoffs too?" Melanie's expression twisted instantly. Just as she was about to lash out, Julian let out a low chuckle. He seemed to think I was jealous, thoroughly amused by it: "Evelyn has a point, you know." Melanie gritted her teeth, swallowing her fury whole. A moment later, an associate from the high-jewelry counter walked in carrying a velvet box: "Mr. Vance, your custom wedding ring has arrived." Melanie rushed forward ahead of everyone else, her eyes gleaming: "Oh, it's gorgeous! Julian, can I try it on? Evelyn has already worn a wedding ring before, but I never have." Julian had initially intended to decline, but the phrase "Evelyn has already worn one" made him change his mind. He slipped the ring onto Melanie's ring finger: "You're my girlfriend. Of course my wedding ring is for you to wear. You can wear it all the way until the wedding." As he said this, his eyes remained fixed on me. Noticing my complete lack of reaction, his brow furrowed, a sudden flicker of unease darting through his chest: "Evelyn, all of this will be yours at the wedding. Melanie is only trying it on for now. You're not going to be petty about this, are you?" I still didn't look up: "If she wants it, give it to her. Let her keep it forever." Melanie immediately put on a display of guilt: "I was just envious of Evelyn, I didn't mean anything else by it. Julian, maybe I shouldn't wear it after all. This is your wedding ring, after all." She made a show of moving to take it off, but Julian's face darkened as he stared at me, his words aimed at Melanie: "Why take it off? It's just a ring. It's yours." Seeing Julian's eyes constantly drifting back toward me, Melanie hurriedly changed back into her own clothes and dragged him out the door under the pretense of having an urgent matter to attend to. The VIP suite was finally quiet. I called over the attendants and had them unstitch the embroidery from the gown right then and there. The thread securing the twin roses on a single stem was carefully snipped, and the motif was peeled away from the layers of satin completely intact. I slipped the embroidered fabric into my bag. As for that exorbitantly expensive wedding dress, I told the staff to dispose of it however they pleased. When I stepped out of the bridal shop, Julian's car was parked by the curb. Seeing me come out, he rolled down the window: "Get in."Evelyn's POV I flatly refused: "You're Melanie's boyfriend. It's not appropriate for you to drive me. I'll hail a cab." Julian choked on his own words—after all, that was a rule he had laid down himself. He cleared his throat and gave a dry chuckle: "Jealous? Relax. Melanie is just a temporary girlfriend. The only Mrs. Vance will be you." Seeing that I still had no intention of moving, Julian added: "There's a family dinner tonight. Come back to the estate with me. I'm not bringing Melanie. The only woman I bring home is you." I glanced down at the ruby bracelet around my wrist. Grandma Vance had personally placed it on me, telling me it was an heirloom passed down to her by her elders when she was young. Since I wasn't going to marry Julian anymore, it was only right that I return it. I opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat. "How was the fitting? Satisfied?" "Very satisfied." I was, indeed. My mother's embroidery had been safely removed without a single pulled thread—how could I not be satisfied? Julian had no idea what was actually going through my mind. Assuming I was pleased with the wedding gown, his expression softened slightly, and he put the car in gear. Halfway through the drive, however, he pulled over along a commercial avenue. Melanie, dressed to the nines with makeup glamorous enough for a red carpet, slipped into the back seat. Julian glanced at me: "Evelyn, I lied to you. Melanie is my current girlfriend. Naturally, she belongs at the family dinner." My expression instantly turned cold. Had I known she was going, I never would have stepped foot into this car. I could easily have found another time to return the bracelet to Grandma Vance in private. Julian, however, looked pleased by my reaction, his smile widening. "Don't worry. I'll introduce Melanie as a business partner so it won't be awkward for you. You're already in the car—don't even think about running." By the time we arrived at the Vance family estate, Grandma Vance hadn't arrived yet, but everyone else was gathered in full. The moment the three of us walked in together, the lively chatter in the drawing room abruptly died. His younger cousin, Chloe Vance, was the first to bounce over. Bypassing me entirely, she linked arms warmly with Melanie: "Melanie! What are you doing here?" Julian tossed out a casual excuse: "Melanie is my business partner. We were in the area and dropped by to see everyone." Chloe led Melanie inside, gushing over how gorgeous her dress was the entire way. Mrs. Vance looked me up and down, her gaze settling on my ordinary work clothes with an immediate frown: "Julian, you brought her to a family dinner dressed like that? Not even a presentable outfit to speak of. You're making us look ridiculous in front of our guests." She turned her head to look at Melanie, nodding in overt approval: "Just look at Melanie. How tasteful and appropriate." Julian's aunt chimed in from the side: "Melanie is a daughter of the Sterling family, after all. She's been raised in high society since childhood. She isn't like some girls from backwater origins, utterly lacking in class." Julian sat in the primary seat, his expression neutral. He made no move to defend me, though his eyes drifted over to gauge my reaction every few seconds. Whenever we had visited the estate in the past, he had guarded me fiercely, scowling if anyone dared to look at me sideways. Today, his bystander attitude was as clear as day to the shrewd people gathered in the room, emboldening them to shed all restraint. In the past, I might have offered an explanation or quietly swallowed a bellyful of hurt. Now, I couldn't care less. In a matter of days, I would have nothing to do with any of them. Ignoring everyone, I walked over to an empty corner, sat down, and poured myself a glass of water. My fingers lightly brushed against the bracelet on my wrist. I was only here to return this. Chloe's voice drifted over again: "Melanie, you're the one who actually matches my cousin. Unlike certain people who don't even greet their elders when they walk in, throwing temper tantrums the second someone says a word. Who is she trying to put on a show for?" Sitting beside Julian, Melanie caught sight of my bracelet, her eyes flashing with calculation. She knew exactly what it was. Melanie tugged gently on Julian's sleeve, speaking in a delicate purr: "Julian, I've always wanted to take a look at the bracelet Evelyn wears. I heard Grandma gave it to her personally, and I've never seen such high-grade rubies before." "Evelyn guards it like a treasure and never lets me touch it. Since we're at the estate today, could you let me see it?" Julian looked at her, a hint of hesitation crossing his features. Melanie smoothly changed the subject: "Oh, that's right, Julian... Evelyn once spent her entire savings to buy Sean Miller a luxury watch for his birthday, didn't she? I hear Sean still wears that watch to this day." Julian's gaze turned instantly icy. He looked back toward me: "Evelyn, let Melanie wear the bracelet for now. You'll get it back at the wedding." The entire room leaned in, watching the spectacle unfold. Without the slightest hesitation, I slid the bracelet off my wrist and set it down in front of Julian. "What a coincidence. I only came here today to return it. I'll have to trouble you to hand it back to Grandma Vance for me." "If you want to give it to someone else, you don't need to consult me. It has nothing to do with me." Without waiting for a response, I turned on my heel and walked straight toward the entrance. Behind me came the sharp crash of a glass shattering against the floor.Evelyn's POV After walking out of the estate, my phone buzzed with an incoming call from an unfamiliar number. I answered. "Evelyn, are you all right? I heard about Julian and Melanie." I recognized the voice instantly. It was Sean Miller, my ex-husband. I moved to hang up immediately. "Don't hang up!" Anticipating my reaction, he rushed to speak before the line went dead: "I called because there's something you need to know. Your mother's necklace—do you still remember it?" My hand froze. Of course I remembered. It was the token of love between my mother and father—a pearl necklace. When they divorced, my mother took nothing with her except that single piece of jewelry. Later, when life became too destitute to bear, she was forced to pawn it. Yet my mother had kept the empty jewelry box. When I was a child, I often saw her sitting by the edge of the bed, staring blankly into that empty box for entire twilights. "What are you trying to say?" "I saw that exact necklace featured in an auction catalogue. The auction is tonight. I knew how much it meant to you, so I thought I should tell you." "Thank you." I hung up and immediately searched for the details of the auction. My mother had left me nothing when she passed away. That necklace was the thing she had cherished most in this world. I had to win it back. That night, at the auction. My mother's necklace was presented as the grand finale lot of the evening. I raised my paddle. Right behind me, a familiar voice called out a higher bid. I turned my head. Julian sat in the VIP row diagonally behind me, paddle raised, with Melanie lounging beside him. I gritted my teeth and placed another bid. He matched it immediately. I bid again. He followed again. With every round, his bids were tossed out with effortless unconcern, as if he were toying with an insect. In the final round, he outright doubled the existing bid. Even if I emptied every single cent of my savings, it wouldn't come close to that astronomical figure. The gavel fell with a sharp crack. The necklace belonged to Julian. He accepted the jewelry piece, and right before my eyes, he fastened it around Melanie's neck with his own hands. Melanie tilted her chin to let him clasp the chain, a seductive, thoroughly satisfied smile curling on her lips. The last remaining relic of my mother... and I had still failed to protect it. I turned to leave, but Melanie stepped directly into my path, blocking my way. "Evelyn, you lost." Utterly baffled, I looked at her and asked: "Melanie, why are you targeting me like this?" As though she had waited an eternity to be asked that very question, Melanie's smile twisted into something hideous: "Why? I'm a celebrity, a daughter of the Sterling family! My background is better than yours, I'm prettier than you—so why does every single one of them fall for you?!" She leaned in, dropping her voice to a venomous whisper: "I want to tear away everything that belongs to you. You honestly thought I wanted to be your friend? Let me tell you the truth: the only reason I ever got close to you was to destroy you!" Looking at the borderline deranged obsession burning in her eyes, a shiver of cold disgust ran down my spine. "Then I wish you the best of luck." I stepped around her and walked toward the exit. Just as I reached the doors, Melanie's tearful wail erupted behind me: "Julian! The necklace you just gave me is gone! Evelyn was the only person who came anywhere near me..." I whipped around, blurting out instinctively: "It wasn't me! I didn't touch it!" Melanie's eyes were red, the picture of wounded innocence: "Evelyn, I know you wanted that necklace. If you had just told me, I would have gladly given it to you! Why do you have to bully me like this?" I looked toward Julian: "You know I would never do something like that." Julian said nothing. Melanie sobbed harder: "Are you saying I'm framing you? The necklace vanished the second you stepped close to me! It has to still be on you right now!" Julian threw a cold glance at the bodyguards flanking him. "Search her." "Julian Vance! I told you I didn't take it! Go pull the security footage!" Julian furrowed his brow, his gaze locked unblinkingly onto me. I fought with everything I had, but my strength was utterly useless against two grown men. My coat was ripped away, the buttons of my blouse tearing open to expose the lingerie beneath. The stares of the surrounding guests pierced into me like a barrage of needles. Instinctively, I crossed my arms over my body, a wave of humiliating shame crashing over me like boiling water. Once, during a business dinner, a client had merely stared at me a second too long, and Julian had beaten the man into the hospital. Now, he had personally ordered them to strip me in front of everyone, exposing my body to the entire room. The suffocating despair of having my dignity crushed underfoot was overwhelming. Biting my lip, I couldn't stop the tears from streaming down my face. Seeing my breakdown, Julian's expression shifted violently, and he opened his mouth, about to call a halt. But just then, the pearl necklace slipped out from my torn, disheveled collar and hit the floor. Whispers erupted through the crowd in an instant. "She really stole it? She looks so respectable, too..." "Stealing in broad daylight... how shameless." Julian stared at the necklace on the floor, the flicker of heartache in his eyes swallowed whole by disappointment. His face hardened as he looked at me. "Evelyn, you've disappointed me completely." Paying me no further mind, he wrapped an arm around Melanie and walked away without looking back. I collapsed there alone, half-naked, subjected to the gawking stares of the crowd, frozen in place. In the end, a waitress who couldn't bear to watch handed me her coat. "Miss, please put this on first." Wrapping the coat tightly around myself, I stumbled out of the auction house. My phone buzzed. It was a video from Melanie. On the screen, she stood by the artificial lake outside the venue, dangling the pearl necklace and smiling at the camera. With a casual flick of her fingers, she let go, letting the necklace drop into the lake. Staring at the video, only one thought consumed my mind. That was the last thing my mother had left behind in this world. I sprinted to the edge of the lake and threw myself in without a second thought. The late-autumn water was bone-chilling, the icy current instantly piercing deep into my marrow. I searched underwater frantically, blinded by silt and tangled in water weeds, unable to see a thing. I didn't know how long I searched before my fingers finally brushed against a segment of cold metal chain. Clenching it tightly in my fist, I struggled with everything I had to swim to the surface. But my freezing, waterlogged body refused to obey. A sudden, violent cramp seized my calf, the sharp pain causing me to choke on a mouthful of water. Water flooded my nose and mouth, and my consciousness began to slip away. Just as I was about to sink, a hand clamped firmly around my arm and hauled me violently out of the water. Dragged onto the shore, someone wrapped a coat around me. A pair of arms held me tight, and a familiar voice called out frantically in my ear: "Evelyn! Wake up!" [Paywall]