Chapter 4

Ashley covered her face, sniffling.

"Her tongue is razor-sharp, and she plays the victim card perfectly. How can we possibly touch her?"

Chase smirked coldly.

"No matter how much your parents pity her, they will never tolerate her trying to seduce your fiancé."

Ashley's eyes lit up with malicious glee.

They exchanged a look, and a trap was set.

That evening, Ashley approached me with sweet humility, claiming she had a peace offering for me in the third-floor study at the end of the hall.

I spat on the ground right in front of her.

"What kind of garbage gift makes me walk up three flights of stairs to fetch it? Keep it. I don't want your junk."

Ashley's face flushed bright crimson. Losing her patience, she grabbed my arm and dragged me straight into her own bedroom.

Chase, who was waiting inside, immediately locked the door behind us.

Outside, Ashley composed herself, pulled her hair into disarray, and ran sobbing down to our parents' study.

"Mom! Dad! Please, you have to help me!"

Seeing her in tears, Mom panicked. "What's wrong, sweetie? Who hurt you?!"

It was only then that Ashley noticed the study wasn't just occupied by our parents; several prominent socialite mothers from high society were visiting as well.

A dark thrill rushed through Ashley's veins.

The more witnesses, the better. She was going to ruin the little peasant once and for all.

She buried her face in her hands, weeping loudly. "Chase said I invited him over to study in my room, but I never did! When I went upstairs, I found that girl in there with him!

"They've been locked inside for over an hour! The door is bolted from the inside, and they won't open it!"

Her voice trembled with heartbroken vulnerability, pulling at the heartstrings of every woman in the room.

"Chase is my fiancé! She already stole my parents and my room... why is she trying to steal my fiancé too?!"

Dad bolted out of his chair, and the visiting ladies gasped in sheer scandal.

"Good heavens, is this true?"

"I heard girls from those destitute backgrounds are ruthless gold-diggers. Facing a handsome heir like Chase, how could she resist? They're probably all over each other right now!"

"Poor Ashley... such a sweet girl, having her fiancé stolen by a feral stray."

Those comments shattered Dad's pride. His lingering guilt toward me instantly morphed into explosive rage and humiliation.

In front of high-society peers, his long-lost biological daughter was committing such a shameless act!

"Get the keys! Break the door down right now!"

"Unbelievable! How could she be so depraved?!"

A furious mob marched up to Ashley's bedroom.

Reaching the door, faint groans and scuffling noises could be heard from inside. The faces of the socialites twisted in disgust.

Ashley subtly pulled out her phone to record, eager to broadcast the scandalous footage everywhere so I would be ruined forever.

Someone muttered under their breath that I was a shameless tramp who lacked basic morals.

Mom looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole. Dad, red with fury, grabbed a decorative brass mallet from the hallway display and smashed the lock open.

The door flew wide. Everyone surged inside, ready to catch us in the act.

The scene inside slammed into their vision.

In a split second, the collective fury turned into stunned, paralyzed silence.