Chapter 3

I lay on the freezing floor, my spine stiff, my body trembling with cold.

I looked up at Ethan, but his voice was completely indifferent.

"Chloe, you're the one who threw a tantrum first."

"You ruined Melanie's things. It's only right that you apologize and compensate her."

At that moment, it felt as if a dagger had been driven straight into my heart.

He was allowing Melanie to humiliate me.

He was letting me kneel in front of the city's entire elite class, stripped of every ounce of my dignity.

The eyes of the crowd locked onto me, filled with mockery and disdain.

The video continued to play on the loop behind me.

Seeing him back her up, Melanie grew even bolder.

She leaned down, pressing her lips close to my ear, whispering in a voice only I could hear.

"Actually, back then, I was the one who told Ethan to hand you that spiked drink."

"The man you love personally handed you to another man."

"Of course, he didn't know what was in it at the time. So all his kindness to you over the years wasn't love. It was just guilt."

"I told you before—a piece of trash like you could never be good enough for Ethan."

My body shuddered violently.

My heart felt like it was being ripped to shreds, bleeding out.

The pain was suffocating.

He wasn't just covering up for her. He was an accomplice.

I pushed against the floor, trying to stand up, but Ethan's hand pressed down heavily on my shoulder.

It wasn't a violent grip, but it carried an unyielding authority.

"Apologize to Melanie first."

"Don't force my hand, Chloe. I can make sure you and Lily have no place left in this city."

Melanie took out her phone, a nasty smirk on her face.

She swiped open the screen and raised her voice so the entire room could hear.

"We can't be soft on people like her! She destroyed high-value property worth a million dollars. That's a felony!"

She dialed the police right then and there.

"Yes, I'm at the Grand Plaza Hotel. Someone has intentionally destroyed a million-dollar custom gown and is refusing to pay. She's being extremely hostile. Please send officers to arrest her immediately!"

She hung up and looked down at me, her eyes cold and victorious.

I knew what she wanted. She wanted to blow this up.

She wanted to use this to ruin me completely.

Ethan's hand on my shoulder tightened, his voice pressing down on me.

"Chloe, kneel and apologize to Melanie right now, and I'll settle this case for you."

"Once the police get involved and you have a felony record, you know exactly what will happen to Lily's future. Think about her school, her career, and her chance of ever entering high society."

At that moment, a blazing fire of hatred erupted inside me.

He was using my daughter's future.

He was forcing me to bow my head and plead guilty.

He was forcing me to admit that I was the villain, the ungrateful wretch.

I clenched my teeth so hard that the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.

I closed my eyes.

I could let myself be ruined, but I couldn't gamble with my daughter's future.

"I'm sorry... it was my fault."

My voice was hoarse, thick with unbearable agony.

Hearing my confession, the guests snickered, their looks of disgust intensifying.

"How shameless! Having a woman like this in our circle is an absolute disgrace."

"She only bows her head when she's caught. Typical."

"Ethan was kind enough to take her in for three years, and she bit the hand that fed her."

Ethan slowly released his grip on my shoulder.

He looked down at me, a satisfied smile returning to his face.

"Good. As long as you know you were wrong. The wedding will continue."

The room fell dead silent.

Even I found it hilariously absurd.

The whispers stopped, and the guests stared in utter disbelief.

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