LOGINThird Person's POVInside the Todds' mansion, Cyrus was practically dragging Melinda up the stairs by the wrist.His fingers dug in hard, leaving her wrist red.Melinda stumbled along, tear tracks on her face, muttering, "Dad, Cliff must have been tricked by Vanya. He promised me...""Shut up!" Cyrus snarled, his face furious, his pace hurried.His only thought was how to salvage the situation. If he lost the connection with the Todds, the Chambers was truly done.Vanya watched them leave, gently tracing the rim of her glass. Her tone was as calm as a weather report. "You handle your business. I'm going downstairs."Cliff simply nodded, his eyes following her as she turned. A flicker of complexity crossed his gaze, but it quickly returned to its cold, remote state.As Vanya reached the main floor, Calvert and Bryant rushed toward her.Calvert grabbed her arm, his eyes filled with anxiety and worry. "What happened? Why di
Third Person's POV"Why would I wait? To watch them play the 'deeply devoted father and daughter' act?" Zander's footsteps didn't slow. His face was dark with anger, and his knuckles were white from clenching his fists.Vincent didn't give up. "But Ella just fainted. When she wakes up, we can find a chance to get her and Cyrus to do a DNA test. Once Cyrus knows the truth...""Idiot!" Zander stopped abruptly and turned to look at him.His eyes were burning with rage. "Can't you see? Cyrus knew all along that Melinda wasn't his daughter!"Vincent froze, his eyes wide. "Wh-what? How is that possible?"He had always believed Cyrus was fooled by Melinda, but he hadn't expected him to be complicit."Nothing is impossible," Zander said, his voice dropping as he looked toward the direction of the Todds mansion."To him, the Chambers family's interests are far more important than a 'tainted' biological daughter. Today's farce was just t
Third Person's POVThat ring was her only comfort in prison, but Melinda had tricked her out of it with a promise to "find your father," only to vanish without a trace.The statement hit the room like a depth charge, creating a profound silence.Melinda's arrest for financial fraud had been public, but she was "released on bail" shortly after.People had assumed the Chambers paid for her freedom.Now, with Ella's accusation, everyone's gaze turned sharp and probing, focusing on Melinda.Melinda's face flashed white, but she quickly composed herself. "So you say I tricked you out of a ring to get out of jail. But what about you? Why were you in jail?"She paused, sweeping her gaze across the guests, clearly intending to crush Ella entirely.Ella's face instantly flushed, then rapidly paled. Her lips trembled.She clenched the hem of her faded T-shirt. Her time in prison was a painful scar she never spoke of, and now it wa
Third Person's POVHer words were flawless, delivered with a tone of "goodwill," but everyone understood: she was implying that Melinda was mentally unstable and that her claims should be ignored.Cyrus suddenly shielded Melinda, his chest heaving violently.His voice was filled with rage, but it trembled with a lack of confidence. "I'd like to see who dares to take my daughter!"The moment he finished speaking, the ballroom doors creaked open.All eyes turned to the entrance. A woman stood there, dressed in faded jeans and a grey t-shirt, her shoes lightly dusted with dirt—a jarring sight at the glamorous gala.The woman saw Cyrus, her eyes instantly welled up, and she quickly ran in, collapsing onto the floor and hugging his legs, sobbing loudly. "Dad! I finally found you!"Cyrus's face immediately turned ashen. His body stiffened like a stone, and his grip on Melinda loosened slightly.Zander watched the scene, a faint
Third Person's POVCyrus stiffened, a fresh wave of cold sweat breaking out on his back.How could he have forgotten that Cliff was never a man to be coerced?Those ambiguous "hints" they'd acted on might have been a trap from the very beginning.They thought they had secured the Todds' backing, rushed to cut ties with Zander, and then foolishly broadcast the engagement news to all of Los Angeles.He wanted to force Cliff to "go with the flow," but now it just looked like a pathetic spectacle."What's going on? Wasn't Alpha Cliff supposed to get engaged to Miss Chambers?" someone whispered in the corner, confusion in their voice, forgetting to swirl their champagne."I knew it!" A curly-haired woman nearby immediately chimed in, a mocking smile on her lips."Ella is just a home-wrecker. She couldn't get into the Todds even when she was pregnant. Now that the baby's gone, why would the Todds accept her?""I bet the Chambe
Third Person's POVMelinda's face was completely drained of color, pale as a lifeless sheet.Her lips trembled slightly, and her eyes were unfocused. "Cliff... how could this be..." she mumbled, her voice a faint, desperate whisper.She suddenly snapped her head up, her eyes bloodshot, her voice spiking into a sharp, tearing shriek. "Impossible! Cliff! You're lying! You were supposed to marry me!"Tonight was supposed to be her engagement party! She was wearing the most beautiful gown, receiving everyone's blessings, and was about to become Cliff's fiancée. How could everything change so suddenly?Vanya was supposed to be history!Facing Melinda's hysterical outburst, Cliff merely gave her a cold glance.His eyes held no emotion, not even a trace of annoyance.Then, in front of everyone, he firmly grasped Vanya's hand, his thumb gently caressing the back of her hand.His voice was unwavering. "I will only ever hav







