Chapter 2

I looked incredulously at the dress I was wearing. It was designed for the wedding toast and looked low-profile yet respectful. It was not that similar to the dress Ruby had on.

Moreover, her makeup had been done by celebrity makeup artists who helped make her bridal makeover look exquisite. Anyone who was not blind could tell right away that she was the bride. How could I be stealing her limelight?

I frowned. I did not want to waste time arguing with them. "I'm wearing an official dress for the wedding toast. It's not appropriate to take it off."

Before I could leave, Ruby suddenly grabbed my hand. She cried pitifully while tearing off my dress. "You heard what she said, everyone. She said it's an official dress for the wedding toast. She did this on purpose! I would’ve tolerated this on other days, but this is my wedding day! How can I let this slide?"

When she grabbed my collar, she deliberately scratched me violently with her sharp, manicured nails. Blood splattered everywhere instantly, and I screamed with pain.

Ruby cried even louder and pitifully when she saw this. She pushed me into the crowd out of panic. "I didn't do it on purpose! It's because you insisted on wearing that dress. My husband tailor-made my dress for me, and it means a lot to me. I can't allow anyone to take that away from me!"

Her tears fell freely, and her underlings grew angry over the predicament she was in. Her group of besties started to grab my hands to hold me down while continuing to pull at my collar. Viciousness flashed in their eyes.

"Don't dirty your hands, Ruby. Cheap women like her rarely have more than two dresses. It would be bad luck for you to even touch her!"

"We'll help you tear the clothes off this b*tch. Who does she think she is to imitate you?"

"Hey, any men around here who are strong enough should come help out. This b*tch is actually brazen enough to fight back!"

Before I could react, someone's arm wound around my neck. I almost passed out from suffocation as my limbs started to go weak. It didn't matter how much I tried to fight back. I could not fight off the numerous hands grabbing at me.

Tears filled my eyes as I shouted at them to stop, "I-I'm Connor's foster mother… Uff…"

Before I could finish what I was saying, a bloody scratch appeared on the corner of my mouth. The group kept insulting me one after the other, not bothering to listen to what I had to say. The dress was soon torn off me.

I was left cowering alone on the icy floor with wounds all over my body. My dress had been torn to shreds, and everyone brought chunks to Ruby as if presenting a treasure to her. Ruby did not even glance at them. All she did was stare straight at me.

When I tried to say something, the person holding down my hand immediately slapped me. My cheek became badly swollen. I could feel the burning pain sear through my brain. Before I could react, I was dealt another slap.

Cruel laughter rang in my ears. "Shouldn't you be grateful that I made sure your features were balanced with swollen cheeks on both sides?"

The world spun around me when I heard Ruby's coquettish voice amid her sobbing. "Thank you, everyone. I'm sorry I let everyone see something so unsavory on my big day. It's all my fault for indulging her shenanigans.

"But she's still a woman, after all. She won't be able to marry anyone if she has so many wounds. She won't be able to live a life of luxury like me once I become Mrs. Milford!"

With that, Ruby picked up a glass of whisky and raised her hand to pour it all over me. "What a great coincidence that there’s alcohol here. I can help Chloe disinfect her wounds."

When she saw me wince from the pain, her smile got wider as she said to me, while feigning being considerate, "Don't worry. Even though you can't afford such expensive whisky, it's my wedding, after all. I can use it however I want."

It was the beginning of autumn, and I was left wearing only my undergarments. I could not help hugging myself tight as I shivered from the cold. I was like a fish out of water that was about to die. The group seemed to have found something interesting as they were encouraged to imitate what Ruby did by grabbing alcohol off the table.

"Isn't Ruby creative? I want to have some fun too! I wonder if this bottle of 1982 Lafite would work well as a disinfectant."

My tears mixed with the red wine as it flowed to the corner of my mouth.

"Hey, don't sneak a lick of that wine! It's pretty disgusting now that it has blood in it."

They looked at me maliciously and with disgust as they continued laughing while having their fun with me. They carefully observed my painful expression and described it loudly for Ruby.

I could no longer speak. If I even attempted to speak, a slap would come for me. I was numb from the pain as the alcohol burned all the wounds on my body. It felt like I had just been grilled on a hot plate.

When I tried to stand up to run away from this hellish room, I was pushed to the floor numerous times, helpless as everyone burst out into laughter.

"Trying to escape? Not so fast. We gave you a chance before this, but you didn't take it." Ruby looked down at me with superiority. She kept stepping on my fingers with her high heels as she listened to my weak cries of pain.

Suddenly, someone shouted, "Sam Chilton is here!"