CHAPTER ONE (ELARA'S POV)

 “Ivy,” Aiden muttered against her lips, his voice low and dripping with affection. “You’re the one I’ve always wanted.”

 Her chest stung at his words, his betrayal cutting deep into her but she couldn't look away. Her heart shattered and the room spun.

 “What?!” She shrieked the glass in her hand slipping and scattering on the ground.

 She froze in her tracks as she looked at the sight before her. The faint sound of music and laughter from the engagement party faded into nothing as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing.

 Right before her in a hidden corner of the hallway her fiancé, Aiden Crawford, has his hand tangled in her step sister Ivy's hair, their lips were locked in a deep intimate kiss, one filled with so much passion it made her stomach churn.

 They jerked apart, their heads snapping in her direction. Aiden's face drained of color and panic took over but Ivy on the other hand smirked— she smirked like she had just won a game that Elara didn't know that she had been playing.

 “I—” Her voice came out hoarse, trembling with disbelief. “What the hell is this?”

 “Elara,” Aiden started, taking a hesitant step forward. “It’s not what it looks like—”

 “Don’t,” she cut him off, her voice sharply slicing through the air. “Don't you dare insult me, I saw everything with my own eyes.”

 Ivy casually leaned against the wall, arms crossed without a single ounce of regret on her face. “Oh, come on, Elara. Don’t act so surprised. You couldn’t have possibly thought he actually loved you, come on, the signs were always there.”

 Elara clenched her fists at her sides, nails digging into her palm. “You,” she spat, glaring at Ivy. “You’re my sister. How could you?”

 “Step sister.” Ivy corrected with a shrug. “We have no blood ties. Let's be honest here for a second, you were never going to be good enough for him. Aiden is an ambitious man and he needs a woman who can match his ambition. Someone like me, not a worthless person like you.”

 Her words stung, Elara didn't pay Aiden any attention as hers was now fixed on her sister. Never had she imagined that she would hear such from her. “How long has this been going on?”

 “Take a guess.” Ivy said, the smirk still playing on her lips.

 Elara turned to Aiden who had the audacity to look ashamed as he ran a finger through his hair. “It-it’s not that simple. I—”

 “Answer me!” Elara screamed.

 “Six months,” Ivy answered with a smug look on her face. “He obviously saw that I was a better fit for him than you.”

 Tears welled up in Elara's eyes, blurring her vision but she refused to let them fall. She couldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing her crumble, instead, she straightened her spine, blinked back her tears and met Aiden's gaze.

 “You're a coward.” She said to him, voice cold. “And you—” she turned to Ivy and looked at her in disgust. “You're nothing more than a filthy worthless snake.”

 “Oh please, you can call me whatever you want,” Ivy said as she pushed herself off the wall and walked up to Elara. “But you're the one who got cheated on, even on her engagement day. It's time you woke up from your little fantasy, Elara. You never have and never will be good enough for anyone.”

 Elara stared at her as her hands shook. She wanted to hit her but instead, she took a deep breath and took a step back.  “Enjoy your little victory for as long as it lasts.” she said, her voice laced with venom. “Because when I’m done, neither of you will have anything left to celebrate.”

 With that, she turned on her heels and walked away, the weight of their betrayal pressing down on her chest but she refused to succumb to it. As tears blurred her vision once more a new fire lit up inside her.

 Her heart pounded in her chest as she walked back to the ballroom. The glittering chandelier, the sound of laughter, music, chatter and clinking wine glasses all felt like a mockery of her situation.

 This was supposed to be her engagement party, the happiest day of her life.

 She barely noticed the concerned glances thrown her way, too caught up in her internal battle. A throat cleared on stage and the room fell silent, she turned to the stage and saw Aiden standing there.

 What is he doing?  What's his plan?

 “Aiden.” She called out in warning, voice travelling across the room.

 All eyes turned to her but she ignored them. Something flickered in. Aiden's expression but she quickly masked it and put on a charming smile. “Elara, darling, what’s wrong?”

 The audacity!

 She marched towards the stage and didn't stop until she was directly in front of him. “What’s wrong? You want to know what’s wrong?” she spat, her voice rising as she became consumed by rage. “Why don’t you tell everyone here how you’ve been sneaking around with Ivy behind my back?”

 Gasps echoed through the hall and Aiden's composed mask slipped. “Elara, don’t do this here,” he hissed, his voice low but laced with warning.

 “Why not?” she shot back. “Oh, you wanted to come up here and act like all is well, right? You had absolutely no problem betraying me in private so what difference does it make if we bring it out here in the open?”

 Aiden clenched his jaw and for a moment she thought he would deny it. Instead he laughed— a cold, bitter sound that sent a shiver down her spine.

 “Fine,” he said, stepping closer. “You want the truth? I never loved you, Elara. You were nothing more than a stepping stone to help me climb the social ladder and secure my position in your father's company.”

 His words hit her like a punch in her gut but he wasn't done.

 “You’re weak.” He spat, voice dripping with disgust. “So naive and dumb enough to believe I actually cared about you. But you see Ivy, on the other hand, she is everything you’re not—ambitious, smart, and capable.”

 “You’re a monster,” she said, her voice shaking with fury and sadness. 

 “And you’re pathetic,” he shot back, this time his voice was loud enough to be heard by the whole room. “This engagement is over. Consider yourself free to carry on with your incompetence.”

 Whispers erupted in the room but Elara could barely hear them as she turned and fled.

 They had taken everything from her tonight—her love, her trust, her dignity.

 But they would regret ever underestimating her.

 She would make sure of it.