Chapter 2

Rage boiled over, and I stormed up to the stage, slapping Selena hard across the face.

Her eyes immediately reddened, and tears streamed down her face.

“Trish, I can look past how you always make my life hard. But this is my wedding!” she cried. “Who has ever heard of giving a bouquet back after a swap? These glass bouquets are all over online shopping platforms for just ten bucks. Fine, I’ll give you a hundred to make up for it!”

My fiancé, Ian Carter, rushed to the stage and shielded her behind his back, while my brother, Sean Scott, stormed toward me, his face dark. Without a word, he slapped me hard across my cheek.

“Enough. It’s just a bouquet! If you want one, I’ll buy you a truckload. Stop making a scene. This is Selena’s wedding!”

I stared at him, shaking with anger as I shouted, “That bouquet is mine! It was carved from the finest jade by Granddad himself! It’s his blessing to me!”

“Blessing?” Sean sneered. “It’s just a bunch of flowers. You’re acting like a spoiled princess. Do you have to embarrass us on a day like this?”

Furious, I demanded that Selena pay for the damage and threatened to fire her.

“Miss Scott, please, don’t fire me. My mother had served your family for years and ruined her health doing it. Please, don’t do this to me…” Selena said, smearing me on purpose.

I couldn’t hold back from grabbing her and demanding an answer. In the middle of the struggle, she gave me a sly, triumphant smile, yanked on my wedding dress, and let herself fall backward. With a loud rip, a huge tear split across my gown.

It was supposed to be a day of celebration between two families, but with so many reporters and cameras present, my indecent photos were everywhere within minutes. Ian’s face turned ashen. Right there, he announced he was breaking off the engagement.

I instantly became the laughingstock of high society. Online, not only were my photos plastered everywhere, but so was a video of me “pushing” Selena off the stage. The internet mob tore into me.

My mother was so worried she rushed back from overseas, but on the way home, her plane crashed. Crushed by grief, I locked myself in the house, refusing to step outside. After a month, my body began to change drastically. That was when I discovered Selena had been slipping hormone pills into my food.

“I’m only doing this for your own good, Trish,” she said sweetly. “These are top-notch antidepressants. You’ve been isolating yourself, and I was worried…”

By then, Sean had moved her into our home. He even told her warmly that it was now her home.

Selena wore the evening gown my mother had custom-ordered for me. She flaunted the jewelry my mother had paid a fortune to win at auction. She walked in and out of elite social circles as if she’d always belonged.

When I screamed at her to get out, Sean slapped me so hard I fell to the ground.

“Look at yourself,” he snarled. “You look like a fat pig now. Wearing these clothes would only make you more of a joke. Selena looks so much better in them than you ever did. She has been representing our family over the past weeks and making us proud. I’ve accepted her as my sister. She’s part of the Scott family now!”

He looked at me, his eyes full of disgust.

Not only that, but my former fiancé Ian had fallen head over heels for her, becoming her loyal protector. In the meantime, Selena’s husband, Flynn Walter, used her to break into high society. Soon, with a powerful backer, he rose even higher. All three men worshipped Selena like she was made of gold.

Then, on her birthday, she staged it so it looked like I had pushed her, while she was pregnant, down a flight of stairs. That was when the three of them turned on me completely.

Sean threw me out of the house and froze all my accounts; Ian sent people to break my limbs; Flynn unleashed a gang of thugs on me, tormenting me day and night.

I took my last breath, choking on rage and despair.

And Selena? She became their princess, the darling of the elite.

When I opened my eyes again, I was holding the bouquet in my hands once more. A dark, unreadable light flickered in my eyes.