CHAPTER 1 - Their Betrayal

Today, Serena Collins and her boyfriend, Ethan, had plans to meet. Serena arrived at Ethan's apartment with a happy heart.

There was nothing particularly special about the occasion, but Serena was the kind of girl who could always find a reason to be happy. Maybe it was because Ethan rarely had free time, so every date felt like a small celebration.

At first, Serena walked cheerfully, full of excitement despite the lingering drizzle that had nearly ruined her freshly blow-dried hair.

Her hand held a small umbrella, now folded shut, while her heart bloomed with joy.

However, the moment she arrived at apartment 3B and noticed the door was not fully closed, an uneasy feeling crept over her.

"Ethan is never this careless. Could it be that he doesn't realize his door is still unlocked?" Serena murmured.

She reached out to knock, but something stopped her. Her heart was suddenly restless.

Frowning, she carefully pushed the door open.

She stepped cautiously into the dim living room. Only a corner lamp was on, casting the shadows of decorative plants across the walls. The sofa was in disarray, and a man's shirt lay draped over its backrest. Serena's heartbeat began to pound strangely.

That wasn't all.

She also noticed a woman's dress and undergarments scattered in front of the bedroom door.

"Ethan?" she called softly.

No answer came.

She moved farther inside. The atmosphere in the apartment made her chest tighten, and just as she neared the bedroom door, she heard voices.

"Ahh... deeper, Ethan. Don't stop!" a woman's voice cried out, breathy and filled with pleasure.

Serena's body instantly froze.

Then a man's voice followed, one she would recognize anywhere.

"You're crazy, Marissa. Your body is addictive."

Serena stood rooted to the spot, her head throbbing. The bed creaked, followed by alternating breaths and moans.

"Ah, Ethan, faster. I'm almost..."

"Quiet. Let me be the one controlling you tonight."

Serena clamped a hand over her mouth to keep her breathing silent. She took a cautious step forward until she could peer through the narrow gap in the bedroom door, which was open only a few inches.

And there, every certainty she had ever held shattered.

Marissa, her stepsister, lay sprawled across the bed with her hair tangled across the pillow. Her unclothed body and intoxicated expression radiated pleasure. Ethan, the man she was engaged to, was kissing her stepsister with reckless hunger.

Serena stood motionless.

Tears fell from her eyes, yet her face remained rigid. She was not the kind of girl who would scream and cry outside a bedroom door. She simply stood there, swallowing the bitter reality that stabbed through her heart.

Her hands trembled, but Serena kept her back straight, refusing to let herself collapse. She would not fall apart in front of them.

With the last of her strength, she stepped away from the door. Their voices continued to slice through her ears, but Serena chose to leave.

Her heart was broken, yet her thoughts were even more chaotic.

She didn't know what to do about her relationship with Ethan. Their engagement was not merely a matter of love. It was an agreement between two influential families.

If she called it off, her stepmother could persuade her father to withdraw all financial support for her biological mother's medical treatment. Her mother was currently receiving intensive care in the hospital.

But if she went through with the marriage, it would feel like stabbing herself with the very same knife.

Serena pressed a hand against her chest, torn between wanting to scream and wanting to faint.

Every path before her seemed to lead toward destruction.

She ran out of the apartment, her mind spinning. She shoved the door open in haste. Her breathing was ragged, and tears streamed down her face.

Serena hurried down the hallway.

That was when she nearly collided with a tall man dressed in an immaculate suit.

She looked up.

The man studied her intently. His dark eyes were calculating as they rested on the young woman before him.

Meanwhile, Serena lowered her gaze again and walked past him without a word.

The man was Steave Alexander Whitmore, Ethan's uncle.

Steave watched the young woman wander away aimlessly, tears still visible on her cheeks. Suspicion immediately stirred within him.

He walked toward Ethan's apartment and opened the door without hesitation.

His instincts proved correct.

Moans, gasps, and the rhythmic creaking of a bed echoed from inside. One glance was all it took for him to understand exactly what was happening.

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

He pulled his phone from his pocket and raised it to his ear.

"Paul," he said flatly. "We're moving up the timeline. Prepare everything."