Chapter 4

Amber asked, "Eight sisters? You think your sisters are your private superhero squad or something?"

Mindy looked just as smug and contemptuous, her tone downright condescending. "Everyone knows your adoptive family is just a bunch of low-class nobodies. They're already dirt-poor, and you're saying you have eight sisters?"

Amber let out a disdainful snort, looking at me like I was dirt. "They're probably just a bunch of delinquents who spend their days causing trouble.

"You actually have the nerve to brag about bottom-feeding trash like that? Have you no shame? You're an absolute disgrace to the Decker family!"

Arthur held my hand tightly, shaking with anger.

As I stared at the three self-important morons, an angry laugh escaped me.

Arthur looked at me with a pained expression, his brow drawn tightly together.

Donna seemed to have run out of steam right then. She waved her hand impatiently, putting an end to the whole farce. "That's enough. All of you, stop arguing."

She shot me a glare, her tone utterly patronizing as she said, "Since Arthur's sticking up for you, I'll let you off this time. I can't be bothered to argue with an unruly punk like you."

She went right back to acting like the untouchable head of the family and said, "There's going to be a business gala in a few days. Make yourself presentable and come along.

"It'd be good for you to see how the real world works. Keep your mouth shut and don't speak unless spoken to when you're there. You'd better not embarrass the Decker family!"

With that, Donna turned on her heel and headed downstairs. Mindy shot me a disdainful look before sidling up to Arthur to suck up to him.

"Don't be mad, Arthur. Getting yourself worked up over this isn't worth it. How about I have that designer you love make you a custom suit for the gala?

"But you can't act like you did today. You and I are supposed to be on the same side. If you keep taking this country bumpkin's side, I'm going to be upset."

Arthur didn't even spare her a glance. With a cold expression, he dragged me straight to my room. The door slammed shut behind us with a loud bang.

I sat on the edge of the bed, and the more I thought about it, the more pissed off I got. Once we were at the gala, I was absolutely going to have my sisters end this engagement once and for all.

I wanted to make sure that idiot Mindy was sent packing as far away as possible.

The day of the gala came in a flash. I put on the cream-colored suit Arthur had specially picked out for me.

The second I stepped into the dazzling ballroom, I started looking around, trying to spot Arthur. Amber, who had been trailing right behind me, suddenly stuck her foot out.

She then waited for the perfect moment to slam right into my lower back. Caught off guard, I lost my balance in an instant and lurched forward.

In a panic, I flailed my hands around, desperately trying to grab at whatever I could.

My fingers just happened to catch the wrist of the woman in front of me. A snap echoed in the ballroom, and the strap of the limited-edition watch on her wrist snapped clean off.

The diamond-encrusted watch flew through the air in an arc before falling hard against the polished marble floor. It then skidded a long way across it.

The room went dead silent in an instant.

Amber instantly slapped on an apologetic look. "Oh, I am so sorry. He's my younger brother. We just brought him back from the countryside.

"I see that he has ruined your multi-million-dollar custom watch, but I promise I will make sure he is held fully accountable! I'm going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget as a way to make it up to you!"

Since I had hit the floor hard, my knees were still throbbing from the impact. When I heard Amber spew that nonsense and twist the facts, I was so mad that I was about to get up and give her a piece of my mind.

Suddenly, a hand appeared in front of me, and with a gentle tug, the person pulled me right back onto my feet.

I brushed the dust off my suit before looking up in anger. The next second, I found myself staring straight into a pair of familiar, mesmerizing eyes.

The woman was dressed in a perfectly tailored black evening gown. But right now, her usually gentle face was frighteningly dark.

"Who exactly are you trying to punish? You want to punish the heir to the Moore family?"

It was my oldest sister, Catherine Moore.