Chapter 4

Even as they watched me get compared to a piece of trash by the fiance they had chosen, Mom and Dad didn't defend me.

In fact, they turned to Sylvan, flushed with shame. "When we made that arrangement before she was born, we had no idea what kind of child we were going to have. Don't worry, Sylvan. Our families go way back; of course, we'll marry off our most outstanding and beautiful daughter to you.

"As for this ugly thing, we'd rather keep her at home for the rest of her life than let her ruin someone's life!"

My hands balled into fists, but I kept my mouth shut, as I couldn't be bothered to defend myself. After all, I didn't want such a harsh and cruel fiance either.

Sylvan, however, had no intention of letting me off the hook. He closed in on me and pressed even harder, "You're being too hard on yourselves, Mr. and Mrs. Sterling. To be honest, with the two of you as her parents, I'm sure your daughter can't be all that bad. So, I'm quite curious to see what she looks like.

"Why don't you have her take off her mask and sunglasses and let everyone have a look? Everyone here comes from one of the most prominent families in the capital. If someone happens to fancy this sort of ordinary, understated beauty, perhaps it could lead to a very happy marriage."

Mom and Dad exchanged an awkward glance. Neither of them dared to agree nor refuse.

Because, as my biological parents, they had never bothered to even take a good look at my face. Consequently, both of them were utterly unsure of what to expect.

Mom and Dad were afraid I wasn't merely taking off my mask and sunglasses, but was tearing away the metaphorical leaf that kept them from being made a laughingstock.

I took a step back, refusing to let Sylvan's height intimidate me.

"Since our engagement has already been called off, you don't need to be curious about what I look like. I've just been accepted into Alden College. From now on, I'll have my own studies and career to focus on, so I'm in no rush to get married. Besides, who I end up marrying is hardly the concern of an outsider like you."

Having never been put in his place in public in his entire life, Sylvan narrowed his eyes dangerously.

The guests around us stopped in their tracks and began whispering among themselves.

"Even with the best resources at our disposal, only a handful of our children manage to get into Alden College."

"I heard she was raised by her grandmother in the countryside, neglected by her parents."

"Regardless of what she looks like, she must be an exceptionally bright student."

After hearing everyone sing my praises, Mom's and Dad's expressions softened, and the corners of their lips curled. Vivian and Sylvan were the sole exceptions, each looking more furious than the other.

Vivian closed the distance between us before clamping her fingers around my wrist like a pair of iron pincers.

"Blob, besides education and capabilities, a woman's looks are just as much of a ticket through the door. If you seriously didn't care about your appearance, you wouldn't cover yourself up so thoroughly. There happen to be several top cosmetic surgeons here tonight.

"Why don't you take off your mask and let everyone see your face? They can give you a bit of a touch-up to add to your charm."

Even though she sounded as if she were asking for my permission, her hand had already shot toward my face.

I instinctively dodged, but that played right into her hands.

"Ugly duckling, wash that face of yours clean and let everyone see your true colors!" Vivian whispered sarcastically into my ear before using the momentum to hurl me into the swimming pool behind me.

The moment I plunged into the body of water, the tremendous impact washed away all my disguises. I flailed wildly, bobbing up and down in the pool.

It took a great deal of effort to grab the edge of the pool and pull myself up. Instinctively, I wiped away the water droplets from my eyes and nose.

The entire venue fell dead silent, save for the collective gasp. Then, someone broke the silence.

"There's a ghost!"