Chapter 1

Consciousness came with pain.

Livia’s neck felt as if it were being crushed by an iron grip. The person choking her was truly ruthless.

She opened her eyes with a staggered breath—and instantly lost the air in her lungs.

A large hand pressed against her throat with brutal force. Without hesitation.

Air would not enter.

Her eyes widened. Her fingers clawed at the sheets, her body struggling in panic.

“Finally, you’re awake.”

A man’s voice. Cold. Low.

The pressure on her neck grew even stronger.

“Did you think I would fall for such a cheap trick?”

Livia tried to speak, but only a hoarse sound came out.

“I—I didn’t—”

“Silence!”

Until this moment, the woman still did not understand what was happening.

The shout shook Livia’s chest.

Tears immediately streamed down.

She forced herself to turn her head.

And her world collapsed when she saw the man’s face.

Adrian De Luca.

His gaze was dark, full of disgust as if he were looking at something filthy.

“You came to my bed on your own after my engagement party?” his voice was sharp. “How low is your self-worth?”

Livia shook her head quickly.

“I don’t know what happened—”

Adrian’s fingers pressed harder.

Her breath was cut off.

“You set me up,” he hissed. “How dare you try to replace Claire.”

Livia’s head began to spin.

“I… didn’t…”

“Of course you didn’t,” Adrian sneered. “An innocent face. Tears. A country girl pretending not to understand.”

His gaze lowered, filled with contempt.

“Do you think sleeping with me will make you Mrs. De Luca?”

Tears fell silently from Livia’s eyes. She was not given the chance to defend herself.

Her face was red and had already begun turning bluish. Her eyes rolled upward, and her tongue had already begun to protrude.

She still did not even understand why she was in this room.

“I’m sick of seeing you.”

The pressure was finally released.

Livia coughed violently, her lungs burning as air finally entered. Her hands trembled as they clutched her aching throat.

“Get out,” Adrian said coldly. “Before I lose my patience and drag you out myself.”

Livia’s body trembled as she climbed down from the bed, pulling the blanket to cover her body.

She did not even dare to look at herself.

She had not taken two steps—

BANG!

The suite door burst open.

Camera flashes exploded.

“MR. DE LUCA!”

“ARE YOU HAVING AN AFFAIR?!”

Dozens of reporters stormed in.

The camera lights were blinding. Microphones were directed at her face.

Click. Click. Click.

Livia froze.

She stood there half-covered by the blanket.

Behind her—Adrian De Luca.

In a single second, everything looked like betrayal.

Then someone pushed through the crowd.

“Adrian…?”

The woman’s voice trembled.

Claire.

Her face was pale. Her eyes widened. Her hand trembled as she covered her own mouth.

Tears fell slowly.

“What… is… this…?”

All the cameras immediately turned toward her.

The legal fiancée.

Claire stepped back one step, as if her legs had lost their strength when she saw Livia.

“Livia…?” her voice broke. “You… and Adrian…?”

Livia shook her head in panic.

“I didn’t, it’s not like—”

“Don’t lie!”

Claire’s sob burst out.

“I already considered you family…!”

The reporters grew even noisier.

“Is there a family relationship?!”

Claire covered her face, her shoulders shaking.

“My father brought her home years ago,” she said between sobs. “The daughter of the woman who destroyed my family…”

The room instantly erupted.

“And now…” Claire looked at Livia with red eyes, her voice hoarse. “After your mother seduced my father, you’re trying to take my fiancé as well?”

“No!” Livia panicked. “I was set up—”

FLASH!

A reporter raised his camera toward the bed.

White sheets.

A clear red bloodstain.

The room instantly exploded.

“PROOF OF THE FIRST NIGHT!”

“DE LUCA SCANDAL!”

Livia froze.

Her blood felt cold.

She had just realized the meaning of that stain.

Her legs could barely support her.

Adrian’s gaze turned even darker.

Claire looked at the bed… then cried even harder, leaning on a reporter as if she could no longer stand.

“I never expected… my own sister…” her voice shattered.

The cameras kept flashing.

And Livia Moreau stood in the middle of the room, silent, without defense—

while her dignity was destroyed in front of the world.