Chapter 1

"Bang, bang, bang."

The girl in the pink tutu kept slamming my head against the wall, muttering continuously.

"Didn't want to open the door, huh? Thought we couldn't get in?

"We're inside, and you still dare to act arrogantly like the fiancée of the Ford family?"

Dazed and with blood trickling from the corner of my forehead, I swallowed my sobs and asked, "The fiancée of the Ford family?"

The girl in the pink dress tossed me to the ground.

She clapped her hands and turned to the girl behind her.

"You do it!"

A girl in a black lace crop top and a bad-girl outfit stepped forward.

With a loud slap, she struck me across the face.

"Stupid wretch. Of course, we're talking about Ethan Ford, the president of the Norwyn Focal Group, the young master of the Ford family!"

Ethan Ford?

I had lived a smooth sailing life since childhood, but three months ago, I was suddenly targeted after I went to university.

I was dragged into a dark alley by a group of thugs and subjected to violence and humiliation.

Until a kind-hearted passerby intervened and forcefully pulled them away.

"Let her go! If you don't, I'll call the police right now!"

"You dare challenge me? Try it, if you can," said one of the thugs, raising an iron rod and hitting the good Samaritan.

Though he was beaten, he still shielded me and helped me escape the alley.

When I saw the light again, I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, a wealthy couple was standing by my bed.

"Evelyn, we are your parents."

I shrank in fear and said, "Go away, I don't know you! Leave me alone!"

The man who saved me, still with bandages in his hand, stood before me and persuaded them.

"Mrs. Shaw, Mr. Shaw, Evelyn needs rest now. I'll explain everything to her. Please go home for now."

The couple hesitated and glanced at me, but eventually, they left.

I curled up in the corner, trembling uncontrollably.

The man spoke gently. "My name is Ethan Ford. I'm your fiancé. The two people just now are your biological parents.

"You were switched with another child by the nanny when you were born, and now there's a foster daughter in your family named Serena."

He handed me a paternity test.

Since then, my life had no longer been lonely, as I had a fiancé who loved me deeply.

He spoiled me to no end.

Every day, he prepared the latest luxury clothes and five-star restaurant meals for me.

As well as endless amounts of money.

Except, he didn't let me leave this villa.

I had developed depression from the trauma I suffered before, and he stayed by my side day and night, comforting me.

Recently, my condition had improved, and I wanted to go outside.

But he wouldn't let me.

We had a huge argument.

In the end, he compromised and agreed that I could walk in the garden downstairs, but only with him accompanying me.

One day, a new security guard greeted me warmly, and Ethan saw it.

That night, I overheard him making a phone call, saying he was going to have the security guard's eyes gouged out.

Just because the man had looked at me once.

That was when I realized, he had an almost obsessive possessiveness over me.

Slap.

I covered my face.

The lace-clad girl yelled at me. "Hey! Answer me! Why are you here?"

I didn't respond, my eyes fixed on the girl in the pink tutu sitting leisurely on the sofa.

I asked cautiously, "Are you Serena Shaw?"

The girl didn't answer but just glanced at the lace-clad girl.

The lace-clad girl immediately understood and said, "How dare you ask about her name?

"Just because you look a bit like her, you dare to call yourself Ethan's fiancée? Who gave you the right?

"Trying to play the 'stand-in' game?"

With that, the lace-clad girl raised her hand, and I braced myself for the slap.

I dodged at the last moment.

Serena's entourage spoke up.

"Slapping isn't fun. Let's just carve her face and be done with it."

"I agree. "Let's see if she still dares to flaunt a face that likes Serena's and seduce men!"

Serena spoke coldly, "Then let's just ruin her face!"

Panicking, I shouted, "I'm Ethan's fiancée! If you ruin my face, he will be furious!"

After a glance at each other, the girls in the entourage turned their eyes toward Serena.

Serena snapped, "You cheeky wretch. Still dreaming of being part of my family?

"Ethan was just bored while I was away. You’re a stand-in, and you really bought it?"

She raised her hand and casually pointed at a few people.

"You... and you, take her to the bathroom.

“Make her rinse her mouth with toilet water, and wash that foolish brain of hers. She shouldn't daydream!"

Immediately, two girls and the lace-clad girl grabbed me and pushed me to the bathroom.

They forced my head down into the toilet.

I struggled to lift my head, but they pressed it down again.

After several times, I was nearly unconscious.

Serena then walked in and ordered, "Alright, drown her now. What's next?"

"Yes."

The three girls hastily dragged me in front of Serena.

My head was pulled back, and my chin was gripped.

Serena crouched down in front of me, playing with a blade.

"How dare you? Who doesn't know Ethan belongs to me, and yet you stay by his side trying to seduce him!"

I shook my head desperately and explained, "It's not like that, I'm his fiancée!"

But Serena wouldn't listen, and the blade flashed silver.

"Ah!"