Chapter 1

Ruijin lunged at my golden hair, trying to grab it and drag me off the chair.

I swiftly swatted away her attack. Being treated like this in public had already soured my mood.

I had no choice but to turn from facing forward to turning sideways, to deal with her deranged behavior.

The surrounding guests, not understanding the situation, exchanged bewildered glances and stared at us in silence.

Ruijin smiled at the crowd, putting on an air of nobility as she instructed the waiter.

"The Don is my stepfather. He's extremely busy and has finally found time to be with my mother—how would he have the energy to manage these trivial matters?"

"This is nothing but a pretty secretary. How could she deserve the head seat? The staff must have made a careless mistake. If they switch it back now, I won't tell my father."

I applauded her affected posturing and slowly rose to my feet.

These past few days, my father had begged me over and over to attend the wedding.

Last night, he'd even held my hands, his face full of tender affection as he said with emotion:

"It's been so long—you've grown into someone so remarkable. I'm getting remarried, and I hope you'll be here to lend the occasion dignity. I've also chosen this moment to announce your identity."

After my grandfather passed away, the Don's position should have gone to my mother, but she was gone too. I was very young then, and my father had to care for me while handling the organization's affairs.

So even though I didn't like the Isabella Conti mother and daughter, I didn't want to stand in the way of my father finding happiness again. And since this was my first appearance as the heir, I'd chosen a gown I'd designed myself to show how much I valued the occasion.

I hadn't expected to run into something like this the moment I sat down.

Seeing my movement, no one dared make a sound.

"The name card on the table bears my name. Do you know what that means, and you still dare to come and touch it?"

I spoke in a low, steady voice, my gaze sweeping over everyone present.

Ruijin frowned, smiled mockingly, and walked slowly toward me. Her high heels clicked metallically against the floor. She examined the name card, then suddenly snatched it up and hurled it to the ground. The fragments bounced up, leaving a red mark on the back of my hand.

"Have you finished pretending? Who do you think you are, trying to override my status? Everyone look—a secretary who slept her way to the top, and she's this arrogant!"

Ruijin pulled out her phone and showed everyone a photo—it was from a golf outing my father had attended with other business partners.

And there I was in the corner, half-hidden, wearing a golf skirt.

"Just a bimbo—a pretty decoration. The only way she got in here was probably through some shady means. All those designer labels can't hide the stench of poverty."

Ruijin even pointed at the waiter and threatened:

"You didn't listen to what I said earlier—wait until my father gets here, and see if your hands don't get chopped off!"

The waiter cowered and knelt, not daring to plead, and no one dared sweep up the fragments on the floor.

"An idiot! A bitch!"

I was about to laugh from sheer exasperation. Too lazy to handle it myself, I called my father directly, letting him deal with this unacknowledged stepdaughter.

But the next moment, Ruijin snatched my phone away. Her eyes gleamed with malice and resentment.

"What do I see here? Isn't this a luxury brand's custom phone?"

Ruijin's eyes flickered, her face contorting.

"Over twenty thousand dollars!"

"My mom can't even bear to buy me one! What gives you the right?"

She examined my gown, my wristwatch, my brooch more carefully, as if she wanted to claim them all for herself.

"So I was wrong about you—these are even harder to get than luxury goods."

"Tsk tsk tsk, I wonder how many men you've pleased to get all this?"

"Foul mouth, disgusting to behold."

I grabbed her wrist, took back my phone, and pressed the call button.

Ruijin couldn't stand my calm demeanor—it made her look like a clown. She lunged at me furiously.

I didn't hold back—I gave her a slap across the face. But she managed to snatch the phone away in the end.

Clutching her cheek, she screamed at the top of her lungs:

"You bitch! I'm going to scratch up your face and sell you to the red-light district! Since you love pleasing men so much, you'll become the lowest whore, dying among men!"

My fury was burning. I leaned in to grab my phone back, but she dodged.

Ruijin's voice was utterly unhinged, shrill and ugly.

"You think my father will care about you? I'm his future daughter! You hit me—just wait for the retaliation!"

"Give me back my phone!"

I stared at her deathly.

Ruijin was about to curse again when she heard the call connect and immediately put it on speaker.

The contact name on the phone was "Papa" She assumed this was some man I'd ingratiated myself with, and she intended to expose my facade in front of everyone.

"Sweetheart, have you arrived at the wedding venue yet?"