Chapter 1

Ariadnie Elizabeth was the undisputed beauty of the capital—bold,dazzling,a red rose in full bloom.Men fell over themselves for her,and the line of suitors chasing after her could have stretched from Houston all the way to France.But after she met Rasper Stallone,she settled down.

They had been dating for three years.When she accidentally found out she was pregnant,she could barely contain herself.All she wanted was to share the surprise with him.

She had just reached the door of the private room when she heard someone say,“Bro,Ariadnie’s birthday is next week.Is the big surprise ready?”

“Yep,”Rasper answered,his voice low and slightly drunk.“The gift I prepared for her is something she’ll never forget for the rest of her life.”

A soft,happy smile curved Ariadnie’s lips as her hand moved to her belly.

For three years,no matter how many women threw themselves at him like moths to a flame,his eyes had only ever held her.She believed—he must be planning to propose.

Suddenly,the room erupted in harsh laughter.

“Bro,Ariadnie isn’t just gorgeous.She’s got a killer body,too.Think she’d puke blood if she found out the one who’s actually been sleeping with her for the past three years is your twin brother—and you even recorded tons of videos to release on her birthday?”

“That’s nothing.If she knew the dance competition that sent her sister into a mental breakdown and left her in a coma was something you personally rigged—just so Reagan could win—she’d lose it even more,right?”

Ariadnie’s mind went blank.A roaring filled her ears.

Every word stabbed into her heart like a blade—swift,precise,brutal.

“Bro,since you’re the one trying to screw her over,and you’re the one who begged me to come back and pretend to be you—for three years—my back is about to snap.How do you plan to compensate me?”

“Redmond,don’t act like some martyr.If I didn’t look different from Rasper,you think it’d ever be your turn?”

Ariadnie staggered back a few steps.Through the glass window,she saw a man sitting beside Rasper—someone who looked exactly like him,identical except for a tiny tear-shaped mole at the corner of his eye.

Their voices kept replaying in her head,tearing her apart from the inside.

“Redmond,tell the truth.After sleeping with her for three years,you didn’t fall for her even once?”

“Fall for her?”Redmond let out a cold laugh.“A woman with that kind of reputation?I don’t care how pretty she is;she disgusts me.If it weren’t for Reagan,my brother’s first love,I would’ve never touched her.”

“Damn!You’re the man,bro!”

Laughter exploded again.

Someone couldn’t hold back and asked,“Rasper,you’ve had a crush on Reagan for years.Why not just confess already?”

Rasper’s expression turned cold.“Reagan is an illegitimate child.Ariadnie’s bullied her her entire life.I’m settling this score for her first.Once everything’s done,I’ll confess.”

“Damn.The golden boy of Houston is actually a hopeless romantic.You stared at the eldest Miss Elizabeth’s face for three years and didn’t catch feelings at all?”

Rasper seemed to smile.His tone was indifferent.“In my eyes,she’s not even worth a single strand of Reagan’s hair.”

Ariadnie’s fingers trembled.She could barely stand.

Her heart felt like it was being sliced apart piece by piece.Breathing hurt.Existing hurt.

Reagan was the illegitimate daughter Ariadnie’s father had brought home after Ariadnie’s mother died giving birth.

So even before the marriage,he already had another woman.

From that day on,everything she had thought was a happy life had been built on lies.

Her father and stepmother favored Reagan in every possible way,suffocating her and Amina,her older sister.

Amina had been quiet and gentle,always backing down.Ariadnie had been the one who fought back.

But to the outside world,everyone called her vicious by nature,accusing her of bullying her“younger sister.”

Depression swallowed her whole.She drowned herself in nightlife—drinking,partying,trying to numb herself.

It was Rasper who had walked into her life and pulled her out of the mire.

That year,she had been drunk at a bar when someone drugged her.Reagan’s friends had surrounded her,ripping at her clothes and yanking her hair.

“With garbage like you,you dare compete with Reagan?Just die already!”

Rasper had appeared like a hero,draping his coat over her shoulders.His voice was sharp and terrifying.“Who gave you the guts to humiliate her like this?”

He had stomped on the ringleader’s fingers.“Do it again,and I won’t let you off.”

He had been the first person who ever treated her that well—the first person she had ever loved.

Looking back now…she realized that even that rescue was probably part of his plan.

Everything had been a setup.

For Reagan,the woman he really loved,Rasper had pushed Amina into abyss—and for Reagan again,he had delivered Ariadnie to another man’s bed.

Inside,the conversation went on.

“I played with her for three years.Now,I’m finally free…”

“You and Rasper still look a little different if you look closely—especially that mole.She never noticed?”

Redmond snorted.“She does whatever I say.I always turned the lights down,and sometimes we’d play with blindfolds.She acts like a proper lady in public,but in bed,she’s as tame as a kitten.I even recorded videos of her on my phone,and she never noticed.”

Ariadnie’s heart clenched.Her nails dug deeply into her palm.

“Hey,after you dump her,let me have a turn,yeah?”

Rasper exhaled smoke and didn’t answer.

“What,feeling reluctant?”

“Why would I be?”Rasper sneered.“If you can catch her,she’s all yours.”

“And you,Redmond?”

Redmond chuckled.“I’m bored already.If you don’t mind the filth,be my guest.”

The room broke out in laughter again.

Ariadnie's breath caught in her throat.

She never imagined that the man who claimed to love her was actually plotting everything to win the love of her stepsister.

Ariadnie's hands shook violently.She bit her hand tightly,trying hard not to scream.

Ariadnie gritted her teeth.

Since they betrayed her,she wouldn't let them have it easy.

She grabbed a bottle of strong liquor,shoved her hair tie inside,and lit it.The moment the flame caught,she hurled it into the private room.

Within seconds,panicked screams exploded from inside.

She didn’t even look back.

Stepping out into the heavy rain,she dialed her stepmother’s number.Ariadnie's red lips curled into a mocking smile,her eyes cold and resolute.

“I’ve decided,”she said.“That useless playboy from the Paytons…I’ll marry him.”