My college dormmate, who spread nasty rumors about me, sends me an e-invitation.

"I'm marrying the richest man in the country and will soon be a trophy wife—I'll be leagues above you. Seeing as we were once dormmates, I'll begrudgingly allow you to be my bridesmaid. Don't miss this chance!"

I frown. What is wrong with Jasmine Teach? I'm the country's richest person. When did a man overtake me?

I want to block her number and delete the conversation, but I check the e-invitation to be sure. I'm stunned when I see the photo of her husband-to-be. Isn't that Harold Jackson, my husband? He's supposed to be on a business trip.

My lips curve in a cold smile, and I type a response while gnashing my teeth. "I'd be honored to be your bridesmaid. I'll prepare a huge surprise for you, too."

As soon as I sent the message, a logistics information popped up. It was a package from my husband—some local wine from his business trip.

Also, the sender's address was the same as the hotel where Jasmine Teach was hosting her wedding banquet.

Just last night, my husband was on the phone, sweet-talking me.

"Babe, it's only been three days, but I miss you so much. The food at the hotel is terrible. I don't like it at all. Nothing beats the meals you make for me at home.

"Ugh, this trip is way too long. Two whole weeks! I won't be around to take care of you, so promise me you'll take care of yourself, okay? Don't make me worry."

Looking at the groom in the photo, I tried to convince myself that he just looked like my husband. I could hardly believe that my husband would go behind my back to marry the woman who bullied me back in college.

However, the watch on his left wrist said otherwise.

I had designed that watch myself, with our names engraved on the dial. There was only one in the world, not something that could be bought with just money.

A wedding like this must have cost a fortune.

I checked my husband's secondary credit card, and sure enough, there was a large payment to this hotel.

The wedding was in two days. If I booked a flight now, I could still make it. So, I packed my bags and left immediately.

The entire way there, I kept hoping this was all just a misunderstanding. When I arrived at the hotel, the first thing I saw was a display board with the bride and groom's smiling faces.

I couldn't find my husband anywhere, and his phone was off.

After searching for a while, I ran into Jasmine in the hallway dressed in her wedding gown.

"Jas, where's that gold-digger who loves sleeping with older men? Is she not here yet?"

"She used to bully you in college, right? Now that she knows you married the richest man, she probably doesn't dare show up."

"She better not. If she does, I'll make sure to teach her a lesson for Jas' sake."

Upon hearing their conversation, I frowned. So, this entire wedding was a trap set for me. But I was the actual richest person. Did they really think I'd be scared?

I steadied myself and stepped forward, greeting her, "Jasmine, congratulations on your wedding!"

My voice made everyone turn to look.

"No way! Is that really her? She's kinda pretty, but definitely got that homewrecker vibe."

"Look at her outfit. I bet it's all knockoffs from head to toe."

I couldn't help but laugh. Jasmine's friends were just as ignorant as she was. They carried fake designer bags themselves, so they assumed that all luxury items that others had were fake too.

When Jasmine saw me, a glint flashed in her eyes. "Gina, I didn't think you'd actually come! You're the last bridesmaid we were waiting for. Come! Let's get you changed."

I raised an eyebrow and glanced around. "You already have three bridesmaids. I don't think you need another."

Jasmine put on a fake smile and grabbed my hand.

"Gina, we were college mates for four years. You have to be my bridesmaid. Besides, the groomsmen are all my husband's friends. They're all rich and powerful. You wouldn't want to waste this opportunity, would you?"

I lowered my gaze and noticed her slightly swollen belly. That wasn't just from her overeating.

I had been married to my husband for five years and hadn't had a child with him, yet the mistress was pregnant.

Bitterness welled up inside me, but I wanted to see what she was up to. So, I nodded in agreement.

The moment I stepped into the dressing room, her expression changed. She sneered at me with disdain.

"I knew you'd show up, Regina. Still the same cheap woman you were in college, throwing yourself at any man with money. Girls, strip her down!"

As the three women lunged at me, I threw a punch at each and kicked two of them to the ground.

Good thing I'd trained in martial arts before. Handling a few weak women like them wasn't too hard.

I pulled out my phone and confronted Jasmine. "Jasmine, what are you trying to do? One more move and I'm calling the cops."

Jasmine laughed coldly. "Regine, don't forget that my husband is the richest man. Even if I cripple you today, nothing will happen to me."

With that, she waved her hand, summoning four bodyguards. "You guys, hold her down."

I froze. Those bodyguards looked familiar. As the richest woman, I had my own team of bodyguards, but in my hurry to get here, I hadn't brought them along.

These guys were my husband's personal bodyguards.

I straightened my clothes and spoke coldly. "Look carefully. Are you sure you want to lay a hand on me?"

The four bodyguards exchanged glances, confusion flickering in their eyes. But as they stepped forward angrily, I felt a chill in my heart.

"Aren't you Harold's bodyguards? Don't you recognize me?"

Upon hearing my confusion, Jasmine sneered.

"These are my husband's bodyguards. Who do you think you are? Why would they recognize you?" She turned to them and ordered, "Take her down! Strip this skank!"

I wasn't strong enough to fight them off. In less than a minute, they had me pinned to the ground.

One of the bodyguards snatched my phone and respectfully handed it to Jasmine. With a single press of the side button, the screen lit up. Her friends gasped when they saw my phone's wallpaper.

"Jas, why does this shameless woman's man look so much like your husband?"

"That's obviously AI-generated. No way Mr. Harold Jackson would ever be involved with this tramp."

Furious, Jasmine threw my phone to the ground.

"Regina, you shameless woman! Are you obsessed with my husband after finding out that he's the richest man? How dare you use AI to generate intimate photos of my husband!"

With her words, the crowd's disgust turned toward me. Some even spat at me.

I looked at Jasmine with disdain. "Then why don't you call Harold here and let him clear this up?"

The moment I said that, her face darkened, and she slapped me twice.

"No wonder you've been acting so cocky since you walked in. So you're the shameless woman who's been secretly seducing my husband.

"He sure kept you well hidden. I searched for so long and never found a thing. You're not leaving this hotel alive today!"

She ordered her people to tie me to a pillar at the hotel entrance. Then, she hung a sign on me that read, "Homewrecker!".

She turned to the crowd, her voice loud and clear.

"This shameless woman tried to seduce my husband, the richest person, on my wedding day and ruin my marriage! For the grand finale of my wedding, we're giving everyone a live show—beating the homewrecker!"

I struggled against the ropes but couldn't move. I could only plead with the people around me.

"I'm the richest person! I'm the one married to Harold Jackson!"

Before I could finish, Jasmine slapped me again.

"You're clearly delusional. Since when is the richest person in our town a woman? I've been with Harold for four years. You think some cheap mistress like you can take my place? Keep dreaming!"

Jasmine's words stunned me. Harold had been cheating on me for four years?

I had married to him for five years, and he had a mistress for four whole years! And to make things worse, he was secretly holding a wedding with her too!

The hotel staff all knew Jasmine. To them, she was Harold's new wife. So, no one believed a word I said. They all took her side, ridiculing and reprimanding me.

"Young women these days are always trying to take shortcuts. Instead of working hard, they just throw themselves at rich men. Now she's even claiming to be the richest person. How ridiculous!"

"Pfft. Even if she stripped naked in front of me, I wouldn't be interested. To think she'd dare to seduce Mr. Jackson."

Jasmine smirked and, with help from her bridesmaid, kicked me several times with her high heels.

The sharp pain in my stomach made me instinctively curl up, but the ropes held me in place. I could only gasp for breath.

Each kick felt like a massive stone crushing my abdomen. Pain spread from my gut to every inch of my body, and cold sweat dripped down my face.

"Regina, you filthy whore! How dare you go after my husband? Today, I'll show you who the real wife is!"

Once she was tired from beating me up, she stepped aside to get her makeup touched up while leaving me still tied up.

One of her friends, an overweight woman, was eager to please Jasmine and offered, "Jas, hitting her like this might ruin your image. We all know how sensitive the fingers are. If we insert thin needles under her nails, she'll be screaming in no time."

Jasmine's eyes gleamed with approval.

"Then you do it. I'll pay you a hundred per needle. Stick in as many as you like to make more money."

The woman grinned, untying me just enough to pin me to the ground, exposing my hands. She grabbed a bundle of thin needles and, without hesitation, stabbed one under my fingernail.

I clenched my teeth and shut my eyes, enduring the pain. One by one, the needles pierced through.

The excruciating pain in my fingertips was unbearable. I couldn't hold back anymore and let out a scream.

Just then, Jasmine's phone rang. It was Harold. She immediately signaled the woman to take off her socks and stuff them in my mouth.

Grinning, she crouched in front of me and put the call on speaker. Harold's voice rang in my ears.

"Jas, my wedding convoy is almost there. Are you ready? Don't embarrass me."

Jasmine's tone instantly changed as she spoke sweetly into the phone.

"Don't worry, darling. No one will make things hard for you today. I'll lead the bridesmaids to welcome you at the hotel entrance ahead of time. Your friends will be jealous of you instead!"

Harold's voice on the phone was cold and commanding, nothing like the gentle, submissive tone he used with me.

I bit down on the sock in my mouth, struggling to make any noise.

Upon seeing this, Jasmine smirked and continued.

"Darling, the mistress you keep outside tried to ruin our wedding. Would you be mad at me if I gave her a beating?"

Harold's indifferent voice came through the speaker, "Do whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy. You're the only one I love. I've never kept another woman. It's obviously just her making up lies.

"If she's really pissing you off, just beat her to death. With my protection, you have nothing to be afraid of."

Jasmine shot me a mocking look and replied, "Darling, you're the best. Love you!"

I sneered internally. Harold had no idea it was me on the other end of the call. If he did, he'd be on his knees begging.

I regretted my blind faith in love. Back then, I ignored my father's warnings and insisted on marrying my so-called true love.

Luckily, before I boarded the plane, I had told my steward about where I was going. By now, he should be on his way with my subordinates.

Jasmine hung up and stomped on my hand.

"Regina, did you hear that? I'm the one Harold truly loves. You? You're nothing but a stray dog I can kill on a whim!"

Looking at her arrogant face, I regretted ever showing her kindness. Back in college, she had spread vicious rumors about me, yet I let it slide. I even had my company sponsor her tuition.

I had chosen to stay in a regular dorm instead of my family's apartment, wanting to experience college life like everyone else.

On the first day, when she saw my high-end makeup, she cried and told me her sob story. Her parents were divorced, and her grandmother made a living selling street food to pay for her tuition.

She never ordered any meat dishes at the cafeteria and never bought any makeup due to her financial struggles.

She wept pitifully and I felt bad for her. I secretly had someone look into her background, and it turned out to be true.

So, I had my company fund her education. I even gifted her beauty products and taught her skincare and makeup techniques.

But at some point, rumors started spreading that I was a gold-digger, leaving campus every weekend in luxury cars to "entertain" rich men.

My assistant investigated and found out that the one who started the rumors was none other than Jasmine.

Furious, I confronted her, but she screamed and cried, claiming I was using my wealth to bully her in the dorm.

The commotion reached our advisor.

Instead of listening to reason, the advisor admonished me, "Regina, hitting your roommate is a crime. Apologize to Jasmine immediately. I know your family has money, but could you be a little more low-key?

"You're always riding around in luxury cars to party outside. It's only natural that people can misunderstand your situation."

I had to go to my company for work every weekend. To save time and make curfew, my steward would drive me around.

But even though I was the victim, the advisor sided with Jasmine. It was completely unfair.

When my father heard about it, he had the advisor fired for misconduct. Jasmine wrote me an apology letter, promising never to spread lies about me again.

Feeling sorry for her, I let it go and continued sponsoring her education.

Just then, the sound of car horns interrupted my thoughts. A line of luxury cars honked as they arrived.

Panicked, Jasmine ordered her friends to toss me aside. She then went to the hotel entrance with her bridesmaids, all prim and proper, to prepare a grand welcome.

I looked up and saw Harold walking down the red carpet, surrounded by an entourage.

His tailored black suit only made him look more refined and imposing. He was undeniably handsome. If he weren't, I wouldn't have fallen for him and defied my father to marry him.

Seeing the crowd bowing respectfully, he curled his lips in a smug smile. He loved this—the feeling of superiority, being worshipped by others.

He ascended the steps and took Jasmine's outstretched hands, pulling her into his embrace. As they turned, his gaze landed on me, lying on the ground.

His brows furrowed in disgust, and his voice was full of displeasure. "Jas, why is there a crazy woman lying behind you? If she ends up in our wedding video, that'd be such an eyesore."

Jasmine chuckled and pointed at me, saying, "Darling, don't you recognize her? She's your little mistress. I want everyone to see what happens to a woman who tries to steal my husband!"

Harold scoffed in disdain and said, "I'm the richest man. Why would I be interested in someone like that? Guards, chop her up and turn her into fish food."

A wave of fear spread through the crowd. No one dared make a sound. Everyone knew offending the richest man could result in them vanishing without a trace.

Ignoring the pain in my fingers, I pushed myself up.

"Hmph! Harold, aren't you an impressive person now?" I scoffed.