"I thought about letting you off the hook for the sake of girl code, but I never expected you to come to me. How disgusting!"

I forced myself to stay calm and was just about to refute.

Queenie immediately took out her phone and dialed Cedric's number. As soon as she got through, she put him on speaker.

The next second, Cedric's voice came from the other end of the line. "Babe, aren't you browsing the jewelry right now? Why are you calling me?"

Queenie said smugly, "Cedric, someone's claiming to be your legal wife, and she's going to take me to court. I'm so scared!"

After the call was hung up, Queenie walked to my side and said with a 'kind' face, "Nicole, considering our past relationship, I'll generously let you off the hook as long as you kneel and beg me. Otherwise, I'll see how my hubby deals with you when he comes over!"

It was the most outrageous request I had ever heard. I burst into laughter and shook my head, asking, "Who do you think you are?"

A trace of hatred flashed in Queenie's eyes before she walked aggrievedly toward the door and grabbed Cedric's sleeve, saying, "Cedric, she would've bullied me to death if you had come any later!"

Upon hearing that Queenie had been bullied, Cedric immediately asked in a deep voice, "Who dares to bully you? Do they have a death wish?"

A hint of smugness glinted in Queenie's eyes as she dragged Cedric to my side. "It was her!"

Cedric looked up, and a flicker of panic crossed his eyes the moment he saw me. He quickly forced himself to regain his composure. Shielding Queenie behind him, he demanded bluntly, "Nicole, how could you be so shameless, daring to impersonate my legal wife in front of everyone? Don't you know I only love Queenie?"

A hint of mockery flashed in my eyes. "Sorry, this is the first time I'm hearing about this!"

Seeing this, the surrounding henchmen immediately rushed to Queenie's aid.

"Mr. Shelby, you're finally here! This wretch not only claims to be your legal wife, but she also said she'll take Queenie to court!"

"That's right! She not only insulted us, but she also tried to lay a hand on Queenie!"

They twisted the truth, portraying Queenie as a wronged and innocent lady.

Cedric walked right up to me and slapped me hard across the face. "Who do you think you are? How dare you lay a hand on Queenie!"

I covered my face, staring at him in disbelief.

Over the past few years, he was always the first to give in and feign gentleness and thoughtfulness even when we argued, which had made me overlook his flaws.

"Cedric, how dare you lay a hand on me!"

A flicker of guilt flashed in Cedric's eyes, but only for a moment. He solemnly swore to Queenie, "Babe, don't worry. How could I be with such a sl*t? You're my only wife."

Seeing Cedric groveling like a dog, when he used to act so gentlemanly to me, disgusted me.

He quickly walked over to me, grabbed my clothes, and forced me to the ground. "Didn't you hear what my wife said? She told you to kneel and beg, so hurry up and do it!"

I threw the marriage certificate at Cedric's face and roared, "Cedric, I'll ask you one last time. Who is your real wife?"

"Of course it's Queenie!" Cedric kicked my knee hard, pressing my head down and forcing me to apologize to Queenie.

With a thud, blood started to gush out from my forehead.

Cedric showed no restraint at all. Pulling my hair, he whispered in my ear, "Nicole, don't blame me. If you want to blame someone, blame yourself for being the adopted daughter of the Steward family!" He suddenly pressed my head hard against the ground.

Looking at him in this new light, I could not stand it anymore. I took out my phone, ready to call the police. "Cedric, I'll make sure you regret this!"

However, Queenie slapped my hand away before I could call the police. "Nicole, I knew you were shameless, but I never expected you to stoop so low. Being a mistress is one thing, but how dare you pretend to be someone else's legal wife! You're really shameless!"

Her sharp nails grabbed my cheek without mercy. "My parents treated you like their own daughter. How could you do this to them?"

They did treat me like their own daughter, but they kicked me out of the house and even accused me of taking their biological daughter's place after Queenie was found.

Our parents had arrived on the scene. I thought they would at least stop Queenie out of consideration for our past relationship, but I was destined to be disappointed.

Queenie's mother, Fiona Dundley, stood aside with disgust as if I were something filthy. "You wretch! We adopted you out of pity, yet you dare to bully our Queenie! How could you be so shameless?"

Queenie's father, Harold Steward, stepped forward, grabbed my hair, and slammed me hard to the ground. "Hurry and apologize to my precious daughter!"

My heart felt like a sharp blade had pierced it, and my blood instantly ran cold.

Queenie watched with satisfaction before saying to the staff beside her, "Didn't you hear? My husband said he doesn't know her. Get this liar out of here right now!"

The surrounding staff immediately swarmed forward, pinned me to the ground, and dragged me outside like a piece of trash.

Trying to curry favor with them, the manager threw trash at me and ordered the security guard at the door, "Remember her face! Don't let her or the dogs like her inside our store anymore!"`

He looked at Queenie with a fawning expression. "After all, only someone as beautiful, kind-hearted, and tasteful as Ms. Steward can appreciate the charm of our products. Cheapskates trying to pass themselves off as wealthy don't deserve to enter our store!"

Queenie nodded in satisfaction.

Cedric watched me get dragged away with a fleeting look of guilt in his eyes. He then walked over to Queenie and showered her with concern.

They threw me out at the jewelry store entrance.

The moment the door slammed shut, I closed the door on my relationship with Cedric, too.

I struggled to get up. My wrists were bruised, my body was covered in scrapes, and blood was seeping from my cheek.

Before I could even get up, a figure suddenly appeared. Queenie grabbed my hair, forcing me to look at her with eyes full of amusement. "Nicole, look at yourself now. Don't you look like an unwanted stray dog? You thought you had a home, but you ended up all alone!"

"What do you mean?"

Queenie bent over, grabbed my neck, and said, "You fool! I didn't get lost. My parents thought you were lucky and bought you as their adopted daughter at a high price to take advantage of your luck. You think you're married to Cedric, but my parents sold you to the Shelby family for $50 million to make use of your last bit of value and revive the Shelby family!"

She got up and motioned for me to look at the big screen behind her.

I looked up and saw countless private photographs of myself flashing on the big screen, accompanied by revolting sounds.

Nearby passers-by stopped to watch. Some even took out their phones and dialed the contact information on the screen. My phone was instantly flooded with calls.

My face paled as I declined those calls to call the police.

However, Queenie snatched my phone and threw it on the ground without the slightest hesitation.

The screen shattered instantly, and the glass shards even cut through my skin.

Still, Queenie was not content. She pushed me to the ground with my broken phone, and she stepped on my face with her high heels.

A sharp pain shot through me.

Queenie stomped hard, whispering like a demon, "Nicole, stop dreaming. No one in this world will save you now. Death is your only way out! I would kill myself if I were you!"

I struggled to lift my head and looked through the hazy bloodstains at my adoptive parents, who had once cherished me, and Cedric, who had once loved me dearly. They were all watching with excited expressions, as if watching me get trampled underfoot was the greatest fortune.

Perhaps feeling like it was not enough, Queenie pulled out her phone and played a video in front of me. "See this? This is your and Cedric's first child. Your dear daughter didn't die of suffocation. Cedric sacrificed her to a demon, and her body was fed to wild dogs!"

My blood froze as my gaze fixed on the infant in the center of the screen, listening to her cries grow weaker. She was placed on a high platform. Her breath faded as wild dogs swarmed her, killing her completely.

Even breathing became difficult amidst the immense grief I felt.

Queenie was still not satisfied. She kicked me repeatedly, cursing viciously, "Nicole, your parents don't love you, your husband set you up, and even your only daughter is dead! What do you have left to live for? You might as well die sooner. At least you'll be able to see your poor daughter again and explain why you didn't save her!"

My consciousness blurred, and all I could hear was Queenie's curses. I struggled to call for help, but I could not open my mouth despite how hard I tried.

A flicker of smugness flashed in Queenie's eyes, thinking I was finally about to give in.

Suddenly, dozens of sports cars sped up and stopped in front of everyone. The loud commotion drew everyone's attention.

Panic flickered in Queenie's eyes.

The next second, an angry voice rang before the car doors even opened. "If you dare touch her again, I'll throw you into the wilderness to feed the dogs!"