"No thanks." Melanie instinctively refused.

Tears immediately welled up in Rosalyn's eyes. "Melanie, do you really dislike me that much?"

Ethan's expression darkened from the driver's seat. "Melanie, is this how you speak to your superior?"

Melanie's lips curved into a mocking smile. "Mr. Dawson, it's after work hours now."

"Forget it, Ethan. Since Melanie hates me so much, I'll just leave." Rosalyn cried pitifully, as though she had suffered the greatest injustice.

Ethan's gaze turned icy. "Melanie, if you don't come, I'm not sure what might happen to your mother's grave."

"You..." The blatant threat ignited a blaze of fury in Melanie's chest.

Her mother was already dead, yet Ethan still refused to let her rest in peace.

She clenched her fists tightly and stared at Ethan with burning hatred.

Beside him, Rosalyn's eyes flashed with a trace of triumph.

Melanie thought of her plan and knew she could not let everything fall apart now.

She took a deep breath and forcefully suppressed her emotions.

Reluctantly, she got into the car.

At the dinner table, Rosalyn leaned close to her ear with a wine glass in hand. "Melanie, why don't you drink this for me tonight?"

Melanie was about to refuse when Rosalyn gave a sly smile. "Melanie, if something happens to me because I drank, who knows what might happen to your dead mother..."

Melanie froze. She reached out and downed the entire glass in one gulp.

In the end, Melanie lost count of how much she had drunk.

Suddenly her stomach churned violently. She rushed to the restroom.

Ethan acted as if he saw nothing and continued serving food to Rosalyn with gentle care.

Melanie vomited until the world spun around her.

All at once, she fell into a drunken embrace. "Hey beautiful, let me take good care of you."

The words snapped Melanie half-sober in an instant. "Let go of me, you bastard!"

Melanie slapped the man with all her strength and ran toward the door.

"Damn it! You bitch dare to hit me? You're asking for death!" The man grabbed her hair viciously, threw her to the floor, and began tearing at her clothes.

"Let me go! Help!" Melanie struggled and screamed desperately.

Through the glass door, she suddenly caught sight of Rosalyn's eerie smile.

It was her.

Everything had been orchestrated by Rosalyn.

"Rosalyn, why are you standing outside?" The next second, a familiar voice sounded.

"Ethan, why did you come out?" Panic flashed in Rosalyn's eyes.

"I saw you go to the restroom and you didn't come back for so long. I was worried. I thought I just heard Melanie's voice. Where is she?"

Melanie heard Ethan's voice and tried to call for help, but the man clamped his hand tightly over her mouth.

"Melanie already left."

"Ethan, save me!" Melanie struggled to force out muffled words.

Ethan seemed to sense something and started to step forward to check.

Rosalyn suddenly swayed on her feet and collapsed into Ethan's arms. "Ethan, I feel dizzy."

Ethan immediately picked her up in concern and hurried away.

As the footsteps faded into the distance, a tear of utter despair slid from the corner of Melanie's eye.

"Now no one will interrupt us." The drunkard grinned lewdly. His greasy hand reached toward her.

In her struggle, Melanie's phone somehow dialed a number.

"Hello, Melanie?" It was Mathew Fuller's voice.

"Mathew, save me!" She cried out in desperation.

The voice on the other end turned urgent at once. "Melanie, what happened? Where are you?"

Before Melanie could answer, the phone was brutally stomped to pieces.

The next second, the man grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the floor.

Melanie's strength faded rapidly. She suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Seeing her in such a pitiful state only excited the drunkard more.

He pinned her down and leaned in eagerly.

Melanie closed her eyes in complete despair.

At that moment, the restroom door was kicked open with a thunderous crash.

"Melanie!" Mathew burst in with his men.

When he saw the scene inside, rage filled his eyes.

Before the drunkard could react, Mathew kicked him flying. The man crashed against the wall and spat out a large mouthful of blood.

The drunkard instinctively opened his mouth to curse, but when he saw who it was, terror made him nearly lose control. He dropped to the ground, begging for mercy.

Mathew didn't even spare him a glance. He coldly ordered his men. "Take care of him."

Then he carefully lifted Melanie, who was covered in wounds, into his arms. His eyes were full of heartache and regret. "Melanie, I'm sorry I came too late."

At that moment, Melanie could no longer hold on. In his strong embrace, she finally lost consciousness.

Melanie woke up to the sharp smell of disinfectant.

The first thing she saw was Mathew looking somewhat haggard.

"You're finally awake." Mathew's voice trembled slightly as he pulled her into his arms with emotion.

"Melanie, you have no idea how close I came to losing you forever." His words tumbled out messily and his eyes grew moist.

"It was Rosalyn, I saw her with my own eyes," she said in a hoarse voice.

"I know, I believe you." Mentioning the people who hurt Melanie made Mathew's tone turn vicious. "Don't worry, I'll make everyone who harmed you pay."

Seeing his complete unwavering trust warmed Melanie's heart.

It was the second time since her mother's death that she felt truly valued and trusted.

After the surge of emotion passed, she remembered the most important thing. "Did you get the evidence from the Dawson Group?"

Mathew shook his head. "The Dawson Group's system security is too tight, my people are still trying to crack it."

Melanie took a deep breath and spoke slowly. "One week from now is Rosalyn's celebration banquet, the whole company will be there. That will be the perfect opportunity."

She would give the two of them a grand gift.

For several days Ethan did not see Melanie at all.

"Ethan, Melanie hasn't come to work these past few days, isn't she just throwing a tantrum with you?"

Ethan felt a flash of irritation at the words. How dare Melanie throw a tantrum at him? It seemed he had spoiled Melanie too much over the years. This time he would deliberately ignore her for a few days.

Until the celebration banquet one week later.

Rosalyn had specially chosen the latest high-end custom gown, applied the most exquisite makeup and stood arm in arm with Ethan, basking in everyone's praise and compliments with a smug smile.

But Ethan's mind was elsewhere.

His eyes scanned the room again and again, yet he still could not find Melanie.

A strange uneasiness rose in his chest. "Where's Melanie?"

Rosalyn's eyes flashed with quick hatred before she put on a wronged expression. "Does Melanie really not want to see me? Ethan, since she dislikes me so much, maybe I should just leave."

Ethan felt a flicker of something odd but he still comforted her. "No need, once I get the marriage certificate with her in a couple of days, I'll have her resign and stay home. She won't be able to bully you anymore."

Ethan patted the back of Rosalyn's hand to reassure her. "I think I've indulged her too much. Whether she shows up or not, today is your day. Just ignore her."

Only then did Rosalyn smile brightly. "Ethan, I heard everyone prepared a congratulatory video for me, let's watch it together."

Ethan nodded absentmindedly.

The next second the big screen lit up.

But what appeared on the screen was not the employees' congratulations. Instead it showed two naked bodies entangled together.

Moans of passion filled the entire banquet hall.

A smug gleam flashed in Rosalyn's eyes but her face showed exaggerated shock as she pretended to console. "Ethan, I believe Melanie would never do anything to betray you, this must be a misunderstanding."

But before she could finish the camera zoomed in revealing the two faces clearly.

It was Rosalyn and Ethan.

The room erupted in an instant.

Rosalyn's face turned deathly pale and her whole body trembled.

Ethan's expression darkened. "Turn it off, shut it down now, no one is allowed to spread what happened today. Where's Melanie? Tell her to come see me."

Ethan was convinced Melanie was behind it all.

"Mr. Dawson, Melanie has already resigned, you personally signed the resignation letter." The assistant beside him spoke cautiously.

Ethan froze. "How is that possible?"

At that moment Rosalyn ran out crying. Ethan felt irritated but still chased after her.

Just as he stepped out he ran into Leyla. "Ethan, Melanie is getting married today, can I borrow your sports car?"

Ethan stopped dead in his tracks. "Who is getting married?"

"Melanie, your secretary of course, with Mathew Fuller. What, you didn't get an invitation?" Leyla waved the invitation in her hand.

Mathew Fuller?

His longtime rival Mathew Fuller?

Ethan could not believe it. He snatched the invitation.

On it was clearly written: Bride: Melanie Gilbert.

"No, this is impossible." Ethan staggered, almost unable to stand.

Melanie had always been gentle, obedient and loved him with her whole heart. How could she…

An unprecedented panic surged in his heart. He rushed out like a madman, jumped into his car and sped off.

He floored the accelerator all the way, running more than a dozen red lights until he reached the church.

At that moment Melanie stood on the stage in her wedding gown, about to answer the priest's vows.

The church doors burst open with a bang. Ethan stood there, eyes bloodshot. "Melanie, you can't marry him"

Ethan ignored the shocked stares from everyone around him and rushed straight to Melanie on the stage.

He gripped her arm tightly. "Melanie, I am your fiancé. How can you marry someone else?"

The crowd below erupted in an uproar.

Melanie shook off his hand and looked at him coldly. "Mr. Dawson, please watch your words. I have always been nothing more than your subordinate. When did you ever become me fiancé?"

Ethan's eyes had already turned red with rage. He no longer cared about anything and blurted out. "Melanie, you slept with me for five years and now you're telling me you are my subordinate?"

Melanie gave a mocking laugh. "Mr. Dawson, you shouldn't say things like that carelessly. Do you have any proof that we were together for five years? Photos? Videos? Or witnesses?"

Ethan's pupils trembled.

How could he have forgotten that to keep Rosalyn from feeling uncomfortable, he had kept their relationship completely secret for five years? Even his own sister had no idea.

In fact, over those five years, they never once took a single photo together.

With that realization, Ethan had nothing to say in response.

In desperation he raised his left hand, showing the plain ring. "Melanie, have you forgotten that you already accepted my proposal?"

Beside them Mathew let out a sneer. "Your proposal ring is just a cheap plain band. Is your love really so worthless?"

Ethan glanced at the massive pink diamond on Melanie's finger and the color slowly drained from his face.

He had no way to explain that he had indeed just bought a random pair of rings from a street stall to brush her off.

"Enough. Since there's no evidence, this is nothing but slander." Mathew pulled Melanie protectively into his arms, his tone icy. "Security, escort Mr. Dawson out."

Ethan, the usually elegant man, looked utterly disheveled as the bodyguards dragged him away.

But he still refused to give up, breaking free from their hold and grabbing Melanie's hand again. "Melanie, listen to me. The Fuller family and my family have been enemies for generations. Mathew and I have been fighting tooth and nail since we were kids! He doesn't love you at all. Marrying you is just his way of getting revenge on me! Come with me, alright? We can go get the marriage certificate right now!"

Ethan looked at her with desperate sincerity.

Melanie frowned. So he and Mathew were mortal enemies?

Mathew had never mentioned it to her.

But it didn't matter.

Enemies were even better.

Melanie leaned close to Ethan's ear, her red lips parting softly. "Ethan, I don't care what kind of relationship you have with Mathew, and I don't care whether he loves me or not. I only want you to go to hell and atone for what you did to my mother!"

Ethan's body jerked as if struck. He stared at Melanie, his face turning deathly pale in an instant. "Melanie, you… you…"

He couldn't bring himself to ask the question because he saw pure hatred in her eyes. "Melanie, listen to me…"

He tried frantically to explain but Melanie cut him off. "Mr. Dawson, you are not welcome at my wedding. Please leave."

With that, a group of bodyguards surged forward again.

"Melanie, I was wrong! I'm sorry! I'm begging you, don't marry him. You'll regret it…" Ethan struggled weakly but was eventually thrown out of the church doors in disgrace.

He still refused to give up and tried to rush back in, only to be punched to the ground by a bodyguard.

Then more fists and kicks rained down on him heavily.

Only when Ethan coughed up blood did the bodyguards finally stop and leave.

At that moment Ethan's phone rang. "Mr. Dawson, something terrible happened! The billion-dollar contract under Rosalyn's responsibility is in trouble. The client is demanding to terminate it!"

"What?!" Despite the searing pain, Ethan forced himself up from the floor and rushed toward the company.