Kelsey's POV

My heart dropped, and I fumbled to unlock my phone. The moment the group chat opened, I nearly blacked out.

Dozens, maybe hundreds, of my private photos were flooding the screen.

And people were already gossiping openly.

[Wow, never thought Kelsey would be that type. Always acted like a cold goddess, but turns out she plays dirty behind closed doors.]

Shaking, I typed a message into the chat. [Where did you all get those photos?]

Instantly, the group chat fell silent.

Not a single reply came, not in that group or even in my work chat.

Ten minutes later, my class president finally messaged me back.

[Your photos aren’t just in those two groups. They’ve been shared all over. Someone’s even selling the high-res ones for a buck each.]

My stomach turned.

Every ounce of hope I had crumbled.

In the photos, Francis’s face had been blurred intentionally. I couldn’t stop myself from wondering if it was him who leaked them.

I dialed his number, but no answer.

So, I tried again and again.

By the fifth call, it went straight to voicemail, signaling his phone was off.

As such, I covered my face and left the hospital, heading straight to his office.

In the underground parking lot, I finally found him with Belinda.

Her clothes were disheveled, and Francis had his hand tightly gripped around her bare shoulder. Their bodies pressed close, lips moving in rhythm, lost in each other.

I ducked behind a pillar, frozen, listening to their breathless moans.

Then Belinda spoke, her voice soft and sticky-sweet. “When our baby’s born, do you really expect me to keep being your secret lover? I don’t want my child calling Kelsey mommy.”

“Of course not,” Francis whispered back, his voice low and indulgent. “She’s just your family’s adopted girl. She could never be worthy of being my wife. The only reason I’ve kept her around this long was to keep her calm. After all, she’s been with me for years. Though she's not that of great help, she's still somehow provided some of my needs. But don't worry, once the baby’s here, I’ll find a reason to dump her.”

Belinda giggled and leaned into him, her voice almost teasing. “She can indeed provide some needs. That's why I shared that with people who needed it. Can’t wait to see her reaction.”

Francis playfully tapped her nose and curiously asked, “Share what?”

“Nothing important,” she answered with a coy smile. “Anyway, I’m starving. Weren’t we meeting Mr. Nicholson for dinner?”

Afterward, they left, and my legs gave out.

I collapsed to the ground like my soul had been ripped from my body.

In that moment, I didn’t know whether I wanted to laugh or scream. All those years we'd been together turned out to be a joke.

I sat there for half an hour until my legs had gone numb. When I finally stood, leaning against the wall for support, my phone buzzed.

It was Francis.

“My phone died, and I have no signal. I didn’t know you were calling. What’s up?”

“Nothing,” I emotionlessly replied.

“If it’s nothing, then meet me at the Urban Luxe Suites. You’ve got thirty minutes.”

I didn’t know why he wanted me there. He was supposed to be meeting a business partner with Belinda, so why did he ask me to be there?

But with everything happened to me, I can sit still.

I arrived at the hotel in under thirty minutes, and when I walked into the private room, Francis and Mr. Nicholson were already deep into their drinks.

Belinda, avoiding alcohol because of her pregnancy, was cozying up to Mr. Nicholson with compliments and a contract in hand.

When she saw me, her eyes immediately lit up.

“Kelsey! Francis had a bit too much, and Mr. Nicholson’s still in party mode. Could you keep him company for a while?”

“I don’t drink,” I replied flatly.

Francis slumped into Belinda’s arms, slurring something about going home. She giggled and smoothed his hair, completely covering his words.

“Come on,” Belinda coaxed again, pretending to be sweet. “Just one drink for Mr. Nicholson’s sake. Then we’ll all leave, I promise.”

I hesitated. But before I could decide, Mr. Nicholson had already lifted a glass to my lips.

“Just one drink, and I’ll sign the contract right after,” he said.

I believed him and took the glass. I closed my eyes, and, in one go, I swallowed it empty.

I thought that was it. After one drink, he would sign the contract, and then I could leave.

But the second I finished, Mr. Nicholson grinned widely and grabbed my arm, dragging me down beside him.

“Now we’re talking! You’ve gotta drink a few more with me tonight.”

And just like that, he signed his name on the contract.

“See? Easy. Now just stay a little longer. Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you.”

Kelsey's POV

As such, I had another drink.

But my alcohol tolerance was terrible. Just two small glasses and my head was already spinning.

I tried to push his hand away, but instead, he grabbed the back of my neck and forced another drink down my throat.

The next thing I knew, I had collapsed face-down on the table. I wanted to call out to Belinda to ask her to take me home, but when I looked over, her seat was empty.

She was gone.

That was when it hit me. I’d been set up.

But it was already too late.

I was taken to a hotel room, and everything after that became a blur. When I woke up the next morning, Mr. Nicholson was gone.

I immediately checked my body, and there didn’t seem to be anything off. No visible harm. Still, I felt hollow.

When I got home, the first thing I saw was Francis staring at me like I was filth.

“So what, was that your plan all along? Follow me to the hotel just to seduce my client? Kelsey, I didn’t know you were that desperate.”

Before I could speak, Belinda stepped out from behind him, arms crossed, fake pity dripping from her voice.

“Kelsey, I mean, seriously? The wedding’s in less than two weeks, and you pull this? How could you cheat on Francis like that?”

Ignoring her, I faced Francis and said, “Francis, you were the one who called and told me to go to the hotel. I showed up, but only to realize it was all a trap. You and Belinda planned this together! I’m calling the police!”

“I told you to drive over and pick us up, not to cozy up with Mr. Nicholson. Don’t twist my words,” he defended, frowning tightly.

The hangover must have kicked in. That was why he couldn't remember what really happened.

Belinda, on the other hand, scowled the second I mentioned calling the police.

“Police? Really, Kelsey? You chose to drink last night. I even tried to take you home, but you wouldn’t leave. You were all over Mr. Nicholson. Don’t turn around and blame us for your choices.”

I was speechless.

That bastard Mr. Nicholson had already wiped the hotel security footage before he disappeared this morning, cleaning all the evidence.

Now, it was just my word against hers.

Just then, Francis pulled out his phone and showed me a photo of me, smiling faintly while drinking, curled up beside Mr. Nicholson’s arm.

And that one picture was all he needed to believe everything Belinda said.

The disgust in his eyes was undeniable as he hissed, “You make me sick, Kelsey. Of all people, you had to go for my client?”

Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head.

That was when it all clicked.

Belinda planned every bit of this.

She worked with Mr. Nicholson to trap me, humiliate me, and ruin me in front of the man I once loved.

“Believe whatever you want. But I didn’t sleep with him. This was all her doing!” I shouted, pointing at Belinda.

But Francis waved his hand and snapped, “Enough! You’ve never liked Belinda, and now you’re trying to frame her for everything. You seriously need help.”

“Frame her? Look at this!” I held out my phone, my voice cracking. “My private photos, she leaked them. They’re everywhere now. She sent them to our group chats and even sold them online!”

I was shaking from anger, overwhelmed by the injustice, as tears poured down.

“It’s just a few photos,” Francis scoffed. “What’s the big deal? You’re not dead. And I doubt Belinda did it on purpose.”

“Exactly,” Belinda chimed in, stepping into his arms with her eyes glistening.

“I was trying to take a selfie, I didn’t realize it would send to the whole group. I didn’t mean for it to happen,” she whimpered and leaned into him like she was the victim.

“You accidentally sent high-res photos for a buck each? How long are you going to keep pretending?” I shot back, livid.

“That’s enough!” Francis shouted again. “I'm letting this whole hotel thing slide. It’s not like you can even get pregnant anyway. As for the photos, Belinda didn’t mean to do it. You’re her big sister. You should be more understanding. She’s a well-bred, upper-class girl, like hell she’d sell those pics for a buck. It’s obviously just a misunderstanding.”

I stood there stunned, barely able to breathe. I couldn't believe those words came from the man I once thought would protect me.

I let out a bitter laugh.

So this was it. All the love I’d held onto for years was nothing more than a cruel joke.

The sunlight from the window was blinding, but I stared at him anyway, numb and empty.

“Francis, let's just forget the wedding,” I firmly said. “I’m no longer interested in marrying you.”

For a moment, he just stared at me with a hint of panic.

Then he scoffed, “Don’t use a breakup as a bargaining chip, Kelsey. No one else is going to marry you. You’re a freak who can’t even have kids. I’m the only one who ever would’ve taken you.”

Kelsey's POV

“Tch, seriously, Kelsey? Can you stop with the same tired threat already?” Belinda scoffed. “Telling Francis you don’t want to marry him, how outdated is that?”

Just then, Mom came out of the kitchen holding a bowl of congee. She glanced at me with thinly veiled disgust and said, “Don’t want to marry? Fine. That works out great for Francis and Belinda. Honestly, you’ve always been the extra in this house. At least now we don’t have to keep pretending.”

Everyone in this house looked at me like I was some disease.

I opened my mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.

I turned around and headed back to my room, shut the door behind me, and quietly pulled out the suitcase I’d already packed.

Most of the clothes and jewelry I owned were from Francis, which he gifted me at every event, party, and dinner he took me to. He also always brought me something when he returned from business trips, saying seeing me happy made it all worth it, no matter the price.

Just as I was lost in the memory, the door opened and in walked Belinda, carrying a bowl of oatmeal and a smug smile on her face.

“Hey, Kelsey. Since Francis is busy with a meeting in the study, I was thoughtful enough to bring you breakfast. Don’t waste my kindness, okay?”

I glanced up at her, and she looked so fake that it made my stomach turn.

“I’m not hungry. Please leave,” I flatly refused.

“Why should I? You’re the one who should be leaving. I know you're just pretending to pack, but you’re just waiting for Francis to come running after you. Women like you are so easy to read.”

She laughed mockingly, then gasped and covered her mouth in an exaggerated show of innocence.

“Oh wait… I forgot. You’re not exactly a real woman, are you?”

Smirking, she pulled out a small box and flipped it open to show off a golden flower hairpin.

“You see this? Francis bought it for me at an auction. Said if I liked it, he didn’t care how much it cost.”

My heart immediately sank upon seeing it.

I knew that pin.

He had promised it to me years ago when we visited a private collector. Seeing me staring at it for so long, he pulled me into his arms and whispered that if it ever went to auction, he’d make sure it would be mine.

And yet, here it was, in her hands.

Triumphant, Belinda shut the box like it was a priceless treasure. Then she looked around my closet and wrinkled her nose.

“Tacky. After all these years as an adopted daughter, your taste is still trash.”

She then punctuated her insult with a harsh kick to my suitcase, only to lose her balance and slip, crashing to the ground.

The box also went flying, and the hairpin tumbled out. It hit the floor hard, bending out of shape. One of the embedded gemstones popped off and rolled away.

Seeing that, Belinda screamed. She cradled the broken pin in horror, then whipped around and pointed at me, furious.

Right on cue, Mom and Francis burst into the room.

“My hairpin!” she shrieked. “Kelsey, this is all your fault! Why didn’t you move your stupid suitcase? Or did you do it on purpose because you were jealous? You couldn’t stand that Francis gave it to me! You’re so vile!”

I immediately turned to Francis to explain, but he didn't give me a chance.

“Yes, I gave it to her,” he said coldly. “She’s giving me a child, so she deserves something beautiful. I know you liked that pin too, but that doesn’t give you the right to destroy it out of jealousy!”

His words hit harder than any slap.

“I should’ve known,” Mom sneered. “We raised a snake. Trash will always be trash. Should’ve left you in the gutter where you belonged.”

Helpless, I endured their insults and humiliation, but I was so angry that my whole body trembled.

When I finally opened my mouth, I could feel how stiff my face had become.

“She kicked my suitcase and tumbled on her own. I didn’t touch her. Yes, I used to love that pin, but now that it’s hers? I don’t even want to look at it, just like I don’t want to look at you, Francis. Because today, I realized something. You were never good enough for me.”