Jones Hudson, Roderick's uncle, appeared at the doorway, his strikingly handsome face clouded with a terrifying scowl.

His gaze burned with anger as he looked at Roderick and Erica.

"Uncle… why are you out here?"

Roderick and Erica froze, their smug arrogance vanishing, replaced by panic and unease.

I glanced at the man who had suddenly appeared, a flicker of surprise in my eyes before I regained my composure.

I knew Roderick's uncle was a formidable figure, but I hadn't expected him to be so young.

"Roderick, is this how you treat a distinguished guest?" Jones wore a sharp, dark gray suit, his sleeves rolled up to reveal a Patek Philippe on his wrist.

His features bore a faint resemblance to Roderick's but carried the seasoned gravitas of a man well-versed in business.

He approached me and extended a hand. "Miss Saunders, I'm Jones. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I politely shook his firm, well-defined hand as he continued. "I'm a huge fan. I still remember your last hook at the national boxing championship, knocking out your opponent. The determination in your eyes on the ring always convinced me you'd win."

His sincerity and admiration softened my tense nerves. I nodded slightly. "Thank you, Jones."

Jones gestured invitingly, and we walked side by side into the hall, leaving Roderick and Erica, their faces ashen, behind us.

Erica gripped Roderick's arm tightly, her eyes brimming with resentment.

In the dining room, crystal chandeliers gleamed, and the long table overflowed with exquisite dishes.

"Erica, this foie gras is your favorite. I had the chef make it specially." Roderick's voice was tender as he served Erica, carefully cutting her food into small pieces.

Erica deliberately glanced at me, flashing a provocative smile.

Her look was like a peacock flaunting its claim, showing off Roderick's favor.

I sipped my wine, unbothered by their antics.

My phone buzzed suddenly. It was my father.

I rose slowly. "Excuse me, I need to take a call."

At the end of the corridor, I answered, dropping all emotion to report recent business matters in a professional tone.

Only at the end did I bring up the engagement. "Father, after observing Roderick, I find him deceitful and unworthy. Should we reconsider the engagement?"

As I hung up, footsteps approached from behind.

I turned to see Erica holding an ornate insulated box, her face plastered with a fake smile. "Sophia, these are Hokkaido scallops I had flown in from abroad. I heard you love seafood and planned to surprise you at dinner, but the delivery arrived late. Take a look."

I raised an eyebrow, staying silent.

Erica's feigned enthusiasm reeked of ulterior motives.

I turned to head back to the dining room, but after two steps, a cold sensation hit my back.

Erica had dumped the entire box of seafood, broth and all, over me!

Icy water dripped from my hair, scallops and sea urchins clinging to my dress, the slimy texture making me grimace.

Erica tossed the box aside, collapsed dramatically to the ground, her eyes instantly red, her voice trembling with fake tears. "Sophia, I brought you seafood out of kindness. Even if you didn't like it, you didn't have to get so angry…"

Hearing the commotion, people rushed out from the dining room.

Roderick saw Erica on the floor and me drenched, and without a second thought, he hurried to help her up.

When he looked at me, his eyes seemed to blaze with fury. "Sophia! You've been targeting Erica since you arrived. She lowered herself to please you, and you keep attacking her?"

Erica leaned into his arms, sobbing pitifully. "Don't blame Sophia. Maybe I did something to upset her."

I sneered, wiping water from my face, my gaze icy as it swept over the crowd and landed on the ceiling's upper-left corner. "Roderick, instead of accusing me, check the security camera up there. It'll show exactly who started this."

Roderick shielded Erica, his tone unwavering. "No need! I trust Erica. She never lies! Sophia, apologize!"

"Enough." Jones interrupted, stepping to my side, his gaze cold as he looked at Roderick. "Roderick, that's not your place to say."

He turned to Erica, still sniffling, his tone carrying a warning. "Erica, know when to stop. Checking the footage won't do you any favors."

Erica paled, knowing Jones wasn't someone to cross. "I'm not petty. For Roderick's sake, I'll forgive Sophia's offense this time."

Roderick quickly supported her, leading her upstairs.

Jones handed me a clean white shirt with a hint of apology. "Change into this. Don't catch a cold."

I took it and went to a guest room to rinse off.

Jones's shirt carried a faint cedar scent.

I paired it with tight jeans, leaving the collar open to reveal a hint of collarbone, my wet hair loosely tied back.

Jones caught sight of my casual look, a fleeting glimmer of admiration in his eyes. "That shirt looks great on you."

He praised me openly, then extended an invitation. "There's a nature reserve behind the villa with nice views. Want to take a walk?"

I nodded slightly.

We strolled along the river's wooden boardwalk, the evening breeze easing the earlier tension.

I gazed at the water and spoke suddenly. "When I was a kid training at a nearby base, I saw a boy fall into this river and jumped in to save him."

Jones paused, his face full of surprise. "You mean here?"

He hesitated, his tone complex. "Roderick favors Erica so much because, as a child, he got lost here, fell into the river, and she saved him."

I froze, then laughed. "What a coincidence. This river must be full of rescue stories."

Jones chuckled, teasing. "Maybe it's a river that gobbles up little boys, waiting for girls to save them."

We shared a smile, the mood lightening.

As night fell, I politely took my leave.

My assistant arrived to pick me up. In the car, I gave a stern order. "Pull the surveillance footage from near the base's river, ten years ago."

My gaze turned to the night outside, my eyes sharpening.

Erica saved Roderick there too?

The world didn't have such perfect coincidences.

Upstairs, Roderick gently applied ointment to Erica's skin.

Erica leaned into him, a smug smile curling her lips.

She didn't yet know a storm was brewing, one that would unravel all her carefully crafted lies.

At the Hudson Group's thirtieth anniversary celebration, Jones scanned the crowd, his voice booming through the microphone across the hall. "Today, I officially announce—"

I sat below, my eyes lowered, my fingertips absently tracing the stem of my wine glass.

My father hadn't given me a clear answer, so everything had to proceed as planned. "The Hudson and Saunders families will soon be united in marriage!"

Applause erupted, but the banquet hall's doors were suddenly kicked open.

Over twenty thugs wielding steel pipes stormed in, led by a scar-faced man radiating menace. "Where's Roderick's fiancée? Get out here! Today, you'll taste humiliation!"

They rampaged through the hall, smashing everything in their path.

Erica screamed, hiding behind Roderick, her eyes glaring at me with blame. "This is all your fault. You've ruined the banquet."

I frowned, about to explain.

Erica rushed to Jones, tears in her eyes, and wailed. "Sophia's an underground fighter. She must have made enemies on the streets and brought these people here!"

Jones didn't buy her story, his brow only furrowing deeper.

Guests screamed and scattered as the thugs attacked. The venue's security rushed to intervene but were quickly beaten down.

I glanced at the arrogant thugs, pulled out my phone, and pressed a shortcut key.

Roderick sneered. "Stop pretending. These people are here for you. Cancel the engagement now and stop dragging us into this!"

Erica raised her chin smugly, as if she could already see me being driven out.

She opened her mouth to say more, but a chilling sound of footsteps echoed from the entrance.

The scar-faced leader's eyes lit up, thinking his backup had arrived.

Instead, a group of black-suited men armed with weapons marched in.

My assistant strode to my side and bowed respectfully. "Madam, we're sorry. We were late executing the mission."

The thug leader's grin froze. He tried to question his men but was pinned by two black-suited men, unable to move. "Who… who are you? My boss runs the West District. You dare touch me?"

My assistant gave him a cold glance, saying nothing.

Within minutes, every thug was subdued.

Over a hundred black-suited men bowed in unison, their voices resounding. "Hail the Queen!"

The banquet hall fell silent.

Some recognized the emblem on the men's collars and grew even more terrified.

Jones looked at me with shock and confusion.

Roderick and Erica's faces turned ashen. They never imagined that I, whom they'd belittled, commanded such power.

My gaze swept over them, a cold smirk curling my lips.

My assistant brought the thugs before me, and all eyes focused on me.

I rose slowly, grabbed the scar-faced leader's hair, and demanded icily.

"Who gave you the guts to crash my engagement banquet?"

The scar-faced man froze, his eyes darting to the large wedding photo in the center of the banquet hall.

My smile and Roderick's were stiffly pressed together in the image.

He slapped his forehead, regret flooding his mind. "We got it wrong! We didn't mean to ruin your engagement banquet!"

As he spoke, Erica, hiding behind Roderick, stiffened, instinctively clutching his sleeve.

The scar-faced man's gaze locked onto her, and he roared with fury. "She's the one we're after! She had her bodyguards rip my girlfriend's dress! We only came to get revenge on her!"

The truth came to light, and Erica panicked.

She grabbed Roderick's arm, her eyes red as she pleaded. " No, Roderick, she took it off herself. I didn't…"

"Shut up!" I cut her off coldly, turning to Jones, who stood nearby.

Jones understood instantly and signaled the security to guide the shaken guests out through a side door.

I tilted my chin toward the scar-faced man. "Since it's a misunderstanding, we still need to settle the score. Go tear her clothes, and we'll call it even."

The scar-faced man hesitated, then his eyes gleamed with malice.

The moment my men released him, he lunged forward and grabbed Erica's collar.

Erica screamed for Roderick's help, but my men had already pinned his arms, a knee pressed into his lower back, forcing him to the floor.

Roderick shouted in rage, powerless to change the situation.

Only when Erica's gown was torn to shreds did the scar-faced man step back, satisfied.

Erica, humiliated, yanked a tablecloth to cover herself, sobbing uncontrollably.

I approached the scar-faced man, my voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight. "The dress issue is settled, but you crashed my engagement banquet. How do we settle that?"

His face paled, and he began to beg for mercy.

I didn't respond, only taking a hammer from my assistant and weighing it in my hand, my gaze sweeping over the thugs. "Each of you, break three of your own fingers. If you refuse, I know some mercenary brokers. The fiercest battlefields always need bodies. You won't come back. But don't worry—if you die, your families might get a payout. At least you won't die for nothing."

I shrugged and tossed the hammer to the ground.

The thugs' faces turned ashen, despair settling in as they eyed the armed mafia soldiers surrounding them.

The scar-faced man gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, sweat dripping down his face. Finally, he bent down and picked up the hammer.

His trembling hand pressed against the marble floor, and with a closed-eyed swing, he smashed down.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the hall as blood seeped from his fingers.

The other thugs, seeing this, reluctantly grabbed hammers, their screams rising and falling, thickening the air with tension.

I signaled my men to release Roderick. He looked at the gruesome scene, but instead of rushing to Erica, he stumbled toward me, forcing a fawning smile. "Sophia, I was blind. I didn't see Erica's true colors. Don't worry, I'll cut ties with her. She won't bother you again."

I glanced at him, my disdain unhidden. "Roderick, you think groveling now makes a difference? You're as filthy as she is."

His smile froze, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his eyes.

Under my pressure, he clenched his fists, swallowing his emotions.

As expected, seeing my cold expression and no sign of rekindling old feelings, he turned and approached Erica, wrapping her in his suit jacket.

Erica trembled like a leaf, sobbing breathlessly.

As Roderick carefully led her away, her fear faded, replaced by the same venomous resentment as his.

The moment she stepped out of the banquet hall, she muttered to herself. "Sophia, you think this will make me submit? Just wait. I'll make you lose what you care about most!"

She slipped a hand into her pocket, her fingers swiftly typing a message labeled "KM."

After sending it, she nestled back into Roderick's arms, her sobs masking the scheming in her eyes.

I watched their retreating figures, my hand tapping lightly at my side. My assistant raised my phone, the screen displaying real-time monitoring of Erica's message.

Outside the banquet hall, at a street corner, a man in a van saw the message on his phone.

He smirked coldly, a cigarette dangling from his lips, and pressed the call button. "Get ready. It's our turn."