The moment those words left my mouth, Vivian's mother snatched the phone from my hand. She barked into it, sharp and venomous, "As the legal wife, I'd really love to see the mistress who could raise such a shameless daughter."

Then she hurled my phone to the floor, smashing it against the tiles.

"Look at how bold she is—don't tell me her mother has a whole flock of sugar daddies?"

"Let her mother come, then. We've got plenty of wealthy wives here today. Let's see how she hides from them."

"Please. She probably thinks her mom is some kind of superhero. Vivian is a legitimate heiress now—why would she be scared of a mistress?"

"Oh wow, I'm so scared. She's terrifying. Really."

Their voices grew louder, uglier—every sentence a baseless accusation.

I looked at the twisted faces of old classmates and guests alike, and my voice turned cold.

"I hope you can still laugh in the end."

Vivian lunged at me, trying to yank my hair. I stepped aside and shoved her away hard.

Then I turned to the person who had been directing the entire mob—her mother.

"You keep calling me an illegitimate child and my mom a mistress, but your entire 'proof' is a single childhood photo of me.

"I'm actually curious—do you have a marriage certificate? Or did you ever have a proper wedding?

"Or… is it that you already know who the real mistress is, and you just can't stand the sight of me, so you let everyone else insult me and my mother?"

With each sentence, Vivian's mother's expression darkened. Vivian sensed something was wrong and grabbed my collar.

"You bitch, how dare you provoke us?

"What illegitimate daughter acts this arrogant? If my mother weren't the legal wife, wouldn't I know? And if you're not the bastard, why don't you have the Spencer surname?"

People who had been wavering before immediately nodded. After all, most children take their father's surname.

"She's right. I almost fell for it."

"Alice is vile. Her mother ruined someone else's marriage, and now she's questioning whether Vivian's mom is the legal wife? Shameless."

Amid the rising chatter, my former deskmate suddenly jumped out.

"Oh! Alice, you've worn that earring since high school, right? It must be expensive."

At her words, Vivian's gaze snapped to the delicate stud on my left ear.

"That earring definitely isn't cheap. No way your mom bought it. My dad must've paid for it."

My expression shifted. I instinctively covered the earring.

That tiny motion was all Vivian needed. A vicious glint flashed in her eyes.

"Oh? Look how nervous you are. Did I hit a nerve? If my dad bought it, then as his legitimate daughter, I have every right to take it back."

I slapped her reaching hand away. "My mother had this custom-made to protect me. If you remove it, it triggers an alarm. I'm warning you."

My mother commissioned it after I was once kidnapped—a silent alarm that activated the moment it was taken off, sending my location to her phone.

But my phone was now shattered on the floor.

Vivian sneered.

"You think I'll believe that? Why would a bastard need protection? And even if it were that special, it still belongs to us. All your mother's money came from my dad anyway."

Seeing she had no intention of stopping, I dropped the pretense and reached for the earring myself. Vivian noticed immediately and shouted to the classmates around her, "Hold her down! I'll take it off myself."

At her command, several boys pinned my arms and legs. I was forced to my knees like some criminal awaiting punishment.

Vivian stood over me, her disgust unfiltered—more brazen than she ever was in high school.

Her fingers pinched the earring and twisted. The sharp metal scraped against my ear, sending a cold, slicing pain down my neck.

She was trying to rip it off.

But she knew—I had a bleeding disorder. If she tore it out, I could be in real danger.

"Vivian, you know I have a bleeding disorder—"

A slap cut me off, burning across my cheek.

"Don't start with that again. You used that excuse to force me out of school, and now you think it'll stop me today? I'm exposing your lies."

Before I could react, she yanked hard, tearing the earring straight through the flesh of my ear.

"Aah!"

A sharp, throbbing pain burst through my earlobe as blood slid down my hair and dripped onto the floor.

Completely unfazed, Vivian tossed the earring to the ground and crushed it under her heel. Her voice dripped with arrogance.

"Let's see if our delicate illegitimate Alice bleeds to death."

Warm liquid kept sliding down my neck. Panic surged through me—followed instantly by pure rage.

"You're insane."

I stepped forward, desperate to make her pay, but someone pulled me back.

It was my only friend from high school—my former deskmate.

Vivian spotted who stopped me and smirked, her expression full of triumph. She lifted her chin and laughed provocatively.

"Hit me? Hahaha. Go ahead—look around. Who here would ever help you?"

She deliberately walked up to me and tapped her own cheek. "I'm a wealthy heiress now. If you're so tough, go ahead—hit me, loser."

I clenched my teeth and looked at my high school deskmate, who didn't even have the courage to meet my eyes. A bitter laugh escaped me.

"You're all equally wicked. You'll regret this."

"Regret?" Vivian scoffed. "What a joke. Why would I ever regret it? But you… I'm not so sure about you."

She waved her hand slightly and turned to the group of former classmates, amusement in her voice.

"Beat her. Whoever satisfies me will get a business opportunity from my dad.

"Oh, and remember—our little princess here has a bleeding disorder. Draw blood and I'll give each of you ten grand."

At that, my old classmates didn't care whether they knew me or not—they swarmed me with fists and kicks.

"Just because we tore out your earring, you think you can fight Vivian? She's the daughter of the legal wife. You, an illegitimate brat, actually think you compare?"

"A bleeding disorder? Good. I'm afraid you won't die fast enough. People as vicious as you should've been strangled at birth."

"Trash stays trash. Come on, put your back into it. Look at her—she still thinks she's above us."

"Hahaha, look at her now. Pathetic. Record it. Post it online—‘The legal daughter teaching the illegitimate bastard a lesson.' That'll feel good."

My high school deskmate suddenly pulled out a nail knife from God knows where and stabbed it into my thigh. She yanked it out—then stabbed again.

"Alice, don't blame me. I need the money to get into the Hawley Group. You won't hate me for it… right?"

Vivian stood with her arms crossed, watching them torture me like entertainment.

"Regretting it yet? Tsk tsk… how pitiful. Just like a stray dog."

She lowered her gaze to me, voice dripping venom. "Remember this—you and I are not the same. Some people are born noble. People like you can keep dreaming about a life like that."

The others chimed in instantly.

"She's just a useless illegitimate child without a home."

"Exactly. And now, even illegitimate kids can inherit. Honestly, I hope she dies today so she won't try to steal Vivian's inheritance later."

"That's nothing. My neighbor just divorced his wife. When this party ends, I'll send her over to him as a bride. I heard he's into special… tastes."

"Hahahaha, Carl, you always have the best ideas. Trash like her deserves a man like that."

"You gotta admit… Alice's got the body for it, though—"

Filth and cruelty flooded my mind as blood loss drained every ounce of strength from my limbs.

Vivian stepped closer. Her heel ground into the puddle of blood around me as she gripped my chin, forcing my face up. Her voice was ice-cold.

"Doesn't feel so good now, does it? Didn't you say your earring would trigger an alarm and send out your location? Funny… I don't see anyone coming to save you."

The moment her words fell, the sound of an engine roared to life outside.

Someone shouted from the hallway, "The owner of the villa is back!"

I lifted my head toward the door.

Was my mom finally here?