Veronica's perfectly staged performance turned me into the villain of the entire Luthor family.

That night, I got a text message from her with an attached photo.

In the picture, Veronica lay naked in a hotel bed, curled up against Lex's chest. She looked straight at the camera and flashed a triumphant peace sign.

Under the image was a single line:

[Catherine, Lex says you're the only one in his heart, but his body sure seems to be a lot more honest. See? He's right here next to me right now.]

The image burned my eyes.

A cold wind seemed to sweep through my chest.

Without a word, I saved the photo.

The next morning, my mother's impatient voice came from outside my door.

"Catherine, get up! Veronica and Lex are about to go wedding dress shopping. You're coming with us."

"No need. The Astor family will handle everything," I said calmly.

Veronica suddenly pushed the door open, her eyes glistening with tears.

"Catherine, are you still mad at me?

"I know you didn't mean it yesterday. Even if you won't apologize, I've already forgiven you!" she said sweetly. "I invited you dress shopping because I want us to make up and go back to how we used to be. Can't we be close sisters again?"

Go back to how we used to be?

Back to the days when I willingly gave up everything she wanted?

I had stepped aside over and over until, in the end, even my fiancé had ended up in her bed.

How pathetic.

Still unwilling to let it go, Veronica kept up her poor-me act.

"Lex and I have already set our wedding date. I really want your blessing, Sis. Please help me pick out a dress. You have such great taste!"

My mother immediately chimed in.

"Your sister's right. What grudge between sisters lasts overnight? Besides, after what happened yesterday, she didn't even hold it against you. Is helping her pick a wedding dress really that hard?

"Catherine, be reasonable, okay? I know you don't want to marry a paralyzed man, but you agreed to it in the end. What's the point of throwing a tantrum now?

"Besides, what could that cripple possibly have prepared for you? The Luthor family is marrying off a daughter—we can't let people talk. Get up right now. Let your sister help you pick out a beautiful dress too. Both of my daughters should look stunning on their wedding days.

"Enough with the nonsense. Hurry up and get dressed. Lex is already waiting downstairs."

With that, my mother yanked me out of bed.

Once I got in the car, I closed my eyes and pretended to sleep.

I didn't open them again until the car pulled into a remote alley on the outskirts of town.

We had arrived at the bridal shop Veronica had chosen.

The moment we walked in, she pointed to a wedding dress and smiled.

"Catherine, this one suits you best. Go try it on."

Numbly, I let the sales assistant lead me into the fitting room.

I had just started changing when the curtain was suddenly ripped open.

Wearing nothing but my underwear, I was instantly exposed to everyone outside.

Lex stormed in, his face twisted with rage.

He hurled shredded pieces of wedding dress fabric right into my face.

"Catherine! You vicious woman! Can you really not stand to see anyone else happy?"

Tears streamed down Veronica's cheeks.

"Catherine, I know you liked that dress. If you wanted it, all you had to do was tell me. I would have given it to you!

"Why… why did you cut it to pieces?" she sobbed. "This fabric was the most comfortable for me in my condition. Did you really want to see me humiliate myself in ruined clothes before you'd be satisfied?"

"I didn't!"

"Oh, you didn't?" Lex sneered, his eyes full of contempt. "Catherine, how much longer are you going to keep pretending? You're obviously jealous that Veronica gets to marry me, so you stooped to something this low.

"I already told you—this arrangement is only temporary. Couldn't you be a little understanding? Instead, you pull stunts like this just to get my attention, and on top of that, you try to hurt Veronica.

"Why can't you act more mature? All you're doing is wearing down my feelings for you. I'm exhausted. Try learning something from Veronica. What's so hard about being gentle and considerate?"

Ten years of love, wasted.

So this was who he really thought I was.

Around me, the boutique employees whispered and pointed.

Their scornful stares felt like a thousand needles stabbing my nearly naked body.

I looked at Lex and laughed softly.

"Lex, so this is how you see me. There's something I forgot to tell you yesterday, but today's not too late.

"Let's break up. Lex, the biggest regret of my life is ever having met you. From now on, your road is yours and mine is mine. The only connection between us is that you're my brother-in-law."

"Oh, and one more thing. I hope you and your shameless mistress have a wonderful life together. May the two of you rot in each other's arms forever."

"Biggest regret?" Lex let out a cold laugh. "Catherine, yesterday you tried to hurt my child. Today you destroyed Veronica's wedding dress. And now you're standing here telling me you regret ever meeting me? My patience has its limits."

"And breaking up with me?" He sneered. "That's a joke. Can you even survive without me? Besides, once you marry into the Astor family, who do you think is going to save you besides me? Who else would even care about you?

"If you keep this up, don't expect me to come and get you back."

With that, he pulled the tearful Veronica into his arms and softened his tone.

"Veronica, don't cry. Someone like her isn't worth getting upset over.

"I'll take you to a better bridal shop and have a one-of-a-kind wedding dress custom made for you."

Then he wrapped his arm around Veronica and walked off, leaving me standing there disheveled and alone.

After getting dressed, I stepped out of the bridal shop and realized just how middle of nowhere the place was.

There wasn't a single taxi in sight.

I pulled out my phone and called the family driver, but no one picked up. I tried using a ride-share app several times, but the location was so remote that no drivers accepted the request.

Finally, with shaking fingers, I dialed Lex's number.

The phone rang for a long time before he finally answered.

His impatient voice came through the speaker.

"So, you finally realized you were wrong? Calling to apologize?"

Swallowing my pride, I said, "It's too remote out here. I can't get a ride, and my phone's almost dead. Could you… come pick me up?"

"Oh? Now you're begging me?" He let out a mocking laugh. "Right now I'm—"

A soft, sweet voice suddenly cut him off.

"Lex, are we almost at the bridal shop? I can't wait to see your face when I'm in my wedding dress."

Lex's tone immediately turned harsh.

"Catherine, stay right there and think about what you've done. Maybe it'll teach you a lesson."

The call abruptly disconnected.

A moment later, my phone buzzed.

It was a text from Lex.

[Your sister still hasn't picked out her dress. I'm taking her to another shop first. Wait at the corner. I'll come get you later.]

I walked to the corner and waited… from noon until darkness swallowed the sky.

The bridal shop had long since closed.

My phone battery slowly drained away.

Right before it died completely, I mindlessly opened my social media feed.

At the top was a post Veronica had uploaded just moments ago.

In the photo, she and Lex stood on the deck of a luxury yacht, wrapped in each other's arms.

[Thank you, my love, for taking me out to spend the night at sea. Love you.]

The screen went black.

And with it, my world seemed to sink into endless darkness.

A man's promises really meant nothing.

Going by memory alone, I started walking toward a bus stop three miles away.

As I turned into a narrow alley to take a shortcut, three drunk men suddenly blocked my path.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" one of them slurred. "A pretty little thing all by herself."

"Dressed like that and walking alone at night… Were you waiting for us boys to come take good care of you?"

I spun around and ran.

A hand shot out and grabbed me.

The next second, I was slammed hard against an icy brick wall.

"Let go of me! Help! Someone help me!"

"Go ahead and scream!" one of them laughed. "This place is a dead zone. You could yell your head off and no one would hear you.

"Truth is, someone paid good money for a recording of us having our way with you. So stop fighting it and just cooperate."

Summoning every last ounce of strength, I swung a wooden stick at them and bolted toward the mouth of the alley.

Just as I was about to escape, someone grabbed me from behind and dragged me back.

The three men closed in around me.

Rip—

My coat was torn open with brutal force.

The freezing night air immediately hit my skin.

Tears spilled uncontrollably down my face.

My vision blurred.

One of those filthy hands reached for my chest.

And then—

A low, commanding voice echoed from the entrance of the alley.

"Let her go. Or I'll cut off your hands one finger at a time…"