Slap the Scum

The sound of knocking on the door was heard, and Ariana pushed the door open.

"Zoey, the engagement banquet has started, it's time for you to go on stage."

Zoey looked at Ariana's swollen lips and understood in her heart.

It was obvious that Ariana and Nelson were secretly involved with each other.

In the past, she’d trusted them and hadn’t thought to question it. But now, every little detail was as clear as day.

She smiled and said, "Okay."

Zoey stood up and Ariana's face changed suddenly, "Zoey, did you change your dress?"

Zoey was dressed in a white lace long dress, with silver flat shoes on her feet. Her dark, slightly curled hair fell to her waist, and her light makeup looked clean and gentle, like a fairy fallen to earth.

“Doesn't it look good?” Zoey asked with a smile.

Ariana tugged at her lips and said, "Good, it looks good. Nelson will definitely be amazed."

Zoey glanced at her clenched palm and realized she was worried that she might seduce Nelson away.

She patted Ariana's shoulder and said in her heart, "Don't worry, I won't compete with you for that scoundrel!"

The banquet hall was bustling with excitement.

A few women gathered together and were discussing.

"I never expected Zoey to have such a bad reputation, and yet she managed to get engaged to Mr. Maddox! Do you think she must have some kind of leverage over him?"

"It's hard to say! Otherwise, how could the Maddox family possibly accept a woman who had had an abortion?"

"Now, the Maddox family only has Russell unmarried. Who among you is interested?"

"Russell's face was simply breathtaking, but he's impotent! Who could bear to live like a widow?!"

If you marry into the Maddox family, you'll become the Mrs.Maddox, as Russell Maddox holds the reins of power in the family.

"I wouldn't, I heard Russell is like an iceberg, I don't want to be frozen to death."

"If Russell had shown interest in me, I would have married him. I could have looked at that face for a lifetime!"

"Look, Russell is here!"

The banquet hall instantly became quiet as Troy Crane pushed Russell, who was sitting in a wheelchair, inside.

Russell wore a high-end dark suit, paired with a white shirt and a vest, exuding innate elegance.

He leisurely rested his hands on the armrests, with a string of rosewood prayer beads wrapped around his wrist. A black thin blanket was draped over his legs, and from the bulge, one could imagine that his legs were probably slender.

Many women sighed in their hearts, this man is noble and elegant, but unfortunately he was disabled.

Many men inwardly mocked, thinking that being decisive and ruthless in the business world did not qualify them as real men if they lacked compassion and had no offspring to inherit their family business.

In the faces of everyone, there was nothing but respect.

Russell raised his hand slightly, and Troy stopped.

Nelson walked briskly towards Russell and said, "Russell, you came back from abroad."

Russell sighed lightly and said, "The Maddox family had good news, so of course I had to hurry back."

A glimmer of brilliance flashed through Nelson's eyes as he sighed in his heart that Russell must have been in great pain, after all, the woman he cared about was going to get engaged to someone else.

He nodded and said, "Thank you, Russell. The ceremony is about to begin, I will go up on stage first."

Nelson turned around and took the stage, and the Maddox family gathered around, young and old.

Marlene Maddox said, "Russell, look at Nelson, he got engaged. When are you planning to go on a blind date?"

Alonso, "Yeah, Mr. Bender's second daughter is nice. Why don't you meet her tomorrow?"

Other relatives also began to continue this topic.

Russell remained indifferent, "Not interested."

One sentence that silenced everyone.

At this moment, the host on the stage began the opening speech for the engagement banquet.

After a brief introduction, he looked towards the side of the stage and said, "Please welcome Ms. Harmon to the stage."

Zoey stepped onto the stage in a dress, her back straight, and every step she took was graceful and elegant.

Nelson couldn't take his eyes off immediately.

The audience below was also attracted, because it was so beautiful.

Ariana saw this scene and bit down on her newly installed porcelain teeth, making a crisp sound.

The host swallowed and said, "Ms. Harmon, the daughter of the Harmon family, truly lives up to her reputation as an elegant and graceful lady. Now, it's time for the exchange of engagement rings. Please welcome Ms. Harmon's sister, the renowned singer and talented designer, Ariana, to present the engagement ring."

Ariana suppressed her anger, smiled at the corners of her mouth, and walked onto the stage with two small red velvet boxes cradled in her palms.

At this moment, the high-tech giant screen behind the stage automatically opened, and one intimate photo after another appeared in the sight of the crowd.

The entire banquet hall erupted in exclamations!

The man and woman in the photo were none other than Nelson and Ariana.

There are travel photos, candlelight dinner photos, birthday photos, and photos from concerts. The poses of the two people are mostly kissing, hugging, and even on the bed. Most of them are taken from a selfie angle, occasionally from the perspective of the audience.

The two of them had natural expressions, looking completely immersed in happiness.

Nelson's face darkened, and he shouted, "Turn it off, now!"

Ariana, on the other hand, was pale-faced, and the velvet small box in her palm fell to the ground with a thud.

She widened her eyes in fear and said, "It's not like that, it's not..."

The staff hurried to close the screen, but the switch malfunctioned.

Suddenly, a video of a man and a woman entangled appeared on the large screen.

A embarrassing sound echoed throughout the entire banquet hall.

Nelson was holding Ariana and moving on top of her.

"Of course it was you, that disgusting bitch, I wouldn't even touch her."

"Nelson, you are about to get engaged to Zoey, will you really not touch her?"

"Of course not, I have never even held her hand. She looks so stiff like a dead body, it annoys me just looking at her! You are much more fresh and tender, I know that for sure!"

"Nelson, then you swore."

"Of course, I swear, you were the only one in my heart."

"Oh Nelson, I loved you so much..."

In the spacious banquet hall, the sound of people's discussions resounded.

"This pure and innocent girl has turned into a pure and seductive woman!"

"Yeah, she may seem innocent and pure on the surface, but behind closed doors, she's quite dissolute!"

"Her fiancée with her younger sister, this was really exciting!"

"So called designer, so much for a pop idol! This time, it seems like they're going down!"

"I even bought VIP tickets for her concert, now I really want to return them!"

"The singing was so beautiful, but the moaning was quite provocative, a bit different, huh?"

***

Jordan in the audience covered his face, feeling utterly embarrassed.

Dahlia rushed onto the stage as if she had gone mad, shouting, "Turn it off! Turn it off quickly!"

Zoey looked devastated and stumbled backwards two steps.

Nelson quickly stepped forward to explain, but Zoey suddenly stood still and forcefully slapped Nelson's face with all her strength, causing the man's face to turn aside.

She trembled all over, her eyes filled with hot tears. "How could you deceive my feelings like this? And with my own sister! Looking at those photos, you have been together for a long time! If you like her, then why did you even get engaged to me?"

Nelson had never been slapped in the face before, but now there were five fingerprints on his fair little face.

He was about to get angry, but then he saw Zoey looking so beautiful even when she was crying. He felt annoyed and regretful, wishing he had known earlier how pretty Zoey was, so he wouldn't have been with Ariana.

Photos can be explained as fake, but videos cannot be denied.

Looking at the surroundings in the footage, this video was shot in the countryside villa. Who would set him up like this?

Was it Zoey?

She knew that place!

It's impossible, Zoey is a fool, how could she possibly have such means?

Without having time to think carefully, he needs to calm Zoey down first.

He wanted to hold her hand and said, "Zoey, listen to me..."

“Don’t bother,” she snapped, slapping his hand away.

Ariana looked panicked and said, "Zoey, the photos and videos were all manipulated! Someone must be plotting against us, trying to sow discord between us! Nelson and I are innocent! I am your sister, you have to believe me!"

Zoey expressed a disappointed expression, "Ariana, yesterday you were saying how envious you were that I found a good man like Nelson. I never expected that you two had already been together behind my back."

Ariana's face was tearful as she sobbed, "I didn't, Zoey, those were all fake!"

Zoey looked at Nelson, with a look of disappointment and heartbreak, "No need to say anything, the engagement is off!"

She ran down the stage and grabbed Matteo's arm, feeling very aggrieved. "Grandfather, I don't want to get engaged to Nelson anymore."

Matteo looked at Alonso, his eyes filled with anger. "Alonso, you really did it this time, you were actually playing both sides and caused harm to another granddaughter of the Harmon family!"

Alonso's chest tightened with anger. "Matteo, this is the Maddox family's fault. I will definitely give you and Zoey an explanation."

Zoey sniffed and blinked her watery eyes, "An explanation?"

Alonso nodded, "Yes, feel free to make any requests, as long as I can fulfill them."

Zoey pursed her lips and said, “Then… why don’t you find me a new fiancé from your family?”

Give Me Back My Fiancé

Alonso's mouth twitched, "Where do I go find it?"

Zoey's gaze fell on Russell in the wheelchair and she said, "Since there is an engagement, it doesn't say who it has to be with. So, I want Russell!"

Everyone shook their heads and pursed their lips.

Just now Russell said he wasn't interested in women, isn't that asking for trouble!

Moreover, although Russell held a high position and had an exquisite appearance, he was impotent. Marrying him would clearly mean living as a widow!

Is Miss Harmon from the Harmon family out of her mind?

The air seemed as if it had stopped flowing, unusually quiet.

The entire banquet hall could only hear the sound of Russell lightly tapping the armrest of his wheelchair.

Under the crystal chandelier, the man's pupils turned amber, as if they had merged with the snow, clear and beautiful, unlike those of a real person.

Suddenly, his slender fingers paused, and he glanced at Zoey's delicate eyebrows, raising them slightly. His voice was cold and clean, "I agree."

Troy's eyes flickered with surprise for a moment, then quickly disappeared.

The crowd: "..."

Weren't you uninterested just now?

How did this change so quickly?

Zoey's eyes twinkled with a triumphant smile, and she immediately lowered her gaze and pursed her lips, concealing this joy.

Russell stared at her with his dark eyes. After a moment, he spoke gently, "Come here."

Zoey walked up to him, obediently and meekly.

Russell looked at the slender and fair wrist, took off the string of sandalwood beads on his wrist and put it on Zoey's wrist, then held Zoey's hand and led her to his side.

That Buddhist bead was Russell's personal belonging, symbolizing his social status.

He presented the Buddhist beads to Zoey, which meant he acknowledged her.

In the past life, Russell also wore the Buddhist beads on her wrist, except that she was already a lifeless body at that time, unable to feel the warmth of the man on the beads.

Now, she finally felt that every bead was so warm, warming her heart.

The man's palm was warm and solid, giving her a sense of security as he enveloped her small hand completely.

Zoey's heart pounded rapidly, and her face instantly flushed with a tinge of red.

Russell looked at Nelson on the stage with a gloomy expression, his voice cold and icy, "Get your ass over here."

Nelson took a cold breath and walked down the stage to stand in front of Russell.

"Russell, I am sorry."

Then he looked at Zoey and said, "Zoey, don't be mad at me, and don't make fun of Russell."

Zoey firmly said, "I wasn't angry, and I wouldn't joke about Russell."

Russell?

Russell's lips curved into a satisfied smile, but when he looked at Nelson, his voice turned cold and deep, "You should address her as your auntie."

Fiancée turned auntie?

Nelson felt that Zoey was deliberately embarrassing him, and would rather marry someone who was impotent and disabled than forgive him.

He cheated on her, so she made him descend in rank to be her nephew.

All the plans were disrupted, and the current situation, he couldn't salvage it either, so he could only summon courage and call out, "Auntie."

Russell nodded contentedly and squeezed the girl's hand. "Is there anything else you want to say?"

The man's voice was magnetic and gentle, and Zoey felt like her ears were going to get pregnant from how pleasing it was.

How could she be so indifferent in the past life?

Perhaps she had identified her savior and naturally excluded others, or perhaps her heart was focused on another project that had started, and she was contemplating how to steal the secrets.

Because Russell had a hacker who was just as good as her.

Although she won every time, it seemed like the opponents were deliberately letting her win.

Zoey snapped back to reality and nodded at Nelson, saying, "Since things have come to this point, you better treat my sister well. Tonight's engagement banquet will be considered yours and Ariana's engagement banquet. You can exchange engagement rings."

Nelson: "..."

Ariana: "..."

The crowd: The Miss from the Harmon family is so generous!

Zoey lightly scratched the man's palm and whispered, "I'm done."

The itchiness spread from the palm to the tip of the heart, and Russell's Adam's apple rolled along with it.

He looked at Matteo and respectfully said, "Grandfather, Zoey and I have something to discuss."

Matteo snapped out of his shock and said, "Oh sure, go have a good talk."

Alonso chuckled twice and said, "Ah, yes! You can talk all night!"

Zoey had a hard time holding back the urge to laugh as she watched Matteo and Alonso's silly and adorable antics.

Russell said softly, releasing the girl's hand, "Let's go."

"Okay," Zoey pushed the wheelchair towards the entrance of the banquet hall.

She didn't forget to turn around and remind Troy, "Could you please help me get my handbag from the dressing room?"

Troy, "Yes."

As the three figures disappeared from sight, the crowd began to discuss animatedly.

Marlene blinked and asked Alonso, "Has the granddaughter-in-law turned into a daughter-in-law?"

Alonso stroked his white beard, with a smug expression on his face, "Isn't it! Are you thrilled?"

Marlene couldn't stop smiling, "Of course, I have become a grandmother again! However, Nelson and Ariana..."

Alonso waved his hand and said, "Consider them engaged, it's simply embarrassing. Dismiss the guests and return to the old mansion!"

The guests dispersed, but these photos and videos also spread out...

In a black Maybach car.

Russell leaned towards Zoey, who was sitting next to him, and said, "Sit closer."

Zoey approached and sat directly on the man's lap.

Russell raised an eyebrow abruptly, "I asked you to sit closer, not this close."

Zoey wrapped her hands around the man's neck and tilted her head, laughing, "But you didn't make it clear either!"

Russell squinted his eyes, "Did you make the photos and videos?"

Zoey blinked her clear eyes and admitted directly, "Yes. If they dare to do it, I dare to expose it. I'm not a tombstone that needs to have a green light shining on top of my head!"

"Why did you choose me?"

Zoey was very serious, "Because you are good."

"What's good?"

“Everything!”

Russell chuckled lightly and said, "Even disability, huh?"

Zoey remembered her past life, and her soul saw that Russell's leg had healed.

She had never thought about treating Russell's illness, so she had never taken his pulse.

But he hid it so well, sitting in the wheelchair all day, she didn't notice any flaws.

She thought that if Nelson knew she had medical skills, he would definitely make her harm Russell, but she wouldn't do that. Learning medicine is for saving people, not harming them. She has this moral boundary.

She was unsure if Russell had fully recovered at the present moment, so she took the opportunity to hold the man's hand and gently caress his knuckles all the way to his pulse.

Russell's blood circulation was normal, so there should have been no problem with his lower limbs. The reason he didn't reveal his physical recovery must have been due to his own plans.

If he doesn't bring it up, then she'll play along and pretend she doesn't know.

It's just that there were two streams of hot and cold air colliding inside his body, which would cause serious damage to his body if it continued for a long time.

Although in the past life Russell did not lose his life over this, probably after feeling unwell and finding out the cause, now she does not allow anyone or anything to harm Russell.

In this lifetime, she was determined to repay her lifesaver wholeheartedly!

Watching the girl lost in thought, Russell felt that Zoey had some regrets, after all, who would be willing to marry someone with a disability?

The reason why Zoey chose him must be because of impulse and anger, which led her to make irrational decisions.

She regretted it!

Russell pursed his lips and said, "Actually, no one doesn't mind disabilities."

Zoey listened to the man's words, feeling particularly bitter in her heart. Russell must have had a difficult time when he didn't recover, enduring a lot of criticism and mockery.

Zoey's eyes welled up with tears as she leaned against the man's chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat. "You are the best, even with your disability, it is the best kind of little disability. Russell, I want to marry you."

Little disability?

Russell couldn't help but laugh.

He lowered his gaze and looked at her innocent face, his fingertips lifting her chin. "It's not too late to regret now."

Zoey looked up at the man and said, "I don't regret it! I will never regret it!"

Russell reached out and tapped the backrest of the driver's seat, "Troy, go to City Hall."

Troy: "..." So soon?

Zoey blinked her eyes and asked, "Are we going to get married and have the certificate stamped?"

Russell nodded faintly, "I can give you one last chance, but if you change your mind..."

Zoey extended her index finger and placed it vertically on the man's thin lips, "Russell, I have no regrets. Before sealing that deal, can I seal one with you?"

Russell raised an eyebrow and asked, "What seal?"

First Kiss

Zoey looked at the man's sharply defined face, from his eyebrows to his nose bridge, and then to those beautifully curved thin lips, all so perfect.

She lifted her little face and her lips pressed against the man's lips.

Her heart jumped uncontrollably, as if she had lived two lifetimes. This was her first kiss.

She was innocent and quite inexperienced, extending her tiny tongue to lightly brush against the man's thin lips.

The man started to breathe heavily, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He wanted to reach out and support the back of the girl's head, but he withdrew his hand and let the girl do as she pleased.

Troy, sitting in the driver's seat, glanced at the rearview mirror and was completely shocked by what he saw.

The aloof and abstinent Russell unexpectedly succumbed to the advances of a dominant woman!

He looked very enjoyable!

Just that woman...

Russell's cold gaze met Troy's prying eyes, causing the latter to quickly press the button and raise the partition.

Inside of the car was instantly divided into two enclosed spaces.

Looking at the misty eyes of the girl, Russell wiped away the water stains on her lips with his fingertip and said, "You are quite proactive."

Zoey held onto the man's arm and said, "I only take the initiative with my man, this was my first kiss."

Russell seemed to be greatly pleased by this sentence. Zoey noticed a hint of amusement in his eyes.

Soon, the car stopped at City Hall.

When Zoey pushed Russell in, the staff had already been waiting there.

The two of them took their first photo together in the photo studio.

Zoey looked at the handsome face of the man in the photo, and her mouth couldn't close.

"So happy?"

"That was because I had such a handsome husband."

"Can good looks be enough to make a living?"

At least looking at it, I can enjoy my meal.

Russell: "..."

Because of Russell's connections, even without household registration and other documents, the marriage certificate was still obtained.

Getting on the car, Zoey grinned foolishly at the gold letters on the little red notebook, thinking that it was a dream.

She looked at Russell and said, "Can I bite your hand?"

Russell was taken aback, "What?"

"I want to check if I was dreaming."

Russell chuckled and said, "Why don't you bite yourself instead of biting me?"

Zoey smiled with her eyes curved, "Because I'm afraid of pain!" After saying that, without waiting for the man's consent, she grabbed his hand and lightly bit his index finger.

The wet warmth of her touch deepened the intensity in his eyes. He quickly pulled his hand back and subtly adjusted the blanket over his lap as if hiding something.

"Does it hurt?"

Actually, it didn't hurt much, just like a cat scratching, but Russell was afraid that she would do it again, which made him all hot-blooded.

His voice hoarse, he said, "It hurts, so you weren't dreaming. It's already half past nine, I'll take you back to the Harmon family."

Zoey recalled the abnormalities in his body and needed to find out the cause from his diet and daily routine. She cleared her throat and said, "We got married, so we can live together now."

Russell chuckled at her straightforwardness. “Quite eager, aren’t you?”

“Eagerness makes the meat taste sweeter.”

Russell looked into Zoey's sparkling eyes and said softly, "Tonight, I will take you back to the Harmon family to pack up your belongings. Tomorrow, I will come to pick you up."

"Okay!"

At a quarter past ten, the car stopped at the entrance of the Harmon's villa.

Zoey reluctantly looked at the man and said, "Well, I'm leaving then."

The man made a casual "hmm" sound, but his gaze remained fixed on Zoey.

As Zoey opened the car door, she quickly turned around and planted a kiss on the man's lips. "Goodbye, husband! Remember to call me!"

She jumped off the car, waved her cute hand, and then ran into the villa.

Husband?

Russell lightly brushed his thin lips with his fingertips, and the corners of his lips unconsciously curved upwards. Through the car window, he saw the villa door close before ordering Troy to return to the old mansion.

Troy frowned, "Mr. Russell, do you really believe Ms. Harmon? She is the person Mr. Maddox personally brought back."

Russell's eyes narrowed, "So you think she would have ruined Nelson and Ariana just to put on a show?"

Troy, "Perhaps Ms. Harmon held a grudge out of love."

Russell frowned unhappily and said, "Call her Mrs. Maddox."

Troy, "Yes."

Inside the villa, Zoey had just entered when a teacup came flying towards her face!

She quickly dodged, the teacup brushing against her hair as it flew past, splattering the remaining tea stains onto her white dress.

“Did it hit you?” Matteo rushed over, worried.

Zoey shook her head, "I'm fine, Grandpa, don't worry about me."

"That's good." Matteo looked at Dahlia, who was standing by the coffee table with an angry expression, and shouted, "What are you doing?"

Dahlia's chest heaved violently as she stared, "She destroyed Ariana, she deserves to die!"

Jordan sat on the sofa, smoking silently.

Ariana, on the other hand, was even more heartbroken, covering her face with both hands and crying.

Matteo was about to say something, but Zoey held his arm and asked, "Ariana and my fiancé had an affair, shouldn't it be her who ruined me?"

Dahlia raised her chin and said, "You should have continued with the engagement process, denying those photos and videos! But now, you're just calling off the wedding, and those photos and videos have become real! By doing this, you're ruining Ariana, ruining her career!"

Zoey had become accustomed to her mother's consistent mockery and indifference, and she didn't know why. Since she was little, she had always been the one who was ignored and neglected.

Ariana had beautiful clothes and cute dolls, but she only wore a few of them and could only watch Ariana play with them longingly.

Zoey was very confused. She couldn't understand why she was not favored just because she was born two minutes earlier than Ariana.

She tried her best to please her parents, took care of her younger sister, and studied hard, hoping that her parents would love her a little bit.

Later, she realized that no matter how excellent she was, she would never be seen in her parents' eyes.

Favoritism has no reason.

Clenching her purse, Zoey spoke clearly, “Photos can be fake, but videos can’t. If she lacks self-respect, why should I bear the consequences? Should I just stand by, watching them continue their affair under my nose? You’ve always cared for Ariana—but what about me? Have you ever considered me, even for a second?”

Dahlia chuckled, "It's your own stupidity that you couldn't keep a man, and now you blame Ariana? Go and make a statement right now, saying that those photos and videos are all fake, and that you intentionally did all this because you fell in love with Russell."

Zoey smiled bitterly, what was she really hoping for?

"Are you trying to push me into the eye of the storm?"

Dahlia stared at her, "You were useless, once the hype was over, it was all over. Ariana is different, she is a public figure, she cannot have any blemishes!"

Zoey looked at Jordan and asked, "Dad, did you think the same way too?"

Jordan sighed, "I'm sorry, Zoey."

"What grievance? I see that she was the one behind those photos and videos, she is just jealous of Ariana's talent!" Dahlia huffed.

Zoey smiled and asked Ariana, "Ariana, was I jealous of your talent?"

Ariana looked pitifully at her, biting her lip. "Zoey, my reputation couldn't be ruined."

Zoey chuckled and took out the marriage certificate from her bag, "Russell and I got married. I will move out tomorrow."

Dahlia's eyes widened, Jordan choked on his smoke, and Ariana was so surprised that she forgot to cry.

Matteo swallowed and took the marriage certificate, opening it to look. After a while, he said, "Handsome man and beautiful woman, a perfect match."

Dahlia rushed up to Zoey and said, "Did you get married? Did you negotiate the dowry? How much of the Maddox Group's shares will be allocated to you? How many projects will the Harmon Group receive each year?"

Zoey smiled faintly, "I didn't want a penny."

“What? You truly are a worthless burden!” Dahlia shouted in anger, raising her hand to slap Zoey.