I laughed bitterly. This time, I was completely heartbroken. "So, you are indeed an ungrateful human."

I glared at him fiercely. "I should have watched you die back then. Even if it meant saving a beggar, I would never save you again!"

Elwood grew impatient. "Are you all dead? We agreed to drink, so why is her mouth still so idle?"

His group of friends immediately got excited. "Yeah, stop talking! Guys, get her drunk!"

“They say girls look particularly charming when drunk, so let's see what Elysia looks like when she's drunk today."

They opened a bottle of wine and pried my mouth open to force it down. I instinctively backed away in fear.

"I don't drink! Let go of me!"

Elwood coldly stared at me the whole time.

I struggled desperately, trying to grab onto a lifeline, but only managed to touch Elwood's sleeve.

"Elwood, we've already broken up. I won't bother you, just let them leave me alone! You know I'm... allergic to alcohol..."

But in the next second, Elwood sneered and held my head. “It's just a bottle of alcohol, it won't kill you, why so dramatic!”

With his restraint, the men behind me pried my mouth open and forced the cold liquid in.

My throat burned painfully from the heat and I almost choked to death on the alcohol.

I remembered how Elwood used to know about my alcohol allergy. Even if he drank until he had a stomach bleed, he would never let me touch a drop. But now…

He watched indifferently as they forced me to drink.

I choked violently on the alcohol, my throat filled with the taste of blood.

The liquor spilled onto my hair and I stared at them fiercely. “I am the fiancée of Garrick Sterling, the prince of the Rowan circle. If you dare touch me again... you'll regret it. I'm allergic to alcohol, take me to the hospital!”

They were stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter. “Who would have thought, Elysia is not only promiscuous but also a liar, even dragging the prince of the Rowan circle into this!”

"Do you know who the crown prince of the Rowan elite circle is? It's Garrick Sterling!"

"Two-thirds of the industries in Everhart City belong to the Sterling family. Even wealthy heiresses wouldn't dare dream of marrying him, yet you, a penniless nobody, dare to entertain such fantasies?"

None of them believed me.

I wanted to say something, but my whole body started feeling uncomfortable. Small red rashes began appearing on my arm and I felt dizzy.

Amid their mocking laughter, the door to the private room was pushed open. A girl in a red gown stepped in, heels clicking against the floor.

"What's going on here, Elwood? What are you all up to?"

Elwood smiled and reached out to hold her.

"Amara, you're here. This is Elysia. My friends and I were just having drinks with her."

So it was Amara.

She glanced at me in surprise but then smiled warmly, her expression full of grace. "So this is Miss Wren. You must have heard about the things between Elwood and me. I also respect your devotion, but that’s all in the past. Now, Elwood and I are engaged, so please leave him alone."

I raised the corner of my lips and forced out a cold smile. Did she think I was still tangled up with Elwood?

I had already abandoned a worthless man like him long ago.

I endured the discomfort throughout my body, speaking each word clearly, "They were the ones who forcibly dragged me in here. I came to this party to find my fiancé. His name is Garrick. Let me go, or you'll all suffer when he can't find me later."

As soon as my words fell...

The private room erupted into even louder laughter.

"Enough with the act! Who would’ve thought this little deaf girl is also a liar!"

"You're just a small-time employee and all the guys here are CEOs. Who are you trying to impress? Claiming your fiancé is Garrick? Then my fiancée must be one of the Seven Fairies!"

Amid the laughter, someone deliberately kicked me. It wasn’t hard, but it was enough to make me lose my balance and nearly fall.

"Stop it, you guys."

At that moment, a cold, detached voice came from the doorway, instantly silencing the commotion in the room.

Amara pushed through the crowd, frowning as she took my hearing aid from their hands and handed it back to me.

“Elwood's friends are just like this—careless and rough around the edges. They don’t mean any harm, so don’t take it personally."

"Miss Wren, I know you’re deaf in your right ear. Since you have a congenital defect, if you’re short on money, my family has a maid position available for you. That way, you won’t have to sell your body to please men for money."

She said the cruelest words with the gentlest expression.

Seeing my stunned gaze fixed on her, Amara turned around and softly reprimanded the group of so-called friends.

"You all are too much. Miss Wren is just a girl. Maybe she’s a little vain, but how could you treat her like this?"

"Miss Wren must have never met the crown prince of the Rowan elite circle, which is why she’s lying. Just take pity on her and don’t press her so hard," Amara said gently.

She pretended to help me up, but I coldly pushed her away.

I hadn’t even used much force, yet Amara fell backward with a heavy thud.

"Miss Wren, I was only trying to help. Why did you push me?"

Elwood immediately panicked, standing up to help her. "Are you okay?"

Then he turned to me, his expression darkening. He grabbed the back of my head and forcefully pushed it toward the table.

"Elysia, don’t be ungrateful! Amara is so kind, even offering to take you in as a maid. How come you dare push her? Looks like the lesson my friends gave you earlier wasn’t enough! Keep forcing her to drink!"

At Elwood's words, the others, as if receiving a command, began to act recklessly, their actions becoming even more outrageous.

My face turned deathly pale as I frantically tried to dodge, but there was no escaping this den of devils.

"I’m not lying! My fiancé really is Garrick... Ah!"

Greasy, repulsive laughter echoed in my ears.

"With your shabby family background, do you really think you can reach the heights of someone like the crown prince? People like him marry for status and family alliances. Have you ever looked at yourself in a mirror?"

"Stop pretending. Even if you scream your lungs out, you’re staying with us tonight!"

"If you make us happy, maybe one of us will take pity and let you be a girlfriend or a kept woman..."

I was suffocating in despair.

The severe allergic reaction made my head spin and my strength was fading fast.

Someone impatiently snapped, "What are you guys talking to her for? This little girl doesn’t know who she’s messing with!"

"Instead of being so vain and lying here, why don’t we just strip her of that gown and make her kneel to beg for mercy?"

"Good idea!"

Someone grabbed my arms and someone else pinned down my legs.

Greasy hands slid up and down my legs and in the dim light, I saw a hand reaching under my dress.

Amara sat on Elwood's lap, kissing him as if nothing was happening.

Tears rolled down the corners of my eyes as I stared desperately at the door of the private room, praying for a miracle.

Just when all hope seemed lost, the door was suddenly kicked open with a deafening bang.

A group of bodyguards stormed in, their faces expressionless.

They stepped aside, forming a clear path.

A man in a tailored suit walked in, his aura cold and commanding, like a storm brewing on a winter night. His voice was icy and low as he demanded, "What are you doing?"