I hugged him tightly, ensuring every movement looked natural. "Forgive me, darling, but... dinner at your parents' house feels excessive. You know your mother doesn't like me?" I added a touch of doubt, to make him more confident in my act.

He stroked my hair, his touch forced. "Darling... don't worry, my mother is like that. It's her birthday tonight, there will be a lot of cameras at my family's house, my mother won't be rude to you, I promise." That last sentence sounded like a veiled threat.

I sighed dramatically, pretending to agree. "Okay." I knew he would play the perfect fiancé in front of the media. And I would be there, following his every plan, waiting for the right moment to expose all the lies.

An hour later, he left. I followed him, my shadow like a ghost trailing him everywhere. My suspicions were confirmed. It wasn't the studio, he was on a date with Veronica at various places. My phone didn't stop recording, every touch, every laugh, every intimate moment became collected evidence.

They returned to the hotel yesterday. This time, I wouldn't just be a spectator and a victim. I would call Felix, my lawyer, the man who had helped me settle debts with major brands, issues that arose after the accident that shattered my life.

Felix's office. He didn't care about my arrival. "You can contact my secretary first, I'm currently—"

I cut him off. "Felix, don't you recognize me?" I removed my hat, face covering, and glasses. I wanted him to see.

He stood up, startled. "You?" His voice was filled with surprise.

I smiled, a smile filled with sorrow and vengeance. "Yes. It's me, the cripple, Lizzy Larson."

"Don't talk like that, Lizzy," he said, his voice full of sympathy. "Tell me, when did your legs heal?" Joy, that's what I saw in his eyes, the expression of joy that I should have received from Julius.

I told him everything: the accident, the betrayal, the struggle, and my plan. I wanted to break up, but the house and shared assets were mine. If I left just like that, wouldn't I be the one who suffered?

Felix thought for a moment, then said, "You can turn the tables. Threaten him with those photos, make him buy them, then transfer all your assets."

I understood. Felix was supporting me to destroy them. I had no proof of who caused the accident. Only a direct confession from Julius and Veronica. That evidence wouldn't be enough in court. But what was wrong with getting revenge in another way?

The plan began. Julius's parents' house, grand and cold, like the heart of Julius's mother who always looked at me with hatred. Camera flashes filled the yard, creating a siege of journalists hungry for sensation. Their questions were like bullets aimed at me.

"Where is Julius Velden? Why are you here alone?" Their voices pierced, sharp like knives.

"Were you invited? Don't Julius's parents dislike you? You're really brave coming here alone like this." They surrounded me, wanting to tear me apart with their insulting questions.

I didn't have time to answer. From a distance, Julius appeared, accompanied by the shadow of Veronica behind him—the woman, with her shimmering blonde hair, sensual red lips, and a gaze filled with veiled contempt, quickly disappeared.

"I'm here, I'm sorry," he said, grabbing the microphone. His voice sounded calm, but his eyes were filled with anger and fear.

The reporters' questions bombarded him. He answered quickly, creating a convincing false story. I just stood there, pretending to be confused, while inside, I enjoyed every second of his panic.

Julius's mother appeared, her voice cold and full of contempt. "She's been disabled for three years, going back and forth isn't difficult for someone like her, you shouldn't make a big deal out of it." Her words were like poison aimed at me.

Julius stopped his mother from speaking. "Mom. Enough, don't go too far." Then, he took my hand, tightly. The cameras captured the moment. When I opened my phone, a headline notification appeared: Julius, a true man who loves his disabled fiancée. My lips curled, this was a perfectly orchestrated play.

The news spread. Julius was praised, I was humiliated. Veronica, with her triumphant smile, watched me from afar, I guessed she was the mastermind behind all this.

Julius's face was tense, like a mask hiding a lie. From a distance, Veronica quickly disappeared into the shadows, like a snake escaping after injecting its poison.

Julius pushed my wheelchair into the house. The guests gathered, staring at me with sharp, contemptuous gazes, while Julius pretended to be sympathetic.

Whispers pierced my ears, sharper and more painful. "Poor Julius, that woman is truly selfish!" "She should know her place and leave! If she truly loved Julius, she wouldn't do this." "She dared to come, even though Mrs. Velden hates her! She's got a thick face!"

I sighed, enduring the pain gnawing at my heart. This humiliation was always there, but tonight, the pain was doubled.

"I want to go to the bathroom," I whispered to Julius, my voice trembling. He left, and I cried my heart out.

In front of the mirror, I wiped away my tears. Then, Veronica appeared, a sinister smile etched on her face. "Oops, sorry. I thought no one was here," she said, her voice mocking.

I remained indifferent, trying to hide my sadness. As I was about to leave and ignore her, she pulled my wheelchair. "Someone like you shouldn't be here, especially since they never accepted you," she sneered, full of hatred.

"What do you mean, Veronica?" I asked, holding back my anger.

Veronica's eyes widened, feigning surprise. "You know me?" she asked, dismissively.

"Of course," I replied sharply.

Veronica's eyes sparkled. "Well, who doesn't know me? Supermodel Veronica Hoffman." Her self-praise. Ridiculous.

"No, not because of that." I retorted, Veronica's eyes widening. "As far as I know, you were the one who stole my last contract?" I sneered.

Veronica's face contorted into something truly repulsive. She laughed, a shrill, fake laugh, a far cry from the graceful image she always projected in public.

"Stole? Come on, look at your condition! Look in the mirror! Are you even worthy of being the face of that brand?" Her eyes were red with anger, and she roughly pushed me, my head hitting the wall. I was in pain, but my heart ached even more.

Outside, Julius pounded on the door. "Darling, are you done? Is everything alright?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.

Veronica whispered, "Oh, you heard that? Do you know what your fiancé is really like?"

"So what? You want to destroy him? Don't you love him so much?" I whispered back, my eyes narrowed with meaning. Veronica flinched, her hand raised to slap me. I easily blocked her before she could touch me. Suddenly, the door burst open.

Julius appeared, panicked. "Darling, what's going on?!" He saw me, then was startled when he saw Veronica grimace, her hand clutching her cheek. Instantly, anger blazed in his eyes.

"What did you do to her?!" His voice boomed, pulling Veronica into his embrace. He glared at me, filled with hatred.

A charade. That's what I thought. Just now, Veronica was acting like a superhero, now she's transformed into a weak, abused girl. I held back a smile, enjoying her performance.

"Are you okay, Veronica?" Julius asked, his voice soft, but his eyes still fiery. His touch on Veronica was full of concern, I could feel it because that touch used to be for me.

Veronica sobbed, "I just wanted to help her, Julius. But she accused me of stealing her modeling contract and tried to slap me!" She showed her hand. "Look, she grabbed my wrist so hard it hurts!"

I almost burst out laughing. She was a true drama queen.

Julius looked at me with a murderous glare. "You're so strange, Lizzy. Don't blame others for your own failures!" His tone was cold, full of contempt. I knew this was all a trap Veronica set for me.

“I'm sorry, Lizzy, it's all in the past, three years ago, the bad fate that befell you wasn't my fault.” He continued his drama, making me sick.

The guests gathered around, observing the scene with curious gazes, drawing their own false conclusions. They praised Julius's feigned patience and Veronica's fake kindness, while I became the scapegoat for all the chaos.

Then, Julius's mother appeared, embracing and comforting Veronica with excessive, sickening affection. "She's crazy, depressed. Don't take her harsh behavior to heart," she said, her voice filled with hatred.

Veronica, in Mrs. Velden's arms, smiled sinisterly at me. Then, she pretended to protest, "No, Mrs. Velden. I'm sorry, it's my fault the party is disrupted."

Mrs. Velden smiled coldly. "Oh, no, Veronica darling. It's not your fault. And you," her gaze returned to me, sharp and piercing, "you're not burdening my son enough. Now you even dare to embarrass my party! If you're crazy, go to a psychiatrist, don't bother other people!"

Veronica snorted softly, her little laugh was cold and piercing. I stared back at her coldly, she was the woman who had destroyed my career and now was trying to destroy my mental state.

Then, I looked at Mrs. Velden. When I was successful, she was always friendly and affectionate, she also often urged me to become her daughter-in-law soon. Now, after I was paralyzed, her cruel and hypocritical nature was revealed.

"Please, Lizzy, can you stop clinging to my son? I beg you, I will worship you if I have to," Mrs. Velden said, pretending to plead while bowing excessively, a disgusting charade. Julius, with a feigned angry expression, pulled his mother away and slapped my face hard.

All the guests were shocked, Julius's face tensed. He looked at his own hand, the hand that had reflexively hurt me.

I couldn't avoid this humiliation and slap. I wiped the fresh blood flowing from the corner of my lip. "I didn't say anything. You've been begging and insulting me all this time, so why did you slap me?" I asked, my voice high with anger.

"Slap me again if you're not satisfied!" I challenged, with a cold, calculating smile.

"I'm sorry," he replied softly, full of fake regret.

I snorted, my gaze piercing Veronica and Julius. "What are you going to do?" Julius asked, panicked.

With a quick and brutal movement, I slammed my head against the corner of the sink, repeatedly, very hard. Not just a light bump, but a full-fledged blow of anger that made the world spin. It felt like my skull was cracking.

Fresh blood spurted, painting my face with a horrifying, bright red color. I wiped the flowing blood with the back of my hand, my expression remained cold, emotionless. All eyes widened in shock, surprised by my sudden "madness."

"Enough, darling. I'm sorry," Julius yelled, panicked, trying to stop my "madness" which I actually did on purpose so that my heart wouldn't hurt and be so depressed. Right now, I want to die. Desperate.

I looked at him, grinning, letting them imagine my mental instability. Mrs. Velden and Veronica left immediately, avoiding the scandal that would happen if the reporters found out about this.

Mrs. Velden was always known as someone who didn't like our relationship. Imagine if I walked out of her house covered in blood? It would be a sensational headline.

The wound on my forehead was deep enough and needed medical attention. While he went to look for the first aid kit, I quietly left, deliberately passing the journalists waiting outside. They took pictures of my blood-stained face, evidence that would destroy the Velden family's reputation.

In the moments after news of the Velden family's cruel treatment of me went viral, my life changed dramatically. I was no longer just a forgotten disabled woman, but the leading star in a gripping life drama.

My past as a renowned model resurfaced, the accident that robbed me of my mobility was brought to light, and every detail was linked to Mrs. Velden's cruel behavior. The media bombarded me with questions, and she, quickly, was crowned "the worst mother-in-law in the world." The sensation was overwhelming, like a tsunami wiping away everything in its path.

His betrayal made me lose my mind.

Julius arrived, his face pale. He apologized for the slap he had given me, then—ridiculously!—he proposed. "Darling, we've been together for seven years. It's time to get married," he said, his voice trembling, not with love, but with panic.

I stared at him coldly. "You're the one who wasted those seven years, Julius," I said, my voice sharp as a knife.

"Who would marry you in your current condition?" he asked, veiled insults in his words.

I smiled cynically. "Oh, what if I decide not to get married? I'm sure your mother loves Veronica, doesn't she? Just marry her."

His face flushed. "No," he said, his voice strained, "I'll ask my mother to apologize and propose to you." Seeing his attitude now, my heart wavered. A glimmer of hope remained.

He left, saying he had to meet producer Andrew—a flimsy excuse to cover his meeting with Veronica or his mother.

Ironically, amidst this storm, my collection of designed clothing won a prestigious award. I was asked to showcase ten of my designs at the biggest fashion show in history, with the freedom to choose models through auditions that I could conduct at my leisure.

News about Julius's mother quickly dropped in ranking, replaced by news about: a mysterious fashion designer seeking ten models for a monumental fashion show. Emails flooded my inbox, famous models begging to be chosen. Even Veronica, with all her arrogance, sent an email pleading and threatening.

My plan began. I sent photos of Julius and Veronica to Julius through a disposable phone.

"Who are you? Why are you sending me these photos?" he asked, panic evident in every word he typed.

"Do you like it? I have many more," I typed, my reply subtle but full of threat.

"What do you want?"

"One million dollars per photo," I replied, without hesitation.

Silence. Then, a message notification appeared: "You're crazy! No way!"

"Then other media outlets will pay more," I threatened. His fear became more apparent as he replied hastily. "Have you shown these photos to anyone else?"

The tension reached its peak. The next chapter had just begun.

I typed again. "No, friend, you're the first."

"Okay, I'll get the money first." Julius replied. A triumphant smile spread across my lips.

"You have 24 hours," I wrote. "I'll contact you if time runs out." I removed the disposable phone's SIM card, leaving it adrift in anxiety.

That night, Julius returned, his face drawn. "Darling, would you move to the Velden family home? My mother asked," he pleaded. I thought he was running out of options.

My eyebrows shot up. "What about this house?" I asked.

"We'll sell it," he replied hesitantly.

"Sell it? This house is mine. I won't sell it, ever," I said firmly.

"Wait, are you struggling?" I asked, feigning concern. He nodded dejectedly. "I'm behind on my work contract," he admitted, his lie unconcealed.

"Then ask your family for help," I replied. "The house deed is at the bank, I don't have the money to redeem it." Feeling he couldn't rely on me, he left in a panic, and I enjoyed his desperation.

An email from Veronica appeared in my inbox. She begged desperately, offering herself as a model. I suspected Julius was struggling to hide the mysterious threat, and they needed money to cover the scandal.

"I can do anything," Veronica wrote, "pick me, and I'm ready to be your servant."

I replied, "Alright, Miss Veronica, it seems you really need this job. But, if I choose you, are you sure there won't be any problems that will cause a scandal?"

"I promise, no scandal. I'm a model who always follows the rules," she replied enthusiastically. Full of confidence.

"Alright, I'll attach the contract." I wrote, without mincing words.

…

24 hours had passed. My heart raced as I contacted Julius again. "Mr. Julius, your time is up. Your decision?" My message was read. I could feel his anxiety.

"I only have $500,000, can that be a down payment?" he replied.

"Sorry, Mr. Julius, our agreement is one million dollars. If not, the photos will be spread." My threat was sharp.

"Okay, shall we meet in person?" This was a trap, I suspected. But I would play his game.

"No face-to-face. Win Hotel, five o'clock. Bring cash, or the photos will be spread." I turned off my phone, removed the SIM card, and threw it away.

At the Win Hotel, Felix and I sat across from Julius, Veronica, and a few of their bodyguards.

"Look at those thugs. You're right, they'll set you up," Felix whispered. My breath hitched.

Veronica seemed agitated. "Calm down, darling. If this plan fails, you'll get your money back soon.”

"Did you get a big contract?" Julius asked, his eyes gleaming, his face beaming.

Veronica tossed her hair, full of confidence. "I'm going to be the model for that famous designer," Veronica replied with a flirtatious wink. A disgusting lie. I held back a laugh. Felix joined in. They looked at us suspiciously, and we pretended to be a happy couple.

Julius's eyes sparkled. "Did you contact him? L2, the mysterious designer?"

Veronica glared, "Since when does Veronica Hoffman contact first. He begged me to be his model." Her lies were getting worse. It made me sick.

"You're amazing, Veronica," Julius praised.

Veronica pouted. "Please, just give me the money. I've signed the contract. If there's a scandal, I'll be fined five times the amount!"

Felix looked at me. "Lady Luck is on your side. The designer appeared and made your plan easier?"

"Quickly, contact them!" Felix urged.

I activated another phone. I contacted Julius. They whispered to each other.

"What did he say?" Veronica pressed. Julius remained silent. Veronica snatched his phone and read the message.

"Because you brought thugs to set me up, the deal has changed. One million dollars here, another million tonight at eight!" My message. Then, I sent them a video of them leaving the hotel room.

Veronica screamed, "How did he know we were going to set him up?”