Chloe Miller shyly nestled into Daniel Brooks’s arms, the two of them laughing happily behind me.

The sound of their voices made my steps quicken—I only wanted to escape. In front of Daniel, the emotions I had tried so hard to suppress broke apart, and tears streamed uncontrollably down my face.

Ten years of love crumbled into nothing in an instant.

When I returned home, my mother immediately noticed my expression and pressed me until I confessed everything. She burst into tears on the spot and clutched me tightly.

“It’s better to see their true faces early. If you don’t want to marry Daniel, then you won’t. Your father and I will support you.”

I wiped away my tears, looking at my once-beautiful mother now worn down by the struggles of the Carter family, and said firmly,

“Mom, I’m willing to marry that security guard.”

She broke down, sobbing as she whispered, “It’s our fault as parents, letting you suffer like this…”

Daniel was determined to destroy the Carters, and no one dared to help us. My parents worked themselves to exhaustion for days, nearly collapsing, yet still found no solution.

My father’s eyes reddened as he looked at me with guilt.

“Emma, you must think carefully. The Carter family values loyalty and honor. If you marry him…”

“If I marry, it will be real. I’ll get a legal certificate with him and build a home together.”

My voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt. My parents held me and wept for a long time. Remembering my grandfather lying unconscious in the emergency room, they finally agreed.

Once the decision was made, my parents threw themselves into preparing the best wedding they could within their means. I busied myself choosing a new gown and arranging the venue.

For a time, I almost managed to forget those two. But then Daniel called, inviting me to Chloe’s birthday banquet. If I attended, he said, part of the cooperation with Carter Group would begin.

I hesitated, then answered coldly, “Fine.”

On the night of the party, I walked into the grand hall under the weight of countless stares.

Ignoring the whispers around me, I stood quietly in a corner, dressed in a simple black gown, watching Chloe and Daniel at the center of the crowd.

They wore the latest matching outfits from a luxury brand—less like foster siblings celebrating a birthday, more like a pair of newlyweds basking in the spotlight.

“Daniel, look, Emma’s here. Go and smooth things over,” Chloe cooed, holding his arm as they walked toward me.

But as soon as she got close, Chloe’s eyes went wide with horror. She trembled violently until Daniel pulled her into his arms and snapped at me:

“Chloe has a trauma response to black. Did you wear this deliberately to hurt her?”

“I didn’t know—no one told me…”

I tried to explain, but Daniel cut me off. His furious eyes reflected my helplessness, his tone ice-cold.

“Guards, take her upstairs and change her clothes.”

Dozens of eyes turned toward me. The whispers in the room grew sharper, filled now with venom and malice.

Before the crowd, though I was still fully clothed, it felt as if I had been stripped bare.

The guards dragged me upstairs, shoving a maid’s uniform at me and demanding I change. Thinking of the Carter family’s survival tied to Daniel’s so-called cooperation, I swallowed my pride and obeyed.

As soon as I stepped out, I heard Chloe’s sweet voice:

“Daniel, I’m sure Emma didn’t mean it. If you’re still angry, why not punish her by making her play a song for us when we dance later?”

“Make her play Summer Love Song—the one she wrote and composed herself.”

Daniel froze.

I looked at the two of them still clinging to each other and said coldly,

“I came here to attend a banquet, not to provide entertainment. I won’t play anything—least of all Summer Love Song.”

That song was the one I wrote when Daniel Brooks and I confirmed our relationship. I had played it only for him, pouring into it my deepest blessings and hopes for our love.

Even though that love had now rotted and soured, I would never allow it to be made a joke.

“I’m sorry, Emma, I didn’t know it was that important… I… I didn’t mean it…” Chloe Miller stammered, tears falling like an innocent, frightened fawn.

Daniel’s brief hesitation vanished. His tone hardened into a command.

“Emma, it’s just a song. Can a song be more important than a person? You gave it to me—what’s wrong with letting Chloe hear it too?”

I stood unmoving, and he reminded me coldly,

“Think about the Carter family.”

“I’ve already agreed to marry that man. You promised to continue cooperating with the Carters. My attending this party to help ease tensions doesn’t mean I’ll let you humiliate me again and again.”

I spat out the words icily and turned to change clothes and leave.

At the mention of my impending marriage, Daniel faltered for a moment, about to speak—but Chloe choked out a sob in his arms.

“So Emma thinks playing for me is humiliation. Right, I’m just the maid’s daughter. Even if I saved Daniel once and was adopted by the Brooks family, it doesn’t change my lowly status.”

“I don’t deserve to be with Emma, nor to stay by Daniel’s side. I’ll leave right now.”

She pushed Daniel away and ran out, crying.

I had no interest in their melodrama. I turned and stepped into the dressing room.

Moments later, Daniel kicked the door open, his face dark, yanking me out with a grip like iron. His voice was cold as ice.

“Emma Carter, are you satisfied now? Chloe ran off to Nightshade Club to drown herself in liquor. You’d better apologize and bring her back.”

“Otherwise, forget about me ever marrying you.”

His tone carried complete certainty, as if convinced I could only be coerced by such threats.

Nightshade was the largest entertainment club in the city. Chloe’s bodyguards quickly lost her in the chaos. Daniel, furious and anxious, searched frantically, terrified something would happen to her if he was too late.

He didn’t care in the slightest that I had been pushed aside by the surging crowd. Clutching my skirt tightly, I kept my guard up, forcing myself to slip through the throng until I finally escaped into the street.

Just as I was about to hail a cab, a desperate scream reached me from a nearby alley. Chloe’s voice.

Her cries grew weaker, more pitiful. On the phone, the police said it would take twenty minutes for them to arrive. I canceled the ride I had just ordered.

Grabbing an empty bottle from a trash pile, I crept toward the alley. Five tattooed men were tearing at Chloe’s dress.

No time to call for help—I charged in, smashing a bottle over one man’s head and pulling Chloe up to run. But before we could escape, a hand yanked me back, shoving me violently to the ground.

Four men pinned me down. Chloe bolted, screaming in terror as she fled.

“Don’t chase me! Take her! She’s the Carter heiress—you’d never get a chance with her otherwise!”

At her words, the men’s gazes turned lecherous, eyes crawling over my exposed skin with vile hunger.

“Get off me! Don’t touch me! Get away!”

Suddenly, I heard Daniel’s voice. My hope flared—I screamed for help.

But Chloe’s voice came, urging him on.

“Daniel, it’s terrifying here. Let’s just go back. I’ll never sneak out again.”

“Alright, I’ll let you off this time. Next time, you’ll get a real scolding.” Daniel’s tone was indulgent, doting.

Their footsteps drifted farther and farther away.