Chapter 3
Miles dismissed all my previous doubts, calling them foolish and the result of being overly dramatic.
He did everything he could to belittle me, all to mask the deep inferiority he carried inside.
He accused me of only caring about money and said I could never compare to Monica’s genuine kindness and generosity.
But he was the one who gladly accepted my father’s resources and the promise that as long as he married me, he would inherit the Westbrook Family business.
Next door, they sounded like they were in heaven, and I could not sleep the entire night.
The next morning, my friends dragged me out to a bachelor party.
Everyone was there.
Miles lounged in a chair, calm and collected, but when he saw me, his eyes narrowed slightly.
There was a silent challenge in his gaze. I knew he wanted me to apologize for what happened the day before, but I ignored him completely.
Seeing that Miles clenched his fists under the table, his expression stern.
Then the party’s big game began, Truth or Dare, and somehow, the dare landed on Miles and Monica. They had to kiss.
Everyone laughed, about to brush it off. "Hey, the bride’s right here, you know."
However, Miles gave a sly smile and locked eyes with me.
"It’s just a kiss, Luna. Can’t handle that? It’s normal where she comes from, just a polite gesture. You’re just too uptight."
Everyone exchanged awkward glances, and when they looked at me, their eyes held a mixture of pity and discomfort.
The kiss went on for a full three minutes before it finally ended.
Miles looked like he was savoring every second.
"Way better than you. You can’t even breathe properly. Take notes from Monica."
I looked away, not wanting to watch. Just then, the waiter arrived with the bill.
"I’ll get this."
In the past, I was always the one with the deepest pockets at events like this, and I just wanted to use this as my escape.
But Monica was quicker, grabbing the bill before I could.
"Lulu, it’s always you paying. Let me cover this one."
I frowned, wanting nothing more than to get out of there as fast as possible.
"No, I’ll do it."
Just as Monica and I were pushing each other, Monica suddenly fell to the ground.
She flipped the situation. "No matter how rich you are, you can’t go around bullying others. It doesn’t matter if you hurt me, but what if you hurt the baby in my belly? If it weren’t for you being my friend's wife, I really wouldn’t forgive you."
With that, she called out loudly to Miles again.
"It was just a kiss earlier, and you’re already so jealous. You’re really stuck in old-fashioned thinking. Miles, teach your wife a lesson!"
Watching this ridiculous scene, I fixed my gaze on Monica.
"Get out!"
The moment I said that the room fell completely silent.
I turned to leave, but Miles grabbed a handful of my hair and yanked me back onto the sofa.
"I have to admit, you’re something else. Since you’re so rich, if you’ve got the guts, why don’t you return everything I gave you?"
As he spoke, a cold shiver ran down my chest.
"I bought you this underwear three years ago, and you’re still wearing it, Luna. Tell me, are you a slut?"
Then, without warning, he roughly tore my earrings off, leaving my earlobes raw and bleeding.
My dignity lay shattered on the floor, and the eyes of everyone around me pierced through me like daggers.
Meanwhile, Monica was loudly praising him.
"Miles, you did great. That’s how women are disciplined in my country."
I clearly saw that Monica had just paid the bill using contactless payment.
The irony was, for three years, Miles had always been the one paying for every meal with me.
I never had a single receipt.
It was not until I took off my last pair of pants that Miles finally let me go.
Chapter 4
Just as I stepped out the door, a pair of warm hands suddenly pulled me into the restroom from around the corner.
Immediately, a wave of intense masculine energy enveloped me.
It was Daniel Vaughn.
"Thank you for actually choosing me, not just because of some ridiculous draw."
He pulled me into a tight embrace, but his gratitude only deepened the guilt gnawing at me.
Back then, when it was time to decide who I would marry, my father came up with a way to keep it fair. He had me draw names from a bowl to choose between Miles and Daniel.
Whoever’s name was not on the slip would be the one I would end up with.
Daniel unfortunately lost at the time, but I knew very well that no matter how many times Miles drew, he would always pull out a blank slip.
Because I made sure of it.
I was about to speak when Miles suddenly burst in with Monica.
"Why did you drag me in here again? Monica, you’re too much, you should go find a wild boar, not me!"
Miles was inexplicably annoyed as he remembered what he had done to me earlier.
"I’m going after Luna. Our wedding is the day after tomorrow, so I need to smooth things over with her."
However, Monica did not want to let him leave. She desperately rubbed her body against his, trying to get close.
Watching Monica impatiently start taking off her clothes, Miles suddenly shoved her away with force.
Before, the lights were always off. Now, under the bright light, I could clearly see the dark skin covered in scars.
It was completely different from my smooth, milky complexion.
Seeing the undisguised look of disgust on Miles’s face, Monica stared at him in disbelief.
"Monica, you have to understand what’s at stake. Only if I marry Luna will I be promoted to vice chairman of the Westbrook Group and the child in your belly will get the company shares. Got it?"
With that, Miles left without another word.
Before walking away, he glanced at Monica’s upper body and warned her,
"Don’t stuff your chest so much. Can’t you try to be more natural like Luna?"
All of this reached me clearly while I was hiding in the bathroom.
Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my lips.
"Focus."
The man's aggressive and domineering advances made my legs go weak.
In the end, I had to suppress the sounds of pleasure, not daring to let Miles outside hear, but somehow, there was a secret thrill in it.
Time passed in a blur and it was not until the day of the wedding that Miles returned.
During those three days, he had gone all the way to an auction to buy a nine-carat diamond ring.
Although he had spent all his savings, Miles was in no rush. He believed that once he married me, everything would be recovered.
But when he arrived at the Westbrook Family estate, he found that all the festive decorations in the bedroom had been taken down.
With a furious expression, he confronted my father.
"Don’t you want the child in Monica’s belly? Don’t you want an heir?"
My father, who usually bowed and nodded submissively to him, now regained his authoritative presence and looked at Miles with cold disdain.
"Miles Vaughn, is this how you show respect to your adoptive father?"
Before Miles could even react, he suddenly heard the booming sound of the wedding march playing from the backyard.
Without hesitation, he rushed toward the sound, clutching the ring tightly.
However, the scene that greeted him made his blood boil.
There, in full wedding attire, stood his brother and me, locked in a passionate kiss amid the blessings of everyone present.