Rachel shoved me aside forcefully and shielded Bryon behind her, staring at me warily with icy hatred in her eyes.

It was as if we were not lovers anymore, but rather, sworn enemies instead.

My heart hurt so much that I couldn't even breathe properly anymore.

Rachel was my girlfriend of seven years and the person whom I thought I was going to marry. Meanwhile, Bryon was the intern whom I had patiently and painstakingly taught everything I knew and who looked up to me as his mentor.

I used to trust them both unconditionally. But I never thought that they had already been seeing each other behind my back and were now even joining forces to plot my downfall.

"What's going on here?"

Just then, Steven and a few other board members hurried over.

"Please don't blame Corey for any of this!" Bryon immediately yelled. "It's normal for him to be mad because he took my place sleeping with the 80-year-old granny!"

Rachel felt a pang in her heart when she saw how upset and aggrieved Bryon looked. She immediately defended him.

"Corey was the one holding the grudge against Bryon and forcing him to kneel and grovel at his feet as soon as he got back to the office!"

But I hadn't even done anything!

"How could you do such a despicable thing, Corey Dalton!"

The directors immediately chided and condemned me harshly as soon as they heard what Rachel said. They even reached out to help Bryon off the ground.

"How could you bully people like this? Are you trying to force him to the end of his wits?"

I looked at Steven, hoping that he would uphold justice for me. Instead, he stormed up to me with a dark look on his face and punched me right in the face until I saw stars.

I was stunned for a few long seconds before I asked him incredulously, "Steve? Are you not even going to ask me for my side of the story? Have you already forgotten your promise to me as my best friend?"

However, Steven also backstabbed me by glaring at me coldly and saying, "Being friends is one thing, but your horrible work ethic is another! And don't you dare try being sentimental and using that 'best friend' label on me!

"Bryon had only just begun working in the workforce, and you are his direct superior! You can't possibly watch him destroy his own future like this, can you? Even Rachel is more willing to help him than you are!

"What's the big deal about you making a small sacrifice for him like this? Would it kill you to be nice to him?"

Every word he said felt like a sharp knife to my heart. It hurt so much that I shivered hard and could barely even remain standing on my feet.

Meanwhile, Rachel added, "That's right! You're a leader, which means you should shoulder all the responsibilities of being one!

"And to add on to that, the Parsons had been kind enough to raise me as their own daughter for 20 years. You'd better stop it with your fuss now and quit pestering others about it!"

Why was I now responsible for repaying the Parsons' favor when Rachel was the one who owed them? And when had I ever pestered anybody about anything?

In the past, Steven once told me that I should look out for Bryon for Rachel's sake.

When the company was just starting up, Bryon kept falling ill, and Rachel insisted on staying with him to take care of him the entire time. So, I was forced to travel all over the country and secure funds and investors for the company all by myself.

I didn't even buy new clothes for myself for years, and yet, I was told to buy Bryon new clothes all the time. And if both he and I saw a watch that we both liked, I was also forced to give it up for him instead.

There were plenty more instances like this, but I never told anyone, not even Steven, because I didn't want anyone to worry about me.

Rachel knew about all these, and she used to feel sorry for me and make it up to me afterward. But now, they'd all changed and turned against me.

"Although I'm getting engaged to Bryon, and you're now forced to marry the 80-year-old granny, we can still technically have a 'relationship' with each other," Rachel then said, looking every bit confident and self-righteous.

She was really fond of playing mind games at this point. This was a public slap to the face, taking me to be the fool instead!

I was so speechless that I ended up laughing in anger.

This place was absolutely disgusting. I knew I was going to throw up if I stayed another second longer, so I turned and left.

Bryon's faux concerned voice then sounded behind me.

"Do you think we're going a little too overboard if we treat Corey like this?"

Rachel sighed softly and said, "We'll make it up to him next time."

Make it up to me?

Over my dead body.

I didn't care about it anymore.

I stood shivering in the cold winter wind in my thin clothes. A stretch limousine then stopped next to me, and a woman dressed in black got out of the car.

"Hello, Mr. Dalton. I am Ms. Blackwell's secretary, Jeanette Richards. She would like to invite you over for a cup of coffee."

I was just about to turn her down when someone suddenly struck my neck from behind; I was then hurriedly stuffed into the car.

I eventually passed out after struggling for a bit.

When I woke up again, I realized that I was stark naked, and an old woman was scrutinizing my body very closely.

She looked exactly like the old woman in the viral video circulating online.

I felt my heart sink to my stomach. This was terrible. Was I going to be forcefully taken against my will once again?

Why was I always so down on my luck like this?

"This man isn't too shabby. His body seems firm and supple enough," the old woman said with a smile and an approving nod. She then turned to Jeanette and said, "Get him a change of clothes and send him to the villa.

"And then inform the Daltons that the engagement will be held next week. All upper echelons of society will be in attendance."

After that, the old woman turned to leave.

Jeanette brought me a change of clothes, helped me put them on, and sent me to the car.

I stood before the villa, where a young woman peeked at me through the curtains before turning around to speak with the old woman once again.

I couldn't help but sigh and exclaim my thoughts out loud, "Her granddaughter's already that age, and yet, she's still thinking of preying on younger men like me?"

The bodyguards leading me there nearly tripped and fell. They all turned to look at me in shock, and I felt my heart leap into my throat. I shut up immediately after that, worried that my comment would cost me my life.

I took another closer look at the villa.

This was the first time I'd seen a residential building that was five times bigger than a mall, and it was also all nicely decorated in the style that I liked.

Before I could enter, Rachel suddenly rushed up to me and frowned in displeasure.

"How dare you pretend that you're suffering and at your wits' end when you're about to live the best life you'll ever have with a billionaire old widow? And to think I was cracking my head open trying to think of a way to save you from her!"

How could she even think about such a shameless thing to say?

I was the victim here, and yet, she kept making herself out to be the victim instead.

"So tell me. How are you planning to save me from her?" I asked curiously.

"If you'll agree to be my secret lover, then I will wipe off all records of you in the system and hide you away. Nobody will be able to find you, then."

Rachen then smiled lightly as her eyes crinkled into slits. "However, the only condition is that you give up your position and all your company shares to Bryon."

I had a stuffy feeling in my chest. In other words, she was going to hide me and trap me somewhere forever, depending on her for food and survival, and never to be able to regain my freedom ever again.

Maybe this was all just an elaborate scheme to force me into giving up my shares to Bryon after all.

"Am I not the most thoughtful and most sincere person you'd ever met?"

The smile on Rachel's face deepened. Then, she smacked me with a contract.

"Sign it. The three of us will be living as a happy family in the future."

There wasn't an ounce of remorse in her eyes at all. All I could see was just a deranged sense of control and manipulation.

I inhaled deeply and smacked the contract out of her hands. As she looked at me in shock, I made myself clear.

"I've already made up my mind. I'm going to marry the widow!"

"What did you just say?"

Rachel didn't think that I would be that resolute about it. She was first taken aback. However, she soon grinned a short while later.

"Do you think that I still don't know you? You only have one chance. Don't you dare get arrogant about it."

She was convinced that I would eventually give in, thinking that I was still madly and deeply in love with her.

However, she never thought that I was already thoroughly disappointed in her. All of my love and affection for her had already died out.

Just then, Steven and Bryon hurried up to me.

Steven was looking particularly mad as he kicked me in the chest and sent me sprawling to the ground.

"You bastard!"

My vision turned black, and my chest hurt so much I could barely breathe. Yet, I was still as confused as ever because I didn't know what was going on.

Bryon then said, "Eight old widows came looking for you at the company today, demanding that you be held responsible for their one-night stands! And they all thought I was you and each gave me a hard slap in the face!"

I saw the evil glint in his eyes and realized that he was framing me ever further with this ridiculous claim.

I was just about to defend myself when Rachel suddenly slammed her heavy handbag against me and yelled, "You bastard, Corey Dalton! And to think I was feeling sorry about you and thinking about making it up to you later!

"But I guess there's no need now, since it seems to be your kink after all! I can't believe that these are your true colors after being with you for so many years! You absolutely disgust me!

"And you even dragged Bryon into this for no reason! Go to hell!"

She continued yelling and screaming in my face, not at all caring if what Bryon said was the truth or not and just going with everything he said.

I swallowed the blood from my busted lip and glared at the people before me. I gritted my teeth and said, "Bryon is lying!"

However, all I got in response was just another kick from Steven.

"The board members have already forcefully repossessed all of your company shares! And we are not friends anymore! Sign this now!"

He then threw a resignation form in my face that indicated I was resigning of my own accord and free will.

Rachel added coldly, "Bryon would never lie! He's a million times better than you! Don't you ever dare twist the truth! Someone as filthy as you should never be a company shareholder in the first place!"

Both of them continued hurling insults in my face. Meanwhile, Bryon stood to the side, a smug, victorious grin on his face as he looked at me with a gloating expression.

All of my words were caught in my throat. Ultimately, I just let out a self-deprecating chuckle and signed my name on the form.

I couldn't care any less for such a fragile, ridiculous friendship and relationship with both Steven and Rachel anymore. I could just do without!

"My engagement to Bryon and your engagement to the old hag will be held at the same hotel on the same day. Make yourself present there when the time comes."

That was the last thing Rachel said to me before leaving with Steven and Bryon in large strides, disappearing completely over the next few days.

I still thought of trying to escape, but I was immediately stopped as soon as I got to the front gates.

…

On the engagement day, I had only just stepped foot inside the hotel when I was hit with a wave of gossip and malicious speculation.

"That's Corey Dalton, the man who slept with more than 30 old women at the same time! He's such a sick pervert!"

"You can never judge a book by its cover. You'll realize how much of a bastard he really is once you compare him side by side with Bryon. It's a relief that Ms. Winters found out in time and dumped him before she jumped straight into the fire!"

"This man is freaking disgusting!"

Rachel, Steven, and Bryon were all chatting and laughing not too far away. But when they saw me, a look of disgust appeared on their faces at once.

Everything struck me in the heart like a knife.

I thought of finding a corner to hide, but Jeanette dragged me backstage to get my clothes and hair done.

There had to be at least a dozen bodyguards stationed outside the door to stop me from running away.

When I came back out, Steven was giving a speech onstage, while Rachel and Bryon were both receiving the guests' blessings happily as they ascended the stage together.

The applause was thunderous.

Everyone said that they belonged with each other as they were the perfect couple.

Then, the old woman that I saw before also went up the stage in a flaming red dress and a wide smile on her face.

Everyone immediately lowered their heads to hide their laughter.

They all knew that this old woman was very powerful and influential, and that she literally controlled the economy of the entire city in her hands, so they didn't dare to offend her. Yet, they still found it hilarious that she was actually a cougar in disguise.

"It's time to go up, Mr. Dalton!" Jeanette said, half-dragging and pushing me up the stage.

I gritted my teeth and walked down the aisle toward the old woman onstage with everybody's scrutinizing gaze and Bryon's triumphant eyes on me.

The hall erupted in loud applause once again. But this time, it was not a congratulatory one; it was tinged with mockery.

I felt all of their sharp gazes piercing into my back, but there was nobody who could save me anymore, so my eyes turned blank as my soul wandered off.

"Why are you all clapping for me? I'm not the one getting engaged to him," the old woman suddenly said, glaring at the crowd.

"Now, it's time for my granddaughter to come onto the stage! She is the one who will be Corey's future wife!"