Just after proposing to Michelle, Parker Browning hurried to the hotel. It was because his little mistress outside had sent him a message about booking a room.

The next second, Michelle received a short room video from the mistress. Her heart turned to ashes, but she neither cried nor made a fuss.

She simply buried the engagement ring Parker gave her and shredded all their photos together.

Then she dialed her biological mother's number, "Mom, I'm willing to leave here and return home to acknowledge my roots."

***

"Sweetheart, are you really not planning to return and acknowledge your roots? No matter how good your adoptive parents are, it's not the same as your own family!" Amid the bustling street noises, Michelle listened to her biological mother's pleading on the phone, her gaze unconsciously darkening.

Just when Anya Diesel thought she would refuse her request again, Michelle suddenly sighed, "Mom, I'm willing to go home and acknowledge my roots."

After a brief silence, Anya was ecstatic, "Sweetheart, have you finally come around?"

"Hm." Michelle's tone was calm. "It's not good for me to keep staying at my adoptive parents' home. Give me a month. I'll handle things here and then go home."

Anya wiped away tears of joy. Michelle consoled her a bit before hanging up.

The clock struck twelve and fireworks burst into the sky, quickly spelling out: [Happy Birthday, Michelle.]

The screen on the department store instantly switched to Parker's personal interview, "Mr. Browning, you're so young and accomplished. Why have you chosen to marry now, during your career peak?"

Hearing the host's question, Parker's eyes were filled with smiles, "Because my girlfriend is wonderful and I can't wait to marry her."

The host, stuffed with public displays of affection, couldn't help but smile shyly as the audience burst into exclamations of awe, "It seems Mr. Browning has it all, success in both work and love! If you could say something to your girlfriend now, what would it be?"

At those words, Parker's gaze, filled with a smile, pierced through the screen, looking directly at her, "Michelle, happy birthday! Marry me!"

At the same time, a line of Bentleys stopped in front of Michelle. Parker stepped out of one, approached her and knelt on one knee.

Parker, usually composed, had reddened eyes and his hand holding the ring trembled slightly. His expression was solemn and devout, "Michelle, marry me!"

People around stopped to watch, their voices full of envy, "What a perfect man! Knowing the real daughter of the Smith Family was just found, he went right away to cancel the engagement with Janet. And now he's proposing to Michelle in public!"

"This is too much love! I declare Parker as the most reliable man of the year!"

"Parker Browning, a dream man!"

"Marry him!"

...

The deafening 'Marry him' chants echoed around. Michelle caught the scent of a woman's perfume on him, a fragrance that wasn't hers. Her eyes moistened as a trace of ridicule flickered beneath.

She couldn't comprehend how this man, who showered her with endless love, could have secretly climbed into bed with her so-called sister.

She had loved Parker for ten years, ever since coming to the Smith Family. Parker remembered every one of her birthdays, preparing gifts a month in advance.

He remembered every one of her menstrual cycles, offering her a cup of warm brown sugar ginger tea when she was in pain, tenderly holding her to massage her lower abdomen.

Even after the real daughter of the Smith Family, Janet, returned, he fearlessly canceled the engagement between the Browning and Smith families and firmly chose her, the adoptive daughter.

Michelle once thought Parker was her destined one. Until one day, she accidentally caught him and Janet in motion in the underground parking lot.

The intense swaying of the car and the obscene moaning made her sick to her stomach. In that moment, Michelle wanted to rush up and confront him, but she froze in place when she heard Parker say, "You're more fun than her."

Thinking of this, Michelle couldn't stop her tears.

Parker, panicked, wiped her tears and cautiously asked, "What's wrong? Don't you like this ring?"

Michelle shook her head like a rattle drum, suppressing the pain in her heart as she asked, "Parker, do you love me?"

"Silly, of course I love you." Parker hugged her tenderly, his voice filled with doting affection. "Michelle, let's get married. I want to build a home with you."

Suddenly, his phone rang. When Parker glanced at the caller ID, his expression stiffened and his eyes glinted with a hint of desire. However, facing Michelle, he offered an apologetic look, "Michelle, it's an urgent matter at work ..."

"It's my birthday today. Can't you stay with me?" Michelle stared directly at Parker.

Parker chuckled lightly and ruffled her hair, "Be a good girl. Wait for me at home."

Michelle watched Parker's hurried departure, her emotional defenses slowly crumbling. The next second, a message from Janet arrived, showing the room booking receipt for her and Parker. [Parker is going to play some bedtime games with me tonight, Michelle, do you have any recommendations?]

In an instant, Michelle felt as if her heart had been stabbed. Silently, she took off the ring from her hand. Anything that could be taken away never truly belonged to her.

Feeling dazed, Michelle walked back home. Just as she reached the apartment's entrance, she saw the violently rocking car at the corner.

The car window, half rolled down, had a slender hand resting on it—a hand wearing the very ring Parker had just proposed to her with. Struck like lightning, Michelle's trembling fingers dialed Parker's number.

Inside the car, the man, still unsated, frowned impatiently. But when he saw the caller ID, his gaze softened into tenderness.

"Where are you?" Michelle asked through trembling lips.

Parker replied softly, "Almost home, honey. If you're sleepy, go ahead and rest."

Tears streamed down Michelle's cheeks. She opened her mouth but could only force out an 'Okay' before ending the call, her quiet sobs filling the void.

How could he be so brazen, bringing Janet here to cheat right under her nose?

"Aren't you afraid of my sister finding out about us?" Janet's coy voice drifted out.

His words were answered by more fervent and passionate gasps, "Who's the little seductress luring me in, huh? Seducing your sister's fiancé, how shameless can you get!"

Janet gasped in mock surprise, bashfully replying, "It only because my future brother-in-law took the bait!"

***

Half an hour passed before the car finally quieted.

Michelle felt her blood surge to her head, her limbs cold and trembling as she dragged her numb body back into the apartment.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?" Parker followed shortly after, entering the house and hugging Michelle from behind. When he reached for her hand, he noticed it was bare, "Michelle, where's your ring?"

Michelle said calmly, "I took it off."

"Why would you take it off? Did I do something wrong to upset you?" Parker sounded flustered.

Michelle casually responded, "It's too precious, so I put it away."

Hearing this, Parker smiled helplessly, "Silly, how can a ring be more precious than you? Besides, I personally designed this ring for you, it's a testament to our love."

"Come on, put it back on," Parker said.

Michelle feigned a yawn, her tone listless, "Tomorrow. I'm getting ready to shower and sleep."

The next morning, when she woke up, Parker seemed to have forgotten about the matter entirely. Together, they drove to the Smith Family home.

Having proposed the day before, today was naturally the time to visit his future in-laws. As soon as they arrived, Janet cheerfully pounced on Parker.

Instinctively, he caught her, but after a brief pause, he tossed her to the ground, "How improper! Do you still think you're a little kid?" Parker frowned darkly and reprimanded her in a deep voice.

Janet, rubbing her bruised bottom, looked aggrieved and pitiful, "I'm sorry, Parker. I just got home and feel insecure. Seeing an old playmate, I couldn't help but get close."

Parker remained unmoved, his tone cold, "You're an adult now, stop using childhood as an excuse. Michelle might misunderstand." The hand that held Michelle's suddenly tightened, causing her pain.

Her eyes flickered with faint mockery. He had shared such intimacy with her behind her back but insisted on acting righteous in front of her. How absurd!

Hearing the commotion, the Smith's couple arrived to see their biological daughter upset and immediately turned their anger on Michelle, "Janet just reunited with us, it's understandable she might not know better. Michelle, as her older sister, you should let things go. How could you make her feel wronged?"

Adele said, "Don't forget what the Smith Family did for you. You can't turn your back on our kindness just because you've found someone influential!"

Lowering her gaze, Michelle concealed the disappointment in her eyes. She had heard such words no fewer than a hundred times this past month.

Ever since Smith's couple found their long-lost daughter, Janet, their favoritism had been glaringly obvious. They seemed to forget the vows they made when they adopted her from the orphanage, that they would treat her as their own, loving her like a biological daughter.

Parker's face darkened like a storm brewing. Pulling Michelle behind him protectively, he snapped, "Enough! This was Janet's fault to begin with. Why blame Michelle?" His thin lips curved into a sarcastic smile.

Sensing his displeasure, Janet quickly stepped in to mediate, her eyes brimming with flattery, "Parker, don't be upset. This is all our fault. My sister is so magnanimous, she won't mind, right?"

Adele glared sharply at Michelle, her gaze filled with implicit threats.

Forcing a bitter smile, Michelle shifted the subject, "I'm hungry. Let's eat first."

At the dining table, Janet seized the seat next to Parker and clung to his arm.

Looking up, she coyly said to Michelle, "Michelle, Parker and I haven't seen each other in years. I want to sit close to him. You don't mind, do you?"

Parker frowned and was about to refuse. But under the cover of her thick clothes, Janet secretly pressed a sensitive trigger point.

Parker's expression immediately turned subtle. His body stiffened and he didn't dare to move.

Michelle's face went pale, her nails digging deep into her palms. Forcing a weak smile, she said with great effort, "I don't mind." But how could she not?

To see her fiancé openly flirting with her younger sister was enough to enrage anyone. Even more so for someone like Michelle, who still harbored some hope for Parker.

The meal felt tasteless to Michelle. As soon as it was over, she couldn't wait to leave that suffocating house.

On the drive back, she sat silently, staring out at the passing scenery.