On Valentine's Day, I accompanied my father, Bruce, to shop for gifts, not expecting to be mistaken for his mistress by his real mistress, Selene.

Selene surrounded me with a group, saying, "Look at these college girls, shamelessly acting as mistresses."

"Dressed like a country bumpkin, how dare you come to a luxury store? Are you trying to compete with the child in my belly for the family fortune?" she glared at me.

Confused, I looked down at my haute couture outfit, wondering who she was referring to.

They roughly tore my clothes, pulled my hair, and destroyed my carefully chosen items.

Selene threw out a card. "I'll pay for all the losses."

I doubted there was even a penny on that card.

*****

"I was wondering why Bruce would not spend the Valentine's Day with me, and here he is with this bitch."

Just as I was about to pay for a bag I had bought for my mom, she threw it out of my hands.

I looked at the platinum crocodile leather that I had been waiting for half a year but didn't dare to touch, and my heart shattered. "My bag..."

"Bag? What bag?" Selene stomped on it with her heels, then approached me.

Only then did I see her appearance. It was Selene, my neighbor who lived in the abandoned Reeds manor.

My mother, Sarah, had often complained about her unreasonable behavior during Reed's manor renovations, which had led Bruce to mediate multiple times.

"Spending a man's money on a bag and you're upset?" Selene sneered.

Confused, I replied, "Did you mistake me for someone else?"

While I was using Bruce's supplementary card, it was still my money.

"How could I be mistaken?" Selene slammed a few bills in my face. "No wonder Bruce's credit card limit dropped so fast. He opened a supplementary card for you months ago. You're spending a lot."

I scratched my head. I had just returned from studying abroad and needed to buy many things, so Bruce had given me the card.

"Yes, I spent it. Is there a problem?" I thought she was here to collect a debt. "I did spend a little more, but..."

It was all my hard-earned money, and the family company was founded by me.

Before I could finish, Selene slapped me hard.

"How shameless of you, spending other people's money without a hint of embarrassment." Selene looked down on me condescendingly.

Her hand was so strong that my head was buzzing from the slap and I lost my balance and fell to the ground.

Her command summoned a group to surround me. "Look at how shameless female college students are nowadays, acting as mistresses.

"How dare you come to a luxury store dressed like that? Are you competing with the child in my belly for property?"

I glanced at my haute couture clothing, wondering if she was talking about me.

It wasn't until I noticed her slightly bulging belly that I realized this woman was Bruce's mistress.

Bruce persuaded me for a long time before I reluctantly agreed to help him choose a Valentine's Day gift for Sarah.

This day marked not only Valentine's Day but also my parents' wedding anniversary. After over twenty years of marriage, my parents remain deeply in love, and I often feel like a "light bulb" between them.

I frowned, trying to process the situation. "Did you say you have a child?"

"Yes," Selene replied, her head held high and a hint of smugness in her tone. "Bruce and I have been together for three or four years. Isn't it normal to have a child? Don't be so ungrateful."

"Don't you know he's already married?" I struggled to accept this sudden revelation.

"How dare you accuse me? The one with children is the real 'original spouse.' You are all mistresses. Don't even think of spending a penny of Bruce's money. It's all for my children," Selene said contemptuously.

"I've checked you out. I heard you're a college student. "Do you realize your actions tarnish the image of college students?" Selene sat on the sofa. "Take off her clothes. I want to see what charm attracted Bruce."

Horrified, I stepped back. "How can you justify such unseemly behavior?"

Before I could finish, Selene slapped me hard twice. "I've already said you're the one who came after me. Understand the order of precedence?"

I struggled, and several men held me down and stripped off my clothes.

I desperately tried to protect my clothes. Helpless, I turned to the salesgirls for help. "Please, call the police."

But the new employees didn't recognize me and watched the scene unfold.

"I was wondering how she could buy a crocodile bag at such a young age. Turns out she's dating a rich man."

"That man looks old enough to be her father. I can't believe she has no shame, doing anything for money."

"But that woman doesn't seem to be the official wife, right? Haven't you heard he has a family?"

"Even so, she said she's pregnant with a boy. What do wealthy families care about most? Offspring."

The salesgirls were whispering nearby, and every word reached my ears.

My jacket was torn, and despite my struggles, I couldn't escape the grip of several people. Enraged, I viciously bit Selene's arm.

"You little bitch, how dare you bite me? I'll teach you a lesson!" She stood up and kicked me hard in the abdomen with her high heels.

"Hit her!" A few men hesitated, but Selene yelled, "What, do you want me to do it myself? What if something happens to the baby in my belly?"

I was beaten mercilessly, blood oozing from my mouth as the crowd watched, treating it like a spectacle.

Selene winked at Nora, who discreetly drew the store's curtain.

"Do you know who my husband is?" Selene asked arrogantly as she stood up.

Nora shook her head respectfully.

"Bruce Walsh, owner of the city's largest listed company, which will soon be mine since he's transferred all his shares to me. If you're wise, you'll know how to treat me," Selene sneered.

I wiped the blood from my mouth, shaking at the realization. Before starting my own company, I had saved our family's business from bankruptcy.

Though Bruce was the nominal chairman, I was the real decision-maker.

Some time ago, someone told me that someone was buying a large number of shares, but I knew very well that such a small amount of shares could not surpass mine, so I did not take it seriously. But I never suspected it was Bruce.

Now, beaten and powerless, with only an undershirt on, I watched as Selene stomped on my head, taking pictures with her phone.

"Iltosa University, huh? I guess you won't need to go to school after this. Let your school see what a morally corrupt person you are," Selene taunted, sending the photos triumphantly. My heart sank.

I applied to this university with great difficulty because I wanted to develop in my hometown.

I had worked tirelessly to complete the project. I also liked this direction very much, and it was the result of my hard work.

"Please, don't," I pleaded, moving forward painfully, but was pushed to the ground.

"Now you know shame? Where was that when you were using other people's money?" Selene chuckled.

She picked up a handbag that had been kicked away. "I can't bear to buy this, and you don't even think about your level to deserve this."

"Bruce's sickly wife also likes this thing. It's awful." After saying that, she picked up the scissors and cut it twice fiercely. "What I can't have, no one can!"

"And I wonder when his wife will die," she sighed, turning to the man tying me up. "Jensen, did you tell the doctor all the imported pills were switched with vitamin C?"

"Yes. It has been changed." Jensen nodded.

Sarah was indeed ill, and Bruce's takeover of the company stemmed from her condition. The world didn't know he was a freeloader.

Sarah's health had deteriorated suddenly, requiring long-term medication, and I hadn't realized the extent of the problem.

I struggled hard, but was pushed down again and again.

I glanced at kind-looking Nora, pleading, "Please call the police. I'm not a mistress. He's my father."