After making sure my father was okay, I returned to Simon's villa to pack my things and leave.

Simon and I had known each other since our schooling days. We'd been together for ten years. In those ten years, he never stopped proposing, and I kept turning him down.

Back in school, I wanted to focus on my studies, so I said no. After graduation, I was busy building my career, so I still said no.

Thinking it was because I looked down on his family background, he made a promise to me. "I'll succeed and give you the life you deserve."

He worked like a madman.

I was moved by his determination. I even helped him start his business. Step by step, he rose to the top, becoming the CEO of a publicly listed company.

By the 66th proposal, I finally gave in to his persistence and sincerity and said yes.

Who would've known that he'd suddenly tell me he wanted to have a child with Fiona, right before our wedding? I still couldn't wrap my head around it.

It was true that Fiona and her mother had joined his family by the time he was an adult. There was no blood relation between them, but they were extremely close.

At first, I also thought he only saw her as a little sister.

However, Fiona would always show up unexpectedly whenever Simon and I were together, interrupting our time together.

Last year, on my birthday, Simon and I had planned a romantic dinner. But Fiona just happened to show up at the restaurant, crying out that her stomach hurt. Without hesitation, Simon scooped her into his arms and rushed out, leaving me alone at the restaurant.

I waited and waited, until the food went cold and the birthday cake melted. But he never came back.

I thought something terrible had happened to Fiona. Later, I found out it was just menstrual cramps.

Simon apologized, and to make up for it, he threw me a belated birthday party. I foolishly believed him. Even though he abandoned me on my birthday and spent the entire night with her, I didn't blame him.

Now, I realized that it was never just a normal sibling bond between them. What kind of sister wanted to have her brother's child?

At that thought, a bitter smile tugged on my lips. I gathered every photo of me and Simon, every gift he'd ever given me over the past ten years, and tossed them into the trash. I threw away every memory of us.

Just then, I heard the door open downstairs. I stepped out of the bedroom. Simon was back, with Fiona by his side.

The moment he saw me, he rushed forward to embrace me, but I dodged him without a word.

Simon froze awkwardly, then grabbed my hand, trying to flatter me. "Darling, don't be angry. Tomorrow, I'll deal with the press and shut down all the gossip. Next time, I'll give you an even grander wedding. We'll show them just how in love we are."

He already knew I had been humiliated. He had seen the headlines about the bride being left at the altar. He knew about how I made a fool of myself, how the guests jeered at me, about my father being sent to the hospital from shock.

Yet, he showed no signs of remorse.

Fiona, clutching her stomach, stepped forward and grabbed Simon's arm ever so naturally. "Ivy, from today on, I'll be counting on you to take care of me."

I froze. "What do you mean?"

Simon answered matter-of-factly, "Fiona's pregnant. She needs someone to look after her, so I've decided to let her live here with us. I recall you've read up a lot about pregnancy, so you're the perfect person to care for her."

My fiance wanted me to take care of the woman carrying his child? I nearly laughed out loud.

"I read all those books for myself. Why should I take care of her?"

Simon frowned. "Can't you be more generous? Fiona's a woman, just like you. You're naturally better suited to look after her. Besides, you can think of it as practice for when we have children of our own."

But there would be no "we". No future. No children.

I shook my head, smiling bitterly. But Simon didn't even glance at me again. He simply guided Fiona toward the guest room which had already been prepared for her.

To celebrate Fiona's pregnancy, Simon threw a grand party. I had no way to refuse. He practically dragged me there.

What I didn't expect was that the party would be held in the city's most luxurious hotel, the very same venue as our canceled wedding. Under Simon's meticulous planning, the party was even more extravagant than our wedding.

The moment I stepped into the banquet hall, memories of being abandoned and publicly humiliated came crashing back. Overwhelmed with disgust, my whole body trembled as I numbly sank into a chair in a corner.

Meanwhile, Simon escorted Fiona around, clinking glasses with guests. At one point, they even slow-danced as orchestra music filled the room. They looked more like a devoted husband and wife than me and him could ever be.

I retracted my gaze, turning my focus to the wine glass in my hand instead. That was when a group of drunken men suddenly approached me.

"Hey, miss. Drinking all alone?"

"Hold on. Isn't she the bride who got dumped at the altar a few days ago? Simon Hepworth's fiancee?"

"Since your fiance doesn't want you, why not have some fun with us instead?"

They closed in step by step, one of them even reaching out to grab my waist. Terror surged through me. I didn't know where the strength came from, but I shoved one of them away and ran off in a panic.

I didn't see where I was going, and I slammed right into Fiona. She shrieked and fell backward, red wine splashing all over herself as her glass shattered on the floor.

The music stopped. The chatter died. A crowd circled around us.

My head was still reeling when I felt someone shove me hard. I hit the floor, my palm landing on the glass shards. A sharp pain shot through me.

Stunned, I looked up to see who had pushed me. It was Simon.

"Do you have any idea how dangerous this is? Fiona is pregnant! I've had it with your tantrums. What if something happened to her baby?" he furiously yelled at me before sweeping Fiona into his arms and rushing out of the room.

Whispers broke out from the crowd.

"So, she's the one who got left at the altar? I thought she was the victim, but it turns out she's vicious."

"Why is she still clinging on? She should just accept her fate and let Fiona have Simon."

"No wonder Simon hates her. Who'd want to marry a woman like that?"

I felt myself reliving the same scene, listening to the same cruel judgment.

I couldn't take it anymore. I turned and bolted out of the banquet hall.

I fled to the hotel restroom, hoping to find a quiet place to catch my breath.

I suddenly heard the sound of muffled moans coming from inside.

I looked up to see Simon and Fiona. He had her pinned against the sink, kissing her fiercely. Their faces were flushed, breaths ragged.

I heard Simon's husky voice. "Baby, thank God you're okay. You really scared me."

"I'm fine, Simon. It's my fault for dragging you to that concert and making you miss the wedding. That's why Ivy is so upset…"

"She still shouldn't have pushed you. You're already two months pregnant."

My mind exploded with a deafening buzz.

So, Fiona had been pregnant all along. There was no IVF appointment that day at all.

Simon kissed her again. She resisted softly, pushing against his chest. "Even after everything between us, you still won't call off the engagement?"

Simon went quiet. After a long pause, he kissed her again. "Didn't we agree not to talk about this? I'm destined to marry Ivy. But even after we're married, I'll still spoil you and our baby."

Fiona lit up instantly. Soon, the restroom filled with the sound of their frantic movements and breathless gasps.

Shaking, I pulled out my phone and secretly recorded it all before stumbling out.

So, the stepsister guise was a lie. Her trauma and fear of men were lies. The IVF was a lie.

Simon had been lying to me all along. He had been cheating on me with Fiona from the start. And he still wanted to keep me too.

My palm, cut earlier by broken glass, was now bleeding freely. The pain stung like the ache in my heart.

Night had fallen. I slipped out the back door of the hotel like a deserter, only to be suddenly blocked by several looming figures. It was the same group of men who had tried hitting on me earlier.

I instinctively backed away, but they had already blocked my escape path.

"You got us thrown out. Now, you think you can escape?" As one sneered, the others came forward, grabbing my arms and legs.

"No! Somebody, help me!" I thrashed and screamed, desperate for someone to notice.

Right at that moment, I heard a familiar voice come from nearby. "Something's happening over there. Should we check it out?"

Hope flickered in my heart. It was Simon's voice.

I screamed louder. "Simon!"

But the men covered my mouth and pinned me to the ground.

"That sounded like Ivy," Simon said as he looked toward my direction.

Then, Fiona's voice rang out. "Simon, my stomach hurts! Let's go home."

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" His tone turned frantic. What followed was the sound of their footsteps fading away.

I wanted to scream that I was here, but the men had an iron grip on me. I couldn't break free.

As Simon and Fiona walked further away, tears of despair streamed down my face.

Suddenly, a furious shout split the night. "Let her go!"