Margot was finally sent to the hospital by a kind-hearted stranger.

As it was her second injury, the doctor berated her, questioning how she had gotten hurt again and asking if she didn’t care about herself.

She couldn’t bring herself to speak the truth—the wounds were a gift from the two most important men in her life.

In the meantime, Maisie sent her a video.

As soon as she opened it, Maisie’s voice, full of feigned sympathy, filled the room.

“Gigi also got hurt. She’s being treated in the room next door. You guys should go see her. She must be so lonely all by herself.”

Charles, who was cutting fruit for her, casually said, “You’re too kind, May. She’s done this to you, and now a little pain will teach her a lesson.”

Joey handed her a cup of warm water. “And I can’t deal with her right now.”

Such a convenient excuse.

Margot smiled bitterly, tears welling in her eyes.

After being discharged from the hospital, Margot locked herself in her room, refusing to leave.

It wasn’t until her birthday, when her parents returned from their business trip, that she finally came downstairs.

In the living room, they were busy preparing for the birthday banquet.

Fred and Martha smiled and handed each daughter a dress.

They gave Maisie a newly released haute couture gown adorned with countless small diamonds.

I was worth millions of dollars.

The dress given to Margot was a starry gown from a few years ago, long past its runway days.

Anyone with a keen eye could see the favoritism, but they made excuses, claiming that the dress suited Margot’s complexion better.

The maids who were cleaning nearby couldn’t help but whisper among themselves.

“Is Miss Margot really their biological daughter? Today is clearly her birthday, yet Mr. and Mrs. Johanson gave the expensive dress to the adopted daughter?”

“They’re just making excuses. They’re afraid Miss Margot will outshine Miss Maisie with a more extravagant gown. After all, Miss Margot is far more beautiful than Miss Maisie…”

“Not only is she beautiful, but Miss Margot is gentle and kind to us. She treats the maids so courteously.

“Miss Maisie, though, walks around with her nose in the air and punishes us for the smallest thing. I really can’t stand her. When will she leave for marriage?”

“I heard it’s soon. The Stewarts are already preparing for the wedding.”

Margot silently listened to the maids’ gossip. She didn’t say a word, gathered her things, and returned to her room.

Everyone assumed that Maisie was the one marrying into the Stewart family. Only she knew the truth—that it was she, Margot, who would marry Dominic.

After all, who would’ve thought that her own parents would choose to forsake their biological daughter in favor of their adopted one?

At 6 PM, the banquet began on time.

The moment Maisie entered the room, all eyes naturally gravitated toward her. People marveled and rushed forward to congratulate her.

“You look stunning today, May! You’re truly the star of the party!”

“The dress must have taken forever to get, your parents really dote on you,” they all complimented her, forgetting that the real birthday star was Margot.

Margot said nothing as she quietly sat on the sofa, watching the large fruit cake and seafood spread on the table beside her.

They were all Maisie’s favorites, and as Margot was allergic to both mangoes and seafood, she ate nothing the entire evening.

By the time the birthday song was sung at 8 PM, everyone surrounded Maisie at the center. Even the gifts were all for her.

Fred and Martha waved their hands grandly and gifted Maisie a villa in the heart of the city where space was worth its weight in gold.

Charles transferred half of his shares in Johanson Group to her name.

And Joey handed over a diamond necklace he had won at an auction just days ago, worth several million dollars.

The necklace, sparkling brilliantly with its “true love” symbolism, immediately caused a stir.

“Is this necklace a sign of something coming? Joey always seemed ready to marry someone, so it’s Maisie after all!”

“They always say that the childhood sweetheart can’t beat what fate has decided. Now I truly believe it.”

Amid the uproar, Margot quietly stood in the corner.

She felt invisible as if the lively atmosphere around her had nothing to do with her at all.

After the cake was cut, cheerful piano music played, and handsome men and beautiful women gathered to enter the dance floor.

Maisie scanned the room and fixed her gaze on Margot. She walked over confidently, her face full of pride.

"How does it feel to have your spotlight stolen at your own birthday party, Gigi? You must feel frustrated, right?

“But there's nothing you can do, I suppose. Dad, Mom, Charles, and Joey all spoil me more than you.

“So what if you're the biological daughter? You're still beneath me. Look at you, so helpless and pitiful," she taunted.

Margot knew Maisie was deliberately provoking her, but her tears had long since dried up over the years.

She simply looked at Maisie with indifference.

Maisie continued for a while, but when she saw she wasn't getting any response, she stomped her foot and left.

After sitting for so long, Margot began to feel tired and just wanted to go rest. After all, the real guest of honor at the birthday party wasn’t her, was it?

Just as she was about to leave, Maisie, surrounded by the crowd, suddenly shouted, “Ah, the necklace Joey gave me is missing! There’s a thief here!”

Margot turned around and, sure enough, saw Maisie’s bare neck. For some reason, an uneasy feeling suddenly surged within her.

Sure enough, the next moment, she saw Maisie crying, her eyes filled with tears. “Just now, I was talking to Gigi, and my necklace disappeared.

“Gigi, if you really liked it, you could have just asked me for it. Why did you steal it?”

As soon as the words were spoken, all eyes in the room turned toward Margot.

Margot took a deep breath and calmly met the malicious gazes directed at her, her voice steady.

“It wasn’t me. I am the eldest daughter of the Johansons. A necklace like that is nothing to me. Do you think I’d need to steal it?”

Her calm and composed demeanor eased the suspicions of many in the room.

Joey frowned, still not believing her, but Maisie wasn’t about to let it go. She insisted on accusing Margot.

“If it wasn’t you, then who else could it be? A necklace might not mean much to you, but this one was a gift from Joey. You like him so much—how could you not want it? If you’re truly innocent, then let’s search you!”

Search her in front of everyone?

Margot clenched her fists tightly, her face cold as she rejected the suggestion. “I told you, I didn’t take it. Why should I let you search me?”

“Dad, Mom, Charles, I’m telling the truth! Please believe me!

“Joey, I know I’m just an adopted child. If it were something else, I’d let it go, but that necklace was from you. It’s the only thing you’ve given me, and I don’t want to part with it.”

Seeing her tear-streaked face, several people began to soften.

Then Charles nodded. He made a subtle gesture toward the bodyguards, who immediately stepped forward to restrain Margot.

Margot looked at him in disbelief.

She was his biological sister! Yet now, for Maisie’s sake, he was willing to strip her in front of a crowd.

She struggled desperately, shouting that it wasn’t her, but no one listened.

Margot’s luxurious gown was torn apart, and her neatly styled hair was yanked loose, large tufts of it being pulled out.

She desperately clutched at her chest, her eyes filled with pain.

No matter how much she explained or struggled, the people around her remained unmoved, watching the scene unfold with cold detachment.

Looking at her indifferent parents, and at Joey and Charles, who were too busy comforting Maisie, Margot felt as if she had fallen into a nightmare.

Her parents had once held her in their arms, terrified of her getting hurt, and her brother, who would stand up for her whenever she was wronged, then taught the perpetrators a lesson.

And Joey would always stand by her side, shielding her from the storms of the world.

But everything had changed.

As the last bit of her gown was about to be ripped off, the tears of agony blurred Margot's vision.

In a moment of despair, she suddenly remembered something.

With all the strength she could muster, her blood-stained hand—her broken nails dripping—shot up, and she shouted with all her might.

"It wasn’t me! I have the footage to prove it!"

The entire room fell silent at Margot’s words.

All the color drained from Maisie’s face.

Margot staggered to her feet. How could she have forgotten?

After Maisie had intentionally framed her last time, fearing another attempt, she had secretly placed a micro camera in her earrings.

Wiping the tears from her face, she quickly removed the earring with the camera and plugged it into the large screen.

The video showed that when Maisie had turned her back, she had used the opportunity to hang the necklace on Margot’s gown.

All of Maisie's mocking taunts were also exposed.

The public's opinion in the hall flipped instantly, and everyone looked at Maisie with expressions of disgust and contempt.

Margot, her hair a tangled mess, trembled as she picked up her phone and dialed 911, her brows set in determination.

"Hello? Police? I’d like to report someone framing me—"

Maisie trembled violently and burst into loud sobs.

"I didn’t mean it! I just wanted to play a little joke on Gigi. Why do you have to blow this out of proportion?"

As soon as she began crying, the Johansons and Joey rushed over to wipe her tears, their cold eyes turning toward the disheveled Margot, their tone filled with disapproval.

"May said it was just a joke. Why can’t you let it go?"

"She’s so kind and pure, how could she possibly do something like framing someone? The authenticity of this footage is still in question!"

"Enough! This farce ends here. Calling the police for such a small matter—aren’t you embarrassed of yourself?"

As they spoke, they escorted Maisie out of the hall.

Watching their hurried departure, Margot truly felt what it meant to be abandoned by everyone.

She laughed quietly, her body cold, unable to control the trembling that overcame her.

In the days that followed, Margot stayed locked in her room, avoiding the outside world, just waiting to be married off as quickly as possible.

She had never imagined that one day, the family that had once showered her with boundless affection would become the very place she longed to escape.

One day, as she was packing her bags, she suddenly heard a loud commotion outside the villa.

She opened the window and saw Maisie driving a car in the garden. Joey was sitting in the passenger seat, smiling as he instructed her.

Charles stood by the roadside, gently guiding her as she backed the car into the garage.

Margot was slightly bewildered as she watched the three of them.

It was Charles and Joey who had taught her how to drive years ago.

Back then, it was winter, and the cold weather bit at her skin.

Joey worried she would catch a chill and would hold her hand after each trip, gently warming it in his own.

Charles, ever indulgent, would brave the cold wind to record videos for her and stay up late sorting through the notes he had made.

But those were memories from a long, long time ago.

Margot lowered her eyes, hiding the sadness in them.

In the afternoon, she had planned to bid farewell to a few friends and was getting ready to head out.

But as soon as she stepped outside, a car suddenly struck her, sending her flying several meters through the air.

With a loud crash, she slammed into the hard stone pavement.

Blood poured from her mouth, and her entire body felt like it was falling apart. Intense, bone-crushing pain radiated from every part of her, tugging at her nerves.

In a daze, she saw Maisie get out of the car with a smile on her face.

"Ah, Gigi, I’m so sorry! I just learned how to drive, and I accidentally mistook the gas pedal for the brake. I didn’t mean to hit you.

"Look at all this blood. You must be in a lot of pain, huh? I should call an ambulance right away.

"Wait, what’s the emergency number again? 911? 999? Or is it 991? Maybe I should call each of them one by one, but that’ll take a while. Gigi, you’ve got to hold on!"