Chapter 1

"Molly, I love you! You're the most important person in my life, and I'd give everything to protect you. Will you marry me and be mine forever?"

Standing amid an ocean of red roses, Molly Johnson remained stone-faced as she stared at Oliver Smith, who was impeccably dressed in his tailored suit and passionately confessed his feelings to her.

She studied the face she'd loved for four years. Although his features hadn't changed, now all she could sense was something rotten emanating from the man before her, making her stomach turn.

Just thirty minutes ago, she'd gone to the private lounge and stumbled upon Oliver and her stepsister, Clara Johnson, in a passionate embrace.

They kissed eagerly, and Oliver even promised Clara that even if he married Molly, he would never abandon her.

Every image, every word, was attacking her eyes and her heart.

The pain of betrayal surged through every nerve in her body, nearly causing her to lose her balance. She bit down so hard on her teeth that she tasted blood in her mouth, using the pain to keep herself composed.

Oliver, her perfect boyfriend, the man who claimed to adore her, had been rotten to the core all along.

If she hadn't witnessed that sickening scene, she would have happily accepted his bouquet right now, nodding as she said "yes."

Instead, she could only marvel at Oliver's acting skills. He'd been lying to her face for years.

Molly stood motionless, saying nothing.

Oliver's heartfelt vows hung in the air unanswered, leaving him feeling a bit awkward as he urged her with his gaze to quickly accept the flowers.

After all, this was their engagement party, and so many guests were watching.

Molly pretended not to catch his desperate signals.

Just then, the massive screen behind them suddenly flickered to life, displaying images that made every guest gasp in shock.

Someone covered their mouth, crying out, "Oh my God!"

The screen showed explicit, intimate photographs—hundreds of them scrolling in rapid succession.

The backgrounds varied, clearly taken in different hotel rooms over multiple encounters, leaving no doubt about the frequency of these trysts.

The man's face was crystal clear in every shot. It was Oliver.

The photographs were skillfully taken, each one avoiding the woman's face, but Molly knew that the woman was Clara.

The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became extremely awkward.

After a brief moment of shock, Molly's gaze swept over Oliver's pale face, and then she turned her attention to Clara in the audience, whose eyes held a hint of smugness.

Molly quickly realized what was happening. Clara was trying to sabotage their engagement in this way.

Oliver snapped out of his stupor as whispers erupted throughout the crowd, rushing to shut down the display with fumbling hands.

He turned to Molly as sweat beaded on his forehead, panic evident in his voice.

"Molly, let me explain. It's not what it looks like."

Moments earlier, every guest had been marveling at their perfect love story, commenting on what a stunning couple they made.

Now those same romantic declarations felt like a cruel joke, the photos serving as a public slap in the face that rendered Oliver's earlier vows meaningless.

The transformation was instantaneous and devastating.

Molly didn't spare Oliver another glance. Instead, she walked to the microphone with her head held high, ignoring the stunned stares from every corner of the room. Her clear voice carried through the sound system to reach every guest.

"I apologize for subjecting you all to this spectacle. The engagement is off."

No one noticed the tremor in her hand as she gripped the microphone.

How could she not feel heartbroken making this decision!

This was the man she'd loved for four years, and just when she was a step away from happiness, he cruelly pushed her into the abyss.

Oliver's pupils dilated, his expression shifting from panic to fury in seconds.

"Molly, our engagement represents an alliance between two families. Are you certain the Johnson family can handle the consequences of canceling unilaterally?"

Molly met his glare calmly. "I forgot to mention—I've already accepted the Howard family's marriage proposal."

In the aftermath of discovering his betrayal, she hadn't allowed herself time to wallow in sadness. Quick, decisive action had always been her way.

If she'd misjudged someone and wasted her feelings, the smartest move was to cut her losses immediately.

No matter how much pain she felt, Molly never let it show.

Oliver stared at her in disbelief as his voice rose instantly.

"You're actually going to marry that blind freak for money? Molly, what do our years together mean to you—nothing? Or do you see yourself as some commodity to be sold to the highest bidder?"

"Do I need to describe in detail what I witnessed in the private lounge?"

Molly's eyes flashed with fury.

Oliver actually dared to mention their relationship after what he'd done.

"Should I marry Edward Howard, or stick with a disgusting person like you?"

Her tone dripped with sarcasm.

Oliver clenched his jaw and hurled the bouquet to the ground, snarling, "You're the one who refused to sleep with me for four years! What man could endure that? If you'd been more obedient, more understanding, I never would have looked elsewhere!"

"You drove me to this!"

Molly's face was filled with revulsion. "So it's my fault you cheated? My fault you slept with other women and had those photos displayed at our engagement party?"

She'd used logic and reason to suppress inappropriate emotions, analyzing pros and cons rationally, but that didn't mean she hadn't invested genuine feelings in their relationship.

Not only had Oliver done something reprehensible, but now he was trying to make her feel sick about it. She'd been completely blind about him all these years!

Oliver found himself speechless, his neck straining as he retorted, "You know this was supposed to be our engagement party. Even with the ceremony canceled, you're still an engaged woman. How could Edward possibly marry you?"

Clara chimed in with a sneer, "Molly, even though the heir to the Howard family is a blind freak, the Howard family is still prestigious. Are you still dreaming if you think they'd actually want you?"

Molly's stepmother, Celeste Johnson, spoke slowly, "Molly, I know you've always been competitive, but let me remind you—the higher you climb, the harder you fall. The Howard family is completely out of your league."

Molly looked at the three of them as if they were idiots.

Edward Howard was well-known in Emerald City.

He was the man standing at the absolute pinnacle of society's pyramid.

Tragically, he'd been diagnosed with a terminal illness at a young age and had lost his sight.

Edward's mother, Alicia Howard, desperately wanted to secure his bloodline and had been searching for a suitable bride, but his condition made finding a willing candidate nearly impossible.

Molly curled her lips and said slowly, "My affairs are none of your concern. I'm sure today's engagement party drama will be trending on social media within the hour. You're about to become notorious."

Before Oliver could respond, footsteps echoed through the ballroom as someone new entered.

Guests turned instinctively toward the sound.

Someone gasped in recognition.

"Isn't that the Howard family's butler? What's he doing here?"