The hall was filled with guests; the banquet was about to begin.
Servants weaved through the crowd, carrying trays of drinks.
Inside the hall, glasses clinked and laughter rang out, conversations lively.
A servant approached Elena politely. "Miss Sung, would you like some fruit wine?"
Elena, who hadn't touched a drop since arriving, was indeed a little thirsty. She picked up a glass from the tray and smiled, saying simply, "Thank you."
Not far away, Sophia saw Elena take a sip and a sly curve lifted her lips.
"Drink, drink… the more, the better. Once it takes effect, the real fun begins."
Sophia had been envious all day of Elena stealing the spotlight, of being the center of attention. Normally, that would have angered her, but now she felt this was advantageous.
The more famous Elena became tonight, the better. Let everyone in Southville recognize her. Then, when the time came, her reputation would be utterly ruined.
Sophia imagined the days ahead—Elena unable to stay in Southville, forced to remain under her heel forever—and she couldn't help but smile.
Who asked this wretch to not only seduce Felix but also constantly defy her?
Tch, she deserved this!
Meanwhile, Elena, having finished her drink, returned the glass only to hear a voice behind her:
"Elena."
Looking up, she saw a face drained from overindulgence, unmistakably lecherous, and annoyingly unpleasant. Her brow furrowed.
She recognized him—Felix's cousin, Max, the typical rich playboy.
Relying on his family fortune, Max spent his days chasing women, sometimes two or three in a single night. His reputation in Southville was atrocious.
Elena despised Max—not just for his behavior but also because, whenever she occasionally ran into him at the Cheng residence, he would leer at her whenever Felix wasn't watching.
That feeling of being scrutinized made her skin crawl.
"Elena…" Max ignored her obvious disdain, his gaze fixed on her. His voice was coarse. "Six months… and you've become even more beautiful."
"Oh…"
This was Mr. Cheng's banquet. No matter how angry Elena felt, she had to restrain herself for his sake.
Mr. Cheng treated her like a granddaughter, and she didn't want to cause a scene in front of all the guests, embarrassing him. She merely uttered a word in response and turned away.
But Max was oblivious, standing stubbornly by her side as if he couldn't see her dislike.
A sudden rush of heat and irritation surged in Elena. She struggled to contain herself and abruptly stood.
Fine. I'm leaving. I'll just leave, okay?
Her slender figure disappeared from view. Max glanced toward Mrs. Cheng and Sophia; the three exchanged a knowing smile, eyes glinting with cold malice under the lights.
The Cheng estate's courtyard was quiet, with pavilions and serene waterside scenery.
As Elena walked, her head began to feel dizzy, and her vision blurred.
She assumed it was the alcohol—she hadn't realized how strong that fruit wine was—and quickly sought a bench to sit.
But as soon as she sat, her dizziness worsened.
A strange, burning heat crept through her body, crawling like ants, unbearably itchy.
This was unfamiliar, abnormal. She had never felt anything like it. Suddenly, realization struck, and her eyes widened in alarm.
No… she wasn't drunk. There was something wrong with that drink!
Panicking, Elena rose from the bench. She had to get out. Immediately.
Suddenly, her body was grabbed tightly from behind. A rough voice whispered in her ear, "Elena…"
It was Max.
He… he put something in my drink?
"Let me go!" Elena shouted.
Her own voice, weak and soft, sounded almost seductive—an effect of the drug.
Max's eyes lit with wicked excitement. "Elena, why struggle so hard? Just give in… I promise you'll love this feeling."
"Get away! Don't touch me!"
In her struggle, Elena bit Max hard.
"Ah!" Max yelped in pain, instinctively letting go and stepping back.
Elena seized the chance to flee, but her limbs were heavy from the drug. She stumbled over cobblestones, pain shooting through her body, cold sweat covering her.
"You dare bite me, wretch?"
Max's furious voice thundered down.
At the same time, Elena's hair was yanked violently, pulling her upright. A sharp slap struck her face.
"I'll teach you, ungrateful little wretch!"
Pain radiated through Elena's body—her scalp felt as if it were being torn, her cheek burned. Her ears rang, her mouth tasted metallic, and she was nearly dazed.
Pinned to the bench, consciousness gradually returned.
"Let me go!"
"Max, let me go!"
Delicious prey lay before him, and Max had no intention of letting her go.
He had long coveted Elena, restrained only out of respect for her as Felix's fiancée and for the Cheng patriarch.
But now… now was different.
Max sneered, grabbing her again. "Little wretch, scream! The louder, the better. Let everyone in the hall see what a disgrace you are. Then I'll tell them—Elena came to seduce me herself, just to climb into my family!"
"Max… how dare you?" Elena kicked and punched, but it was useless. Her eyes bloodshot, she yelled, "Do you know who I am?"
"I am—"
"Think you're still Felix's fiancée?" Sophia's cold, melodious laugh cut across the courtyard from a few meters away. "Keep dreaming!"
"I'll tell you, Elena. As long as I, Sophia, am alive, you will never marry into the Cheng family. Your days of happiness are over. Mrs. Cheng's place… belongs only to me."
Elena's body was immobilized, unable to move. Her only weapon was her eyes, burning with hatred, fixed on Sophia, bloodshot and furious.
"It's… you…"
"Sophia… you put something in my drink!"
"You put something in my drink?"
Sophia's steps were light and deliberate as she walked closer, looking down on Elena. "Here? This is the Cheng estate. Do you really think I could command the Cheng servants?"
Indeed, Sophia's words were undeniably true.
This was the old Cheng residence. Just Sophia alone? Even if she spent all the money in the world, she couldn't manipulate the Cheng servants. Not even Max could—unless…
Elena's eyes widened in disbelief, as if struck by a lightning bolt. "It was…"
"Yes. Your guess is correct—it was Aunt Cheng."
Sophia's words confirmed exactly what Elena had feared, making her heart ache and tremble.
She had always known her powerless status. Aunt Cheng had never liked her all these years, but she hadn't expected her to be so ruthless… driving Elena toward a dead end.
Why? Why would she do this?
"Of course, it's because your very existence is an obstacle. Not just for Aunt Cheng or Felix, but also for me and the Sung family—you are a complete, utter obstacle…"
"So, we went to great lengths to remove this obstacle… permanently."
Sophia's voice slithered in Elena's ear like a venomous snake coiled around her chest, fangs bared and dripping with poison.
Each word bit into her heart. "The best way… was to let Max get to you, and then…"
Sophia unhurriedly took out her phone, switching to camera mode, aiming at Elena struggling beneath Max.
"I'll record the whole process," she said.
"Wasn't this banquet held especially for you, with Mr. Cheng planning to announce your engagement to Felix in front of everyone?"
"When the time comes, I'll secretly switch this video to the main screen. All the guests at the Cheng estate will see it… and you can imagine their reaction."
"Sophia!"
Elena felt her blood run cold.
This scheme was cruel beyond measure. And it had all started for a seat as Mrs. Cheng.
They all assumed Mr. Cheng would announce her engagement to Felix tonight.
In the past, Elena wouldn't have cared at all. She might even have wished for their discomfort. But now, she had to explain herself.
She wasn't sure if explaining would make Sophia spare her, but with a shred of hope, she couldn't give up. "It's not like that…"
"Mr. Cheng is going to announce your engagement to Felix tonight…"
"You're lying. I won't believe you… nor Mr. Cheng!"
Sophia suddenly shouted at her, "Elena, do you think saying that will make me let you go? Impossible! Today, I will ruin you completely!"
"Mr. Cheng only cares about you, only wants you as his granddaughter-in-law? I'll see if he still has the face to announce your engagement to Felix then!"
"That old man helped you so many times already. I'm curious… will he still accept a filthy wretch like you?"
This was a perfect trap.
Sophia wanted Elena's reputation to be utterly destroyed, never to recover.
This, indeed, was Aunt Cheng's "permanent eradication of future troubles."
"Max, what are you waiting for? Go!"
Max, already impatient, tore at Elena's dress. "Hurry! Make sure the angle is right—don't show my face too much."
Sophia's expression was vicious. "Don't worry."
"No…"
Elena struggled like a madwoman, screaming at the top of her lungs, "Help! Somebody help me!"
"Elena, scream all you want. It won't matter. Aunt Cheng has cleared everyone away. Otherwise, do you think we could act so freely?"
Sophia pressed the record button, smiling wickedly. "Now, enjoy yourself… don't worry. I'll make sure you look especially beautiful on camera."
Max's lecherous face loomed closer.
Despair swept over Elena from all directions, mixed with a fierce, destructive rage. "Sophia, I will not forgive you… I will not forgive any of you!"
"That remains to be seen," Sophia replied.
"Elena, if you come with me, I'll treat you well…"
Just as Max's lips were about to touch her, Elena shut her eyes and screamed a name in terror.
"Lucian!!"
"Lucian, save me!!"
Bang—
A dull impact, and suddenly Elena felt lighter.
Instinctively, she looked up—and met a pair of sharp, narrow eyes.
Raging anger burned in them, blood-red and violent.
A terrifying black aura radiated around him.
Yet, for some reason, Elena did not feel fear. Even before speaking, tears streamed down her face. "Lucian…"
Lucian said nothing. He gripped her wrist, watching her tears, lips pressed tightly, jawline taut.
"I knew… you would come to save me…"
Elena tried to smile, but tears poured uncontrollably.
Max, previously excited, was suddenly yanked up and struck with a solid punch, crashing to the ground.
The punch was like steel; the moment it hit his face, dizziness overwhelmed him, blood poured from his nose, and two teeth were knocked out.
"Pain, pain, pain!"
He covered his face, spitting blood, his blurry gaze fixed on the tall, imposing figure. "Who… dares hit me?"
"It's him… Mr. Sterling!"
A Cheng servant and Lucas had arrived. The servant pointed at Max, fury in his eyes. "He was the one bullying Miss Sung!"
"Hit him…" A deep, chilling voice, seemingly from the depths of hell, growled, "Hit him till he's dead!"
"Yes, Mr. Sterling."
Lucas responded respectfully.
Seeing Lucas move his joints and advance relentlessly, Max's bravado collapsed. He covered his face, stepping backward, still trying to maintain some semblance of defiance.
"You dare hit me? Do you believe… ah!!"
Before he could finish, another punch struck his face, eliciting a scream.
Then, his chest was violently kicked.
Pff—
Blood spurted from his mouth. Max curled into a ball, rolling on the ground, screaming, crying, begging for mercy. "Ahhh! It hurts so much!"
"I know, I was wrong, don't hit me anymore, spare me!"
But Lucas ignored him, stomping down on his groin.
"Ah—"
A piercing scream cut through the night.
Sophia, standing nearby, paled in terror.
"They're working together!"
A Cheng servant pointed, eyes sharp and accusing.
Sophia trembled, dropping her phone onto the grass.
She stumbled backward, voice quivering. "No… it wasn't… me…"