It was almost 7 p.m.
Aria Vale, now fully dressed, was being hurriedly pulled downstairs by Celeste Monroe to attend her engagement party with Damian Cross at the Solaris Grand Hotel.
But halfway down, Aria suddenly dug in her heels and refused to budge. She pouted, pointed at Liana Vale, and whined,
"'Sis, you can't dress prettier than me! What if Damian sees you and changes his mind? I'm the one marrying into the Crosses! I'm the one who gets the good life!"
Liana's smile stiffened. As ridiculous as Aria sounded, she had a point.
She, Liana, was known as the top beauty in Meridian City. Whenever she showed up at an event, all eyes were on her.
If she showed up too glamorous at this party, the Cross patriarch might take one look at clueless Aria and decide she wasn't good enough.
What if they tried to force her, the prettier and "better" daughter, to marry Damian instead?
No way. She'd heard the rumors—violent, ruthless, and even… impotent. She wasn't about to throw her life away on a man like that.
Liana paused, then quickly headed back upstairs. She wiped off her makeup and slipped into a plain, dull grey dress that looked more like a maid's uniform than evening wear.
One last glance in the mirror confirmed she looked utterly forgettable. Satisfied, she happily tugged Aria toward the car.
Maybe the idiot has some taste after all, she thought. Fine, I'll let her have her moment in the sun before her world falls apart.
Little did she know—she'd just walked right into the trap Aria had laid.
In her past life, it was at this very engagement party that Liana had publicly humiliated her, posting edited clips online that destroyed Aria's already fragile reputation and even dragged her late mother Evelyn Hert's name through the mud.
This time, Aria was going to return every bit of that shame.
In the car, Celeste was still lecturing her.
"Aria, remember to behave when you see Mr. Cross and Damian. Don't act strange and scare people off!"
"Got it! Aria's smart—I know what to do!"
Aria nodded along, playing the fool.
But the truth was, no one wanted to be at that party more than she did.
She was going to stand beside Damian Cross and face whatever came next—with him.
He might not love her yet… but as long as that girl named "Mira" hadn't appeared, she still had a chance.
Over at the Solaris Grand Hotel, the atmosphere was already electric.
Even though Damian had been living off-grid for years and wasn't exactly the Cross family's golden boy, the moment word got out that Elder Lucian Cross himself would attend, every important name in Meridian City had shown up.
Not to offer congratulations—they were there for the drama.
"Hey, did you hear? This wedding was supposed to be for Liana Vale—she's the one who refused!"
"No surprise there. A dumb girl for an ugly guy—sounds like a perfect match."
As the crowd buzzed with gossip, the main door slowly swung open.
Everyone turned—and the room fell silent.
You could've heard a pin drop. It was as if any sound might break the spell and scare away the vision that had just entered.
There stood Aria Vale, wearing a sleek silver gown that hugged her curves perfectly. Her usually loose hair was styled in soft, effortless waves, highlighting her smooth shoulders, elegant neck, and those delicate, striking features.
Under the warm glow of the lights, she looked almost ethereal—like she'd stepped straight out of a dream.
Even with only light makeup, Aria's natural beauty was enough to make every other young woman in the room fade into the background.
Someone in the crowd muttered in disbelief,
"Wait… is that really the 'crazy' Aria Vale from Meridian City?"
A collective gasp seemed to ripple through the hall.
Crazy Aria Vale!?
The most notorious girl in the city—the one who used to slather her face in ghost-white powder and dress like a circus clown, convinced she was a goddess?
But no one had ever mentioned that underneath all that, she could look like this.
"You call that pretty? Just wait till you see her little sister, Liana—she's the real number-one beauty of Meridian City. Aria doesn't even come close."
Some weren't convinced and spoke up in defense of Liana's reputation.
But then Liana walked in—dressed like a maid in a drab, shapeless gray dress—and everyone who had praised her suddenly looked like they'd been slapped.
Especially those who had called her a "once-in-a-generation beauty." Yeah, their faces were burning.
Because let's be honest—that plain, frumpy look with zero makeup? That wasn't "top beauty" material.
"This is Liana? Meridian City's crown jewel? More like the court jester."
"Compared to Aria? It's like night and day. Aria's a star shining bright—Liana's just the mud on the ground."
The shift in the room was brutal. The mockery and criticism came without mercy.
But Aria didn't even flinch.
She was too busy scanning the crowd, looking for Damian Cross.
She was scared. After what happened the night before, what if he didn't show?
What if, in this life, he had already decided she wasn't the one?
Meanwhile, standing in the centre of that brewing storm, Liana was seething. Her hands were clenched so tight her knuckles turned white, nails digging deep into her palms.
Damn it.
She'd been played—by Aria, of all people!
She was going to make her pay. Big time.
Then, a wicked idea flashed in Liana's eyes. A smirk tugged at her lips.
Aria, you were made for disaster. And I've got just the thing for you.
She snatched a glass of brandy from a passing tray, her face dark with anger, and began striding toward Aria—who was glowing like a queen surrounded by admirers.
Liana wasn't thinking straight anymore. She just wanted to ruin that flawless white gown—one splash, and the thin fabric would turn transparent, clinging to her like a second skin. And once that happened? She'd snap a few pictures, leak them to the gossip sites, and watch Aria's brand-new image crash and burn.
The thought alone made her almost grin.
She moved closer, step by step.
Just a foot away now.
Liana raised the glass.
But Aria had already caught the movement from the corner of her eye. Her gaze turned icy.
You dare come for me? You'll regret it.
Between her fingers, a cold glint of silver—a tiny needle, ready to fly.
Then, right at the most critical moment, a strong arm swept out of nowhere, pulling Aria firmly back by the waist.
The silver dress fluttered like a wave mid-air, the fabric swirling dazzlingly under the lights.
At that exact moment, the needle in Aria's hand shot forward.
Then—
A loud crash split the air.
The wine glass shattered on the floor—sharp and clear!
A woman's piercing shriek cut through the noise.
Aria whipped her head around.
And saw…