Chapter 1 Chapter 1

The term “sister in all but blood” implied less-than-innocent connotations. If Lucas Goodwin failed to give me a proper explanation on that day, I would cancel the engagement banquet. To my surprise, Lucas responded coldly, “Who are you? Since when does a stranger like you get to question my relationship with Vivian?” I was about to tell him that I was his fiancee, but he hung up abruptly. I became angry. How dare he not save my contact information? Meanwhile, Vivian Morrow, who was standing beside me, grinned triumphantly. “You wench! Did you really think having Lucas’s number makes you special? Keep dreaming!” She looked at me with open contempt. “Even the janitors at Goodwin’s Group dress better than you.” I had always preferred simple, comfortable clothes and never cared about brand names. I never thought that would give people a reason to look down on me. “What era are you even living in? To think you’d still be judging people by their looks. Lucas must be out of his mind to call you his ‘sister in all but blood.’” My mood for shopping was ruined, thanks to her antics. I grabbed the gown and headed straight to the checkout counter. The saleswoman hesitated before saying, “Miss, I’m sorry, but we prioritize our members first.” Vivian smirked and slammed her shiny gold membership card onto the counter. “Only people who’ve spent over a million get this card. What’s a broke loser like you even doing here?” I was not usually one to pick fights, but on that day, Vivian had really crossed a line. I pulled out a black card and handed it to the saleswoman. I suppressed my anger and said, “Sign me up for a membership. Then bag the gown.” Vivian glared at the saleswoman and threatened, “The Goodwins own Flodon. If you sell her that gown today, I’ll have Luc buy this store out tomorrow.” The saleswoman shrank back timidly and said, “Miss, I’m just an employee. I can’t risk offending Goodwin’s Group.” Several onlookers turned to me and offered me advice in whispers. “That’s Ms. Morrow. I’ve seen her around. Lucas Goodwin spoils her rotten. You should just let it go.”“The last time someone crossed her, Goodwin’s Group drove them into bankruptcy.”“You may have some money, but it’s pocket change compared to Goodwin’s Group. Just apologize to Ms. Morrow now and beg her to spare you.” Flattered by their words, Vivian’s ego swelled like a balloon. “You wench, get on your knees and say ‘I’m a worthless poser, and I’m sorry.’ Maybe then I’ll consider letting you off the hook.”

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

At twenty-six years of my life, I had never encountered anyone audacious enough to act so arrogantly in front of me. “Pardon? What did you just ask me to say?”“What, are you deaf?! Say ‘I’m a worthless poser, I’m sorry!’ Do I need to spell it out for you? “ I smirked. “I heard you. Since you’re aware that you’re a worthless poser, get out of my sight. Don’t waste my time!” When Vivian finally realized she was being mocked, she flailed her arms and charged at me. It was laughable to see her trying to attack me. I had a black belt in Taekwondo. Did she really think her flimsy punches would scare me? I sent Vivian crashing to the floor with a single kick. She howled in pain. The onlookers stared at me in horror. “Oh my gosh! Did she just do that to Ms. Morrow?”“Mr. Goodwin is going to tear her to pieces once he hears about this.”“Yeah, good luck to her. Not even God can save her.” I felt nothing when I heard their whispers. The Goodwin family had only achieved their current status through my mother’s support. No one in this city could intimidate me. I slammed my card on the counter again and said to the cashier, “Ring me up!” The cashier, visibly shaken, fumbled as she processed my payment and wrapped up the gown. I turned to leave with the bag in hand. Vivian scrambled to stand up and blocked my path again. “You’re not going anywhere!” I raised my fist and waved it in front of her face. “What’s the matter? Do you want to taste my fist again?” Vivian flinched instinctively. I scoffed and strode past her. Just then, a black car pulled up in front of the store. A man stepped out. I felt my heart skip a beat. The man stood about 6”2’ feet tall. He had broad shoulders, long legs, and most importantly, a flawlessly sculpted face with sharp features that looked good from any angle. Vivian immediately rushed over tearfully to tattle, “Luc, she stole my gown from me and even hit me!” So, this was my fiance! I had always been a sucker for good looks, and Lucas’s appearance was exactly my type. Based on his looks alone, I felt I could forgive his previous rudeness. I gave him my best smile. “Hi, I’m Lily Windsong, your fiancee.” It was no wonder my mother said I would be satisfied with the man she had picked this time. She really knew me inside out! The onlookers immediately erupted in gasps. “What? She’s Mr. Goodwin’s fiancee?!”“Between a fiancee and a sister in all but blood, obviously the fiancee comes first. No wonder she’s acting so bold!”“Not necessarily! It still depends on who Mr. Goodwin favors more!” Lucas looked at me coldly. “Don’t get ahead of yourself. My father arranged this engagement without my consent. I never agreed to it.” Vivian, who stood beside him, wrapped her arm around his and leaned intimately against his shoulder. She shot me a provocative glance. “Look at yourself! There is no way Luc would ever marry an ugly creature like you!” Someone chimed in, “Exactly! If Mr. Goodwin were to marry, it would be to some rich girl from a proper family with equal status. Not some country bumpkin like you!”“With her looks, Goodwin’s Group wouldn’t even hire her to mop floors!” I had never considered myself a stunning beauty, but I was certainly not ugly. How could they describe me in such derogatory terms? This proved how people instinctively curry favor with the powerful and took advantage of those in misfortune. “Lucas Goodwin, go home and tell your father that I’m calling off this engagement. You don’t deserve me.”

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

According to my mother, his father had pulled countless strings to arrange this marriage alliance with our family. If he learned that his own son had ruined it, he’d skin Lucas alive. The thought lifted my mood a little. I could not be bothered to waste more time on these idiots, so I turned to leave. But Vivian, knowing that Lucas would back her up, refused to let it go. She blocked my path again. “Don’t even try to run, you wench! We’re not done here. You stole my gown and hit me!” I looked at her disdainfully. “What exactly do you want?” Mistaking my calm for fear, she raised her hand to slap me. “I’ll slap you until I feel satisfied!” I caught her wrist mid-swing and slapped her across the face without hesitation. She stared at me in shock, then yelled, “You wench! How dare you—” I gave her another slap and asked coldly, “Had enough?” Those two slaps wiped the arrogant look off Vivian’s face. She burst into tears and cowered behind Lucas. “Luc, do something!” Lucas shielded her protectively and snarled, “Touch my girl again, and I’ll end you!” He signaled his bodyguards to grab me. I managed to take down the first bodyguard with a quick strike, but the second one pinned me down. After a barrage of blows, I collapsed to the floor. My body was in tremendous pain. The two bodyguards hauled me up and forced me to my knees before Vivian and Lucas. Lucas backed Vivian up and said, “Vivi, do whatever you want to her. I’ve got your back.” With Lucas’s reassurance, Vivian immediately gained confidence. She slapped me twice, then spat in my face. “You wench! Where’s all that attitude now, huh? Come on, show me how tough you are!” Then, she kicked me hard in the stomach. Clutching my aching abdomen, I raised my gaze to glare at her and Lucas. “You’ll regret this. I swear you’ll pay for this! Vivian laughed arrogantly. “The Goodwin family is one of the top three powerful families running this city. What can a broke loser like you even do against me? “Today, I’ll teach you what happens when you mess with me!” She pulled out a nail clipper from her bag and slashed it across my face. Searing pain shot through my cheek as the skin swelled, and I felt blood seeping out. Someone sighed in pity. “I told her not to cross the Goodwin family. Guess she had to learn the hard way.”“What a shame. Her pretty face is ruined now.”“Folks like us can’t afford trouble. We’d better swallow our pride when we’re out here.” Vivian raised the nail clipper again, aiming for another slash at my face. Terror at the thought of disfigurement overwhelmed me, and I quickly begged for mercy. “Fine, I’m sorry! Take the dress! I shouldn’t have fought you for it!” Revenge could wait. At that moment, saving my face was the priority. However, Vivian still slashed the blade across my face again. “Oh, now you’re sorry? Well, it’s too late now, wench! “I won’t let you go until I’ve vented every ounce of my rage!” I screamed in pain and turned to Lucas for help. “Lucas, you know my background. Aren’t you afraid of the consequences? If you keep letting her humiliate me like this, you’ll regret it!” Lucas sneered. “What status could you possibly have? Your mother bewitched my father into forcing this engagement on me!” A vicious gleam flashed in Vivian’s gaze. “Your mother is a witch, and I bet you are one too. Strip off and let me see clearly!”“No!” Just then, my phone rang from inside my bag. I struggled desperately to reach it, but Vivian snatched it first. She swiped to answer, and my mother’s voice came through immediately. “Lillibet, how’s the gown shopping going?” I hurriedly shouted for help. “Mom, save me! Someone’s hurting me! She’s trying to strip me off!” My mother panicked. “What? Who’s doing this to you?” Vivian cut in arrogantly. “Me! Your little witch daughter has been begging for attention, so I’m putting her in her place!” My mother snapped, “I don’t care who you are! Let my daughter go now, or you’ll pay for this when I get there!”“Try me! I’ll be right here to catch you, you witch!” With that, Vivian hung up my phone and hurled it to the floor. It shattered into pieces. She slapped me across the face again and sneered, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, huh? When your mother shows up, I’ll strip her down too!” Time crawled by. It felt like half a century, but in reality, it had only been five minutes. Finally, a familiar, stretched limousine appeared. My mother stepped out of the car and demanded, “Let me see who dares threaten to strip me down!”