Chapter 3

Looking at the two people embracing in front of me, I suddenly felt disgusted.

This marriage arrangement was originally Tristan's mother's dying wish—Aunt Ava's final request. Since Tristan clearly didn't take it seriously and was being so blatant in front of me, this engagement might as well be called off.

I turned to leave, but just as I reached the door, Clara's shrill voice stopped me.

"Stop right there! You ruined my birthday party and hurt me. Did you think you could just walk away?"

I turned back to look at her, my voice calm: "So what do you want?"

A flash of malice crossed Clara's eyes, her voice growing more shrill: "Kneel down, lick my shoes clean, then strip off your clothes and crawl out of here to apologize to me!"

The surrounding guests gasped, some whispering quietly: "That's too much..."

"Clara's always like this. Anyone who crosses her never ends well."

I let out a cold laugh: "Are you dreaming?"

Clara's face flushed red, and she suddenly lunged forward to grab my hair.

I sidestepped to avoid her and warned calmly: "I advise you not to lay hands on me again."

"You bitch!" Clara flew into a rage and rushed at me again.

I raised my arm to block, and she crashed into a wine bottle behind her. Glass shards cut her forearm, and blood immediately began to seep out.

Seeing the blood, Tristan erupted in fury: "How dare you touch my woman! I don't care who you are, but today you must give Clara an explanation!"

He signaled with his eyes, and four black-suited bodyguards immediately surrounded me.

My heart skipped a beat, but I still looked him straight in the eye: "What are you trying to do? I came here to see you. If something happens to me, you won't escape either."

But Tristan wouldn't listen to any explanation and directly ordered: "Hold her down and make her kneel before Clara to apologize—don't stop until her head is bleeding!"

Four bodyguards lunged at me simultaneously.

Damn it. I cursed inwardly and quickly shifted into combat mode.

The first bodyguard grabbed for my shoulder. I seized his wrist and used his forward momentum to perform an over-the-shoulder throw, slamming him to the ground.

The second attacked from the side. I drove my knee into his abdomen, making him double over in pain.

The third bodyguard tried to lock my neck from behind. I grabbed his arm and used joint manipulation to make him lose his balance.

The watching guests cried out in amazement: "My God, this girl can really fight!"

But the fourth bodyguard took advantage of my distraction with the others to attack from behind with a stun gun.

The intense electrical current made my whole body stiffen instantly, my muscles losing control as I collapsed to the ground.

Clara walked over triumphantly and stomped hard on my fingers with her high heels: "Weren't you pretty tough just now? Keep going!"

I gritted my teeth against the pain and looked up at Tristan: "Stop now, and I can pretend today never happened. Otherwise, I will never let you get away with this."

Tristan sneered: "You? Eclipse is a family that someone like you could never reach in a lifetime."

I spoke each word clearly: "Tristan, if your mother Ava knew how you were treating me today, she would regret arranging this engagement for you."

His expression darkened, and he said impatiently: "Don't bring my mother into this. Your father just saw Eclipse's power and used schemes to climb up the social ladder, didn't he?"

Clara crouched down to look at me, adding fuel to the fire: "So you climbed up by using dead people. Is this how your father taught you? No wonder—your whole family is nothing but trash, raising a slutty bitch like you."

Hearing her insult my family, I exploded, ramming my head hard into Clara's face.

"Ahh—" Clara's nose gushed blood as she screamed and fell backward.

The bodyguards immediately pinned me down again, but my eyes glared at her like daggers: "Try saying one more word about my family!"

Clara was completely enraged: "Tristan! Are you just going to watch her bully me like this?"

Tristan signaled the bodyguards again, his eyes full of coldness.

Clara covered her nose, blood seeping through her fingers: "She's all yours now. Give this slutty bitch the treatment she deserves."

Then she pulled out her phone and started a live stream, smiling maliciously: "Come on, let everyone see how this 'innocent' miss goes around being a slut!"

The bodyguards began tearing at my T-shirt. I struggled desperately, but the aftereffects of the stun gun were still there, and I couldn't break free.

My T-shirt was ripped off, leaving me in only a black tank top.

Viewers immediately flooded the screen, and comments began scrolling:

"Haha, nice body."

"This is what happens when you try to climb above your station!"

For the first time, I showed a panicked expression.

Not because I was afraid of being seen, but because I was afraid of bringing shame to my father. If this kind of video got out...

'Dad... I'm sorry...'

Tears trembled on my eyelashes, but I bit my lip hard, refusing to cry in front of these people.

Just as the last piece of clothing was about to be torn off, the private room door burst open.

A tall figure stormed in with ten black-suited bodyguards, the club's general manager following behind trembling: "Mr. Ronald, this is the place."

The moment I saw who it was, I could no longer control myself, and tears burst from my eyes.

"Dad!"