Chapter 3

Daniel's eyes locked onto Elizabeth, his frustration over her disappearance simmering just beneath the surface. Elizabeth pressed her lips together before forcing herself to meet his gaze. "Mr. Woolridge, I didn't realize you could get so worked up over a meaningless hookup." The sudden sharpness in her tone, so unlike the obedient, quiet Elizabeth he was used to, caught him off guard. Something defiant flashed in his eyes. In one swift motion, he yanked her closer, wrapping his arms around her waist in a possessive grip. "A hookup? One time in two years, and you're calling that a hookup?" he scoffed. Elizabeth had no idea what had gotten into him. Before she could react, he grabbed her chin and leaned in like he was about to kiss her. Just then, a voice interrupted them. "Daniel, so this is where you ran off to. Cheryl's looking for you." Daniel frowned and loosened his hold on her. Turning to the man, he said, "Got it. I'm on my way." Elizabeth tilted her head, feigning surprise. "You know my sister?" "Know her? Their relationship is a lot more interesting than you think," the guy said with a smirk. "Brace yourself, Elizabeth. You're in for a shock." As the two of them walked away, a flicker of sarcasm passed through Elizabeth's eyes. They operated under the smug assumption of her ignorance, confident that their orchestrated display of degradation would reduce her to pieces for their evening's entertainment. What they didn't know was that she'd already pulled herself together, and she was more than ready to cut Daniel out of her life for good. As the banquet reached its peak, the lights suddenly went out. Moments later, a spotlight flared to life, illuminating the stage. Daniel appeared in a sleek black suit, escorting Cheryl, who was dressed in a stunning white gown, to the center of the room. Samson beamed as he raised a hand to quiet the crowd. Then he spoke loudly and clearly, "Thank you all for coming tonight. "We're here not only to welcome Cheryl back from her studies abroad, but also to share some exciting news. "The Fisher and Woolridge families have been close for generations. Years ago, we arranged an engagement between Cheryl and Daniel. "Now that they've fallen in love, we'll be holding their engagement party at the end of the month. We hope you'll all join us to witness their happiness!" As soon as Samson finished, Daniel's friends turned to Elizabeth, clearly waiting for her to break down. But Elizabeth stood quietly and calmly in the crowd as if what was happening on stage had absolutely nothing to do with her. Daniel frowned. This was the moment Elizabeth was supposed to lose control, to crumble. But instead, she was unnaturally composed. A strange irritation bubbled up inside him. Cheryl, noticing the shift in his energy, leaned in and asked, "Dan, what's wrong?" Daniel quickly looked away from Elizabeth and replied smoothly, "Nothing. Just spaced out for a second." But he knew better. Elizabeth had loved him. There was no way she felt nothing. She was just putting on a brave face. … Elizabeth splashed cold water on her face in the bathroom, scrubbing hard. Thinking back to how desperately she'd clung to Daniel, she felt nothing but disgust for herself. No wonder he'd only touched her that one time in two whole years. It wasn't because he cherished her. It was because she simply wasn't worth touching. And the night she had treasured—her first time—meant nothing to him. It was simply the perfect weapon to ruin her life completely. When Elizabeth returned to the banquet hall, Samson called her over. "Elizabeth, come say hello to your future brother-in-law." She walked up to Daniel with a perfectly measured smile. "Hello, Daniel, my brother-in-law." The word hit him hard, and his expression darkened instantly. Cheryl, completely oblivious, beamed. "Lizzy, I just heard Dan's a board member at your school. What a small world! If you ever run into trouble, just ask him for help. We're family now, after all." Elizabeth clenched her jaw. "I won't be bothering Daniel." She didn't even look at him, but she could feel his stare—icy and sharp, like a blade pressed to her skin. After a few more polite exchanges, Elizabeth was about to excuse herself, but Cheryl looped an arm through hers with exaggerated warmth. "It's been so long since we talked, Lizzy. I've got so much to catch up on with you." Before Elizabeth could respond, Cheryl dragged her into the lounge. The moment the door shut behind them, Cheryl dropped the sweet act. Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, cutting look. "Elizabeth, I heard you slept with Daniel, and now the video's everywhere. Did you really think cheap, disgusting tricks like that would make him fall for you? "Let me spell it out for you—he doesn't like you. In fact, he can't stand you. You know those rumors about your mom being a homewrecker? I told him to spread them. "And about him chasing you? That was my idea. I wanted to watch you fall for him, bit by bit—just so he could be the one to destroy you."