At her own engagement party, she was betrayed by her best friend, making her a laughingstock in front of everyone. With no other choice, and being a person with pride, she couldn't just walk away humiliated. So, she impulsively grabbed someone to salvage the situation. Unexpectedly, the man she happened to pull was none other than the cold and fearsome CEO of RS, someone everyone dreads to cross paths with. But she wasn't the innocent, defenseless white lotus people saw on the surface. Just wait and see-who would prove to be stronger!
Chapter 1 Lyra, you have truly disappointed your father.
On the giant LED screen, a man and a woman were entwined in passionate intimacy, with not a thread of clothing between them.
Through the high-definition surround sound, ecstatic moans echoed as if they were reaching cloud nine.
In a standard woman-on-top position, the bare back of the woman showcased her flawless, soft, ivory skin.
The man's hand rested on the woman's soft chest, making her let out a sound. He then flipped her over, pinning her beneath him. Their faces appeared in full view in front of the crowd.
Lyra Thorne stood in shock, staring at the screen, feeling as though a sharp knife had pierced through her heart, leaving her numb with pain.
The naked couple on the screen was none other than her fiancé, Lucian, and her closest friend, Ivy Sutton.
Both were standing right beside her.
At this very moment, it was supposed to be Lyra and Lucian Donovan's engagement party.
Moments ago, the screen had been showing a slideshow of her and Lucian's childhood photos, narrated by the emcee's sentimental commentary. Only a dozen photos had played, starting from when Lyra was three and Lucian seven, and before it even reached her at ten, the slideshow abruptly turned into an explicit video.
"Aah!" A piercing scream sounded, and Ivy, who had been standing beside Lyra, threw herself into Lucian's arms a few steps away.
If anyone hadn't seen the video clearly before, it became evident now, as Lyra stood alone while Lucian held another woman close.
The guests erupted in whispers.
"What's going on? Isn't that woman Lyra's best friend?"
"Yes, has Miss Thorne been cheated on?"
"Oh, that woman's figure isn't bad at all! Quite impressive."
"What is the meaning of this?!" Nicolas Radcliffe roared in fury, rushing to stand in front of the large LED screen, but his height of barely over 1.7 meters was nothing against the colossal three-meter screen, rendering his attempt almost laughable.
Aaron Donovan's face had turned beet red, and he reacted faster than Nicolas, running to the broadcast room behind the screen to shut it down.
Ivy lowered her head, sobbing, and looked sorrowfully at Lyra, "Lyra, didn't you promise not to pursue this anymore? I promised you, after your engagement, I would leave Lucian and this city, so why? Why would you make this public? Do you really want to force me to my death?"
Lucian, who had been a bit bewildered by Ivy's sudden embrace, looked at her in shock after hearing these words, supporting her as he asked, "Ivy, what are you saying? Lyra forced you to leave? Forced you to die?"
Lyra's ears were ringing with a metallic hum, drowning out everything around her. She looked dazedly at Lucian. They had been promised to each other since before they were born; she had known all her life that Lucian was the man she was destined to marry.
How long had he and Ivy been together?
When had she ever agreed not to pursue Ivy?
What on earth was happening here? What were they saying?
"Lyra, how could you be so cruel as to trap even your fiancé and best friend!" Lucian's sister, Rose, shoved Lyra's shoulder.
Lyra staggered backward, unprepared, landing beside Nicolas.
Nicolas's face was livid. He raised his hand and slapped her, "You disgrace! Look at what you've done! You've humiliated both of our families!"
Lyra, still unsteady, fell to the ground from the force of the slap.
Lucian, alarmed, moved to help her, but Ivy clung tightly to his arm.
From her position on the ground, Lyra caught a glimpse of Ivy's triumphant expression.
"Oh, Mr. Radcliffe, how could you strike her like that? Lyra, get up." A pair of hands helped Lyra to her feet.
Aaron sighed, "Lyra, don't blame your father for being angry. What you did was truly out of line."
Mrs. Demi Donovan, meanwhile, pointed at Ivy, "Where did you come from, you hussy? Surely you seduced Lucian. Get out of my sight! I won't allow you into my family."
Ivy shrank behind Lucian in fear.
Lucian stood protectively in front of Ivy. "Mother, don't blame Ivy. Lyra, Ivy is your best friend; you can't force her to such desperate measures!"
Supported by Aaron, Lyra finally steadied herself, a single tear slipping down her cheek. She lifted her gaze to look at Lucian, the man she had loved since childhood, only to find him suddenly unfamiliar.
That's right! Ivy was her best friend. He knew Ivy was her best friend, yet they had both betrayed her and were now blaming her for it?
"Lyra, who knew you were such a double-dealer? Brother, how could you even consider marrying someone like her? Who knows if she wouldn't try to ruin you once married!" Rose sneered, glancing at Lyra as she spoke to Lucian.
Rose Donovan and Lyra had been classmates in high school. Rose had never liked Lyra and had always teamed up with Christina to bully her. The idea that Lyra might become her sister-in-law was something she deeply resented.
"Shut up!" Demi Donovan snapped at her daughter. "Lyra is a proper young lady from the Thorne family. Who does that hussy think she is? Does she have Lyra's pedigree? The Donovans will never accept a daughter-in-law with no status!"
Mrs. Demi Donovan may not have been fond of Lyra, but she valued her background and family wealth. Marrying Lyra would benefit her son's future immensely, and among all the elite families, none was a better match than Lyra. Additionally, despite Lyra's high status, she was gentle and easy to manipulate.
Thus, Mrs. Donovan immediately staked her claim. Lyra was not someone the Donovans could afford to lose as a daughter-in-law.
A moment ago, Lyra had been grateful that her future mother-in-law was standing up for her, only to realize she had ulterior motives.
"That's right! Sister, you're the eldest daughter of the Thorne family. Don't you care about the reputation of the Thornes, the Radcliffes, and the Donovans?" Christina feigned an expression of pain.
"Lyra, you have truly disappointed your father. You've hurt him terribly." Mrs. Isabelle Radcliffe's soft voice carried a tone of sorrow.
The mother and daughter's words made Nicolas and Aaron's expressions even darker. This daughter was utterly clueless! Family matters should never be aired publicly!
Lyra glanced around at those nearby. Her father, Nicolas, wore a look of fury.
Her stepmother, Isabelle Radcliffe, and her sister, Christina, seemed delighted at her misfortune.
Her future father-in-law, Aaron, was sighing in resignation.
Her future mother-in-law, Mrs. Demi Donovan, looked embarrassed. Her future sister-in-law, Rose, was glaring at her with resentment. And her fiancé, Lucian, was at a complete loss, holding that delicate, pitiful woman in his arms-her best friend, Ivy.
The people here were supposed to be her whole world.
Other books by Uitwaaien1810
More