Chapter 1
The winter night in Brestin City cut straight to the bone.
Aileen Murdock stood in the shadows at the edge of the hall, her gaze slipping through the clinking glasses and mingling crowd before settling on Kevin Boswell.
He had his head lowered, his lips nearly brushing Ena Connelly's ear as he whispered something to her.
Kevin and Ena had just registered their marriage.
Two hours ago, Ena had personally sent a photo of their wedding certificate to Aileen's phone.
"Ena, you and Mr. Boswell already got your license. So, when's the wedding?"
"I heard he's been scouting venues lately. It's definitely going to be grand."
The socialites nearby covered their mouths, laughing just loud enough for her to hear.
Everyone knew Aileen had been with Kevin for seven years.
They also knew the one he had truly cared about all those seven years was Ena, the real heiress who had just returned and was now doted on by the Murdock family.
Following Kevin's gaze, Ena spotted Aileen standing outside the crowd.
A flicker of malice flashed in her eyes.
She pushed Kevin aside and walked straight toward Aileen, slipping her arm around hers. "Aileen, why are you standing here all alone?" she said sweetly, her smile overly warm.
Aileen clenched her palm so hard her nails nearly cut into her skin.
In her mind, she kept repeating, 'Just one more month.'
Kevin had promised that he would marry her in one month's time.
They had been together for seven years. She believed the man, who had never broken his word to her, would keep this one.
At the point, Ena leaned close to her ear and spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear.
*****
"Aileen, do you know how Kevin describes you to others when you're not around?" Ena whispered.
Aileen froze.
Ena's smile turned even more wicked. "Kevin says you're just a cheap slut. One doesn't even need to spend money on you. Just throw a few sweet words your way and you'll let anyone have their way with you."
Aileen's pupils shrank, her blood turning to ice in that moment.
"Did he promise you he'd marry you in a month?" Ena asked, her voice sharp as a poisoned blade. "Our wedding's in a month. Kevin said he'll make you look pathetic that day.
"He wants everyone in Brestin City to see that the Murdock family's adopted daughter is nothing but a worthless tramp anyone can sleep with.
"Oh, and that wedding certificate I sent you last night? Kevin made me send it to you.
"He said he was having sex with you at that moment. He wanted to see if, after you saw he married me, you'd still let him..."
The rest of the sentence was downright vulgar.
Ena didn't say it, but one could read the words on her lips.
Smack!
The sound of a slap echoed loud and clear.
Everyone froze.
Aileen, in front of the whole crowd, used all her strength to slap Ena so hard she knocked her to the floor.
Ena grabbed her face and screamed in pain.
For the first time in public, Kevin lost control.
He rushed over and pulled Ena into his arms.
Then he turned to Aileen, raising his hand to slap her.
His eyes were cold as ice.
Aileen didn't flinch.
She simply stared straight at Kevin, her gaze unwavering.
She even stepped forward, daring him to strike her, her pale face held up defiantly beneath his raised hand.
Kevin's hand halted in mid-air.
His knuckles were white with tension.
Finally, he clenched his fist and lowered it to his side.
"Are you out of your mind?" Kevin snarled, grabbing Aileen by the collar, his voice a furious hiss. "Is this the kind of place you should be?
"Go apologize to Ena right now. Tell everyone you acted out because you were jealous of her. Then get your ass back to the apartment."
Aileen listened to his words, then suddenly burst out laughing.
She laughed so hard her eyes were brimming with tears.
Her strikingly beautiful face was now marked by a shattered, seductive charm.
"Jealous?" Aileen shot back.
She pressed her voice between them, speaking so fast it was like every word was carved out of her pain. "What am I supposed to be jealous of? That you've been sleeping with me for seven years, all while fawning over her?
"That we're both daughters of the Murdock family, but you put her up on a pedestal like some untouchable flower, while you drag my reputation through the dirt for everyone to stomp on?
"Or am I supposed to be jealous that you promised to marry me in a month, then turned around and got your marriage license with her on the exact same day?"
Her last words came out louder, sharp and raw.
Her voice was nearly hysterical.
Kevin, whose hand had dropped, suddenly lashed out.
Smack!
The slap crashed against Aileen's cheek.
She was sent sprawling to the floor by the sheer force.
Her words stopped dead, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth.
The entire hall fell into a deathly silence.
Kevin's palm was still tingling from the slap.
He stared at Aileen, crumpled on the floor with one side of her face swelling fast. For some reason, his chest tightened unexpectedly.
He only wanted her to shut up.
He couldn't let her mess up everything he'd set up tonight.