In the Metropolitan Elite Circles, everyone knew Janet Smith was the last person you'd cross.

Not just because I was the apple of the wealthiest man's eye.

But also because my fiancé was Ethan Brown—the nation's top cardiac surgeon who wrestles with death on the operating table.

He showed no mercy to others, yet obeyed my every whim.

Until that day when my father was struck by an out-of-control car, barely hanging on when rushed to the hospital.

Kneeling outside the ER, I begged him to operate on Father first.

But he chose to treat the drunk driver who'd caused the crash—a man with mere scratches.

Father missed his critical window for treatment, waiting in vain.

After Father's death, Ethan secretly harvested his heart and transplanted it into that driver.

I later learned the driver was the brother of Cynthia Ramirez—Ethan's first love.

I stormed into his office, demanding answers.

Leaning back in his chair, he deliberately removed his glasses.

"Janet, don't be difficult. You've still got me and your status as the heiress of the Smith family."

"But Cynthia... she can't lose her only brother."

My gaze swept past Ethan, landing on Cynthia beside him.

She nestled affectionately against Ethan, yet her eyes held a faint, barely concealed triumph when they met mine.

Ethan didn't wait for my response.

Instead, he pulled two documents from the drawer and tossed them carelessly before me.

I read the words, my heart lurching violently.

One was a settlement agreement; the other, a heart transplant consent form.

"Janet, sign this. Let's treat it all as an accident. Besides, your father willingly donated his heart to Cynthia's brother."

"When human traffickers took me years ago, Cynthia saved me. I owe her my life."

"Now her only brother's in trouble. I can't turn my back."

"You're my fiancée. My savior is yours too. We repay her together."

He spoke casually, as if stating the obvious.

I stared at him, disbelief choking me.

Just two nights prior, he'd knelt on one knee, holding a diamond ring, promising to make me the happiest bride alive.

He'd clasped my father's hand, vowing to care for him as his own son.

And now?

Not only had he shielded the culprit, but he'd also handed my father's heart to that murderer.

Without hesitation, I tore the agreements to shreds and hurled them at his face.

"In your dreams!

I'll never sign!"

"There were so many witnesses at the crash scene who saw the driver going the wrong way. How could my father's death possibly be an accident?"

"And are you absolutely certain Cynthia was the one who saved you back then?"

As I finished speaking, Cynthia suddenly dropped to her knees, kowtowing frantically until blood stained her forehead.

"Miss Janet, I beg you to spare my brother!

He's my only family left!"

"If nothing else works, let me pay for your father's life with mine!

You can carve out my heart and take it back!

Someone like me from a poor family—our lives are worthless anyway!"

Ethan immediately rushed to lift her up, tenderly wiping the blood from her brow before turning to glare coldly at me. "Janet, you've gone too far. Cynthia is innocent."

"She was just pleading for her brother's life, and you drove her to kneel before you!"

He sneered, his voice laced with threat. "Whether you sign or not makes no difference."

"I've got connections to fix this crash through back channels."

"In the end, your father's death will be ruled a simple traffic accident."

Clenching my jaw so hard it ached, I slapped Ethan across the face with all my strength.

"Ethan, in your dreams!

I will make sure my father gets justice!"

Over the next few days, I begged every friend my father had before his death.

Yet not a single one was willing to help.

"Janet, it's not that I won't help, but this is something I dare not get involved in!"

"I'm heartbroken about your father too, but my small company just stabilized. I truly can't do anything. Please don't blame your uncle..."

"You know how Ethan is. How could any of us dare to oppose him?

Just consider it my failure toward your father."

Their words dripped with fear of Ethan.

Refusing to accept defeat, I decided to hire a lawyer myself.

But after contacting every firm in the legal circle, not one attorney would take my case.

Just as I reached my wit's end, I suddenly remembered an older student my father sponsored during my college years.

Clutching at this last shred of hope, I found her and begged her to take on the case.

She readily agreed at first, promising to help me seek justice.

But then she tricked me into signing a fraudulent agreement.

Freezing every asset my father left me.

The mastermind behind it all was Ethan again.

These relentless blows shattered my sanity completely.

I charged at her like a madwoman, shouting with bloodshot eyes, "Why?

My father helped you all back then! Why are you doing this to me?

!"

Security guards roughly pinned me to the ground.

Once the envied heiress of the Metropolitan Elite Circles, I now looked as wretched as a beggar.

"Let me go!

Do you know who I am?

!"

I screamed desperately, but everyone present watched with cold indifference.

At this moment, I felt utterly helpless like never before.

"Alright, that's enough. Release her."

A familiar voice sounded behind me.

I looked up to see Cynthia nestled in Ethan's arms, standing before me.

Ethan lightly held her shoulder with one hand, yet his gaze toward me was icy.

"Janet, do you admit your mistake?"

"Will you sign the settlement obediently, or keep being gawked at like a beggar? Choose."

I wiped blood from my lip, staggering to my feet. "I told you—I won't give up."

As the words fell, fury flooded Ethan's eyes.

Cynthia immediately soothed him gently, "Ethan, don't be angry. I'll beg Miss Janet for forgiveness."

"Whether kowtowing or kneeling, I'll do anything to appease her."

"Unnecessary."

Ethan snorted coldly. "You did nothing wrong."

"If she's this petty-minded, refusing to forgive such a small matter, I'll make sure she remembers this lesson!"

I never imagined Ethan would twist the truth for Cynthia's sake.

He distorted facts before the cameras.

Portraying my father as a wicked capitalist.

Accusing him of exploiting workers and harassing female employees.

He even fabricated surveillance footage, claiming Father ran a red light while drunk, causing his own accident with no other parties involved.

Father's businesses suffered collateral damage, stock prices plummeting.

Netizens were thoroughly incited, flooding the internet with curses against Father.

More terrifyingly, those unhinged individuals gathered outside our home, shouting obscenities and splashing paint.

They even secretly photographed Father's memorial portrait and posted it online, screaming they'd make him "die without a whole body."

I felt chilled to the bone, plunged into an icy abyss.

"Realize your mistake now?"

Ethan appeared at the doorway unnoticed.

That voice I once found mesmerizing now froze my blood.

I stared at him, eyes clouded with unending sorrow. "What more do you want now?"

The man spoke carelessly, "Simple. I'll hold a press conference tomorrow afternoon."

"You'll publicly declare the crash was purely accidental, drop all charges against Cynthia and her brother, and issue a formal apology."

I closed my eyes, tears silently falling.

He gently stroked my hair, whispering in my ear, "You can keep fighting me."

"But I'll have you know, my phone holds over three hundred nude photos of you."

My blood froze instantly.

On the screen flashed intimate photos of us—all taken secretly while I was unconscious!

Trembling uncontrollably, I screamed at him, "Ethan, you bastard!"

"Can't handle the truth, Miss Janet?"

He scoffed, leaning close with icy persuasion, "Now tell me, sweetheart—will you behave and attend the press conference, or should I upload these online?"

"Stop it!

Just stop!"

Covering my ears helplessly, I shrieked, "I'll go!

Fine, I'll go!"

He softly wiped my tears away, pulling my crumbling form against his chest. "There, there," he murmured gently. "That's my girl."

"Don't worry," he added, smoothing my hair. "Once you clear things up, I'll delete every last photo."

Press conference venue.

I numbly followed Ethan's instructions, clarifying that the car accident was purely accidental.

I even bowed apologetically to Cynthia and her brother.

But the audience's stares were viciously hostile.

Reporters fired sharper questions.

"Miss Janet, were you completely unaware of your father's long-term sexual harassment of female employees, even driving families to ruin?

Or did you deliberately cover it up?"

"Rumors say he spoiled you most—are all your luxury items bought with money he squeezed from workers?"

Camera flashes blinded me with relentless stabbing light.

Each question felt like a knife ripping through my chest.

Right then, Cynthia's brother sneered, "Not just that!

Her dad didn't just exploit and harass employees—he specifically targeted girls he sponsored!"

"And this witch is worse! She lured her own classmates for her father to assault!"

The room exploded into chaos.

"You're lying!"

I trembled with rage, itching to slaughter that filthy bastard spewing garbage!

As I lunged forward, Ethan's hand clamped like iron on my shoulder.

He flashed those nude photos on his phone, eyes blazing warning.

Gritting my teeth till they ached, I forced every tear back inside.

Cynthia reached out to support me with an affectionate gesture.

But at an angle hidden from others, she dug her nails into my arm, hissing under her breath, "Who told you to refuse a reasonable settlement?

You're no longer that untouchable richest man's daughter—now you're just trash everyone despises!"

As she spoke, a strange glint flashed in her eyes before she suddenly stumbled backward.

She shrieked, "Miss Janet, why did you push me!"

The surrounding crowd instantly erupted in fury.

"That woman clearly isn't sincere in her apology!"

"Her father committed countless atrocities! Now that he's dead, she must pay!"

Countless angry hands shoved me as kicks and punches rained down on my abdomen.

Wave after wave of agony tore through me, churning my insides.

"Ethan... help me..."

My faint plea drowned beneath the roaring curses.

I gasped desperately, but breathing grew harder.

In my final fading moments, I saw Ethan shielding Cynthia protectively as he walked away without looking back.

The frenzied mob suddenly froze when they noticed me drenched in blood, scattering in panic.

Only one kind soul hurriedly dialed 911 for help.

Ambulance rushed me to the nearest hospital entrance.

But the security guard blocked the stretcher with his arm.

"Sorry, Mr. Ethan reserved the entire hospital today."

"Mrs. Brown had a shock and isn't feeling well. Mr. Ethan's orders—no disruptions from other patients."

The medical staff stomped anxiously, "This patient is critical! Immediate hospital treatment is vital—any delay could be fatal!"

"Your lady's illness doesn't require every doctor's attention. Why book the entire hospital?"

The security guard looked torn but shook his head, refusing entry.

"We dare not disobey Mr. Ethan's orders."

"If you can't wait, transfer to another hospital now."

The suffocating pressure in my chest intensified.

Summoning my last strength, I dialed Ethan's number, "I did everything you asked. I'm injured at the entrance of your booked hospital. If you remember I'm your fiancée... let me in..."

A scornful laugh crackled through the phone, laced with impatience, "Stop this, Janet. Haven't you learned your lesson?"

"Didn't you just take a few hits?"

"How could it suddenly be this serious?"

"I haven't even confronted you about shoving Cynthia to the ground, yet you come here competing for attention?"

"How many times must I say it? I'm repaying a debt. Once done, I'll return immediately to rebuild your father's empire."

"I won't leave you again, alright?"

"Don't disturb me now."

The phone snapped shut with a sharp click.

Almost instantly, everything went black as I fainted.

When I woke again, I was lying in a hospital bed.

The doctor told me in a solemn tone,

My uterus had ruptured, and I could never conceive again.

The moment I heard this, my world came crashing down.

It felt like a piece of my heart had been carved out, the pain so intense my breath trembled.

I'd always dreamed of letting my father hold my child, sharing the joy of family life with him.

But now, Father was gone.

And I'd lost any chance of becoming a mother.

Just then, other patients in the ward began whispering about me.

"That's her? The billionaire's daughter? Never imagined she'd be so wild..."

"Total slut. Rich people live in a different world..."

Their words struck me like lightning. Trembling, I grabbed my phone.

The screen lit up, flooding my vision with endless news alerts.

My nude photos had been leaked all over the internet!

The web overflowed with vile, filthy comments.

Then my phone started buzzing violently—countless messages from unknown numbers:

"How much for a night?

Name your price."

"Started selling yourself right after Daddy died?

Desperate much?"

"Look like a real slut in those pics. How do I book you in person?"

The world spun violently as dizziness overwhelmed me.

I kept calling Ethan's number.

But his phone repeatedly blocked my calls.

Just then, I saw a post on my social media feed.

Cynthia had attended a friend's banquet as Ethan's fiancée.

The last thread holding me together snapped.

Tears instantly blurred my vision.

As I lost all hope, my late father's words suddenly echoed in my ears: "If I'm ever gone when you face impossible trouble, find my old friend..."

I frantically wiped away tears.

After searching through my contacts forever, I finally found that long-forgotten name.

Then, trembling, I pressed the call button.

The call connected immediately, a warm magnetic voice asking, "What's wrong, princess?

Did someone hurt you?"

"If they did, I'll make them pay!"