My boyfriend had my best friend bring others to watch him rape me.

After that, I went from an exclusive socialite to a disgraced, unwed mother branded a slut.

To make Alexander Wright agree to marry me, my parents handed over all their shares to him.

But when I gave birth, he blocked the doctors outside the delivery room.

Leaving me to die in agony on the birthing bed—two lives gone.

On my deathbed, I saw him gently hug my best friend and say with a smile:

"Baby, those shares are all yours now."

So I had fallen into their trap long ago.

This life, hearing Alexander's heavy breathing from the room behind me.

I sneered and thoughtfully locked the door for him.

I will destroy all of them this time.

……

"Mmm... if my husband finds out, he... he'll never... forgive you..."

"You little puppy, why are you biting..."

The woman's gasps of shame and annoyance in the room grew louder, sounding less like she was forced and more like she was enjoying it.

After all, if she hadn't deliberately walked into the room, Alexander wouldn't have assaulted her when he lost his senses.

Back in my past life, when Alexander assaulted me, she watched it firsthand.

Even though the noise behind me was grating, I felt really happy standing outside the door.

I was alive and well.

I hadn't been assaulted by Alexander, hadn't been labeled shameless and promiscuous.

I touched my belly; it was flat and didn't ache anymore.

This wasn't a dream; I'd truly been reborn.

Hearing footsteps close by, I ducked into a blind spot and messed up my hair.

Then I grabbed a lock of hair and yanked it out.

I smeared lipstick on my palm and slapped my face hard several times.

The flesh of her cheek was torn by her teeth, blood seeping from the corner of her mouth.

It hurt.

But nothing compared to the agony of childbirth exhaustion in her past life.

"Emily Brown! What are you doing here..."

Seeing me crouched at the door, Shakti Johnson visibly panicked.

I yanked my hair again, squeezed out two tears, and blocked the corridor.

Turning my swollen, blood-red cheek toward the socialites and powerful guests, I bit my lip hard, trembling uncontrollably.

"I-I'm fine, don't come any closer."

The crowd exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring in hushed tones.

Today's attendees were all elite – while the Reynolds family wasn't the most prestigious in the exclusive society, they maintained good relations with all houses and were partners with Benjamin Hayes, tonight's host.

Olivia Reynolds was beaten until she spat blood on his turf, her hair disheveled.

This was utterly unacceptable.

Victoria Archer, Benjamin's mother, immediately approached, feigning maternal concern as she asked:

"Dear, who did this to you?"

In my past life, she'd been the one who screamed about my shamelessness before ordering bodyguards to throw my completely naked body out of the Hayes estate.

Feeling my entire body tremble, I shook my head desperately.

"I'm fine, really... Please leave! Don't go over there!"

Victoria's brow furrowed instantly, her mask of kindness slipping away.

She snapped sharply: "Emily! What exactly do you mean by this! Unless you've got a guilty conscience!"

"Bodyguards! Get her out of here!"

Two burly bodyguards stepped forward to drag me away.

I cried even more miserably, but still blocked the corridor entrance without moving.

"No! You can't go through! Shakti, quickly help me persuade Victoria!"

Shakti, who was just about to run away, got called out by me. Everyone turned to look at her.

Shakti glared at me, both angry and scared, but could only echo my words: "Y-yes, Emily must have her reasons! Let's listen to her first and let her calm down!"

Everyone knew Shakti and I were best friends. Her speaking up made Victoria even more furious.

"You two wretched girls! This is the Hayes family! Not some place for playing house!"

"If you don't get out of the way—"

Before she finished, I knelt straight down in front of her with a thud.

"Victoria, I beg you, please, stop asking, and don't come any closer."

Behind me, a group of socialites whispered among themselves, and some were already aiming their phones at me.

"Is Emily crazy?"

"Who on earth beat her up like this? Could it be Victoria herself..."

I knelt on the ground, my head nearly touching the floor, my hair tangled on top, and a few strands falling as my body trembled.

Victoria's face turned pale then flushed, her hand shaking as she pointed at my nose and shouted:

"You, Emily, playing games with me, huh!"

"Call Benjamin and William Reynolds! Let him see what his daughter is like!"

Seeing Shakti's panicked look, I almost couldn't hold back a laugh.

She was ordered by Victoria not to leave, nor to use her phone.

Today Benjamin hosted top figures from all walks of life. As the commotion grew, crowds gathered in the corridor to watch.

That despicable pair, Alexander and Shakti, deserved a bigger audience!

Just five minutes later, Benjamin arrived with a group.

My father jogged over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me up from Victoria.

He stared at my swollen face, torn between anger and heartache.

"Girl, what happened today! Why block Victoria?"

The high-ranking elders with Benjamin murmured among themselves.

I'd always had a sterling reputation in the exclusive society, with many friendships across generations.

Now I was causing trouble at the Hayes family, and several socialites said right then they'd cut ties with this madwoman.

Benjamin's sharp gaze swept over my face. He said coldly:

"Move."

I trembled and wanted to speak again.

The next second, Dad covered my mouth and yanked me aside.

I fell, scraping my forehead and arm.

The onlookers snickered at my sorry state.

Dad helped me up and gently wiped the blood from my face.

"Emily, tell Dad the truth. What exactly do you want?"

I wiped the lipstick off my face and gave Dad a faint smile.

Victoria and Benjamin had just entered the corridor when they froze.

Behind that door, heavy, ragged breaths mingled with soft moans.

No need to see inside—the rhythmic sounds alone revealed how fiercely those two were entangled.

Some young socialites present flushed crimson at the noise.

A few troublemaking heirs even pulled out phones to record.

"Who'd dare carry on like this at the Hayes estate? Couldn't they wait?"

Benjamin stood silent, visibly shaking with anger.

His standing as the exclusive society's big shot lay in ruins.

I bit my lip, teary-eyed as I turned to Benjamin and Victoria:

"Mr. Hayes... please don't go in..."

"Everyone's watching. If they see... their reputation will be ruined."

Benjamin scanned the crowd behind him—tonight's honored guests gathered outside his door, while others had only been invited for spectacle.

Benjamin had been in the exclusive society for so many years, yet this was the first time someone had so little regard for his dignity, daring to cause such a scene at his party.

If you had the guts to do it, why not the guts to admit it?

"I'm going to find out who's so shameless!"

Benjamin let out a cold laugh, raised his leg, and violently kicked the door open.

The door swung open, half the lock still dangling from it.

The man and woman's clothes and underwear were scattered all over the floor, the air in the room stuffy and thick with intimacy, making it clear how long the two had been at it.

Several young men who had been recording with their phones earlier raised them high.

They captured Alexander, completely naked, lying on top of an equally naked woman.

The whole room fell silent, not a single person daring to make a sound.

Alexander's drowsy eyes snapped wide awake the moment he saw Benjamin.

"B-B-Benjamin..."

Alexander's teeth chattered uncontrollably, his trembling hands still clutching the backside of the woman beneath him.

The woman under him pressed both hands desperately against her face, terrified of being recognized.

Benjamin almost went crazy with rage.

If William hadn't mentioned this Alexander had some business acumen, he'd never have received an invitation to the Hayes family event.

He didn't deserve to set foot in the Hayes residence.

And now this filthy disgrace at his own banquet!

"Seize him!"

At his command, bodyguards swiftly moved in, surrounding them both.

Alexander scrambled off the bed in terror. As he separated from the woman beneath him, she let out a soft gasp.

This deepened Benjamin's scowl.

Bodyguards cornered Alexander against the wall. Panicked, he actually tried escaping through the window.

A bodyguard kicked him down instantly, leaving him naked and curled in the corner.

Benjamin's eyes reddened with rage. He stormed forward, grabbing the woman's arm.

"Hands down!"

She trembled violently like a dying fish, desperately covering her face until her nails dug into her skin.

That's when I, who'd quietly stood behind Shakti, suddenly spoke:

"Benjamin, blame Alexander for this. Don't take it out on her—"

A single cold glare from Benjamin snapped my mouth shut.

Shakti nearly collapsed beside me, desperate to flee, but I seized her hand.

She glared daggers at me, the sheer hatred in her eyes almost making me laugh.

"Bitch, get off me!"

Benjamin roared, violently twisting the woman's wrist.

A sharp snap echoed as her wrist went limp.

A face with smudged makeup, hauntingly familiar, came into view.

Benjamin's veins bulged instantly on his forehead.

Gasps rippled through the crowd, making the woman tremble violently.

"Isn't that Benjamin's wife Sophia Mitchell?!"