I was in the middle of an important international conference when my sister’s call suddenly came through. On the other end of the line, she was sobbing uncontrollably: “Amelia, I’m being held at the mall! They’re insisting I ruined a dress and want me to pay a million dollars…” I immediately drove to our family’s mall. My sister was surrounded by several store employees at the entrance of a high-end couture boutique. Her eyes were red and swollen, her body trembling, and her clothes were ripped in several places. A haughty girl stood with her arms crossed, looking down at Chloe with an imperious gaze: “Let me tell you, I’m Brittany Vance, heiress of the powerful Vance Corporation in Sterling City! Forget a million dollars – even if I made you kneel here and apologize today, my dad would just cheer me on!” The Vance family from Sterling City? Since when did my dad have a third daughter besides Chloe and me? I was about to call my dad when that girl pointed at me and shrieked: “What are *you* doing here, you pathetic home-wrecker?!” … “Home-wrecker?!” I frowned, wondering if I’d misheard. I’d lived twenty-six years, dedicating myself to my studies and career. I hadn’t even had a proper relationship, so how could I be someone else’s mistress? I looked at the girl. Her name tag read “Store Manager – Brittany Vance.” A store manager claiming to be the heiress of the Vance family, then calling me a home-wrecker. Where did this person come from? I suppressed my anger and calmly explained, “You’re the store manager, right? You might have me mistaken for someone else.” Brittany suddenly exploded. “Store manager? I’m the owner and head designer of this high-end boutique! Clearly, a bumpkin like you wouldn’t know!” I almost burst out laughing. It seemed I’d stumbled upon a huge phony. Brittany looked me up and down disdainfully. “Let me tell you, Dylan Hayes is *my* man! I’ve seen plenty of old ladies like you, throwing a few measly bucks at him to keep him around! If you know what’s good for you, get lost and stop harassing him!” Dylan Hayes? That name was certainly familiar. He was the scholarship student I’d personally sponsored since high school. He was an excellent student, handsome and clean-cut, always wearing worn, faded shirts, his eyes clear yet stubborn. I sponsored him all the way through college. After graduation, seeing how hard it was for him to find a job, I even brought him into our family’s mall, starting him from an entry-level position. He was charming, a smooth talker, and incredibly efficient, quickly rising through the ranks. Six months ago, he confessed his feelings, claiming he’d admired me for years. He said he knew there was a gap between us, but he didn’t care. He’d be my rock, my supportive partner, allowing me to fully immerse myself in my career without a single worry. His gentle, considerate demeanor genuinely swayed my heart. I had even started seriously considering his pursuit. But I never imagined that while he was completely devoted and agreeable to my face, behind my back, he was twisting the narrative, painting me as some desperate, clinging old woman. I must have been completely blind! How could I have been so utterly foolish?! *** At this point, I had no desire to waste another word on Brittany Vance. I took off my blazer and draped it over my trembling sister, speaking softly: “Chloe, don’t be scared. We’re going home.” “Going home?” Brittany lunged in front of us, blocking our path, hands on her hips, utterly unreasonable. “You ruined my store’s clothes, and you think you can just leave without paying? No way!” She pointed at the torn dress on the floor, snarling, “Unless you pay a million dollars, neither of you is leaving here today!” I glanced at the dress. There was indeed a noticeable tear in the hem. More and more onlookers gathered, pointing and whispering about us. My sister was so angry, tears streamed down her face. “I didn’t! You guys grabbed me, that’s how the dress got torn!” “Who saw it? Does anyone have proof for you?” Brittany arrogantly scanned the crowd. “I call the shots here!” I forced down my surging anger and slowly spoke, “What kind of dress costs a million dollars?” Brittany scoffed. “Poor people always have the most excuses!” She sneered. “My boutique isn’t some cheap, run-of-the-mill clothing store you see on every street corner! Every piece I design is custom-made. Your sister, with her penniless self, dared to touch it, and her ‘poor’ vibe probably soiled my clothes!” “This dress was already ordered by someone else, and now it’s unsellable. Asking you to pay a million dollars is me being merciful!” I almost laughed at the absurdity. I hated it when phonies talked like this; even a retort felt like stooping to their level. Just then, Chloe tugged at my sleeve, her face filled with worry. “Amelia, maybe we should just pay. I have some money on my card…” Seeing my sister like this, my heart ached even more. She was introverted; even when it was someone else’s fault, she always blamed herself. I looked coldly at Brittany. “My sister says you accidentally bumped into her. Since you both have different stories, let’s pull up the surveillance footage and let everyone see clearly.” Brittany’s face instantly changed. “Surveillance? What surveillance? I say she ruined it, so she ruined it!” “Besides, even if I did bump her, so what? It’s her good fortune to be touched by a commoner like me!” This illogical, thuggish statement made some of the onlookers frown in disapproval. She yelled, her bravado clearly masking fear, “Who do you think you are? You think you can just demand to see footage? This mall is managed by my boyfriend, Dylan Hayes! I can do whatever I want!” I smirked. “Are you sure Dylan Hayes calls the shots in *this* mall?” Brittany froze for a moment, then became furious. “Stop trying to change the subject! Just pay up!” Too lazy to argue with her anymore, I pulled out my phone and dialed Dylan Hayes’ number directly. I wanted to hear how he planned to explain himself. When the call connected, Dylan’s impatient voice came through. “Hello? I’m in a meeting. Can we talk later?” With that, he hung up. Brittany listened to the dial tone and laughed, shaking with glee. “Oh, look, does Dylan even want to talk to you? Still pretending, it’s hilarious!” Then, she pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and her voice instantly turned tearful and wronged: “Mom! I’m being bullied at the store! It’s just a poor student and her home-wrecker sister, and they don’t want to pay! Please come quickly, bring some people, and teach them a good lesson!” After hanging up, Brittany’s arrogance intensified. “My mom will be here any minute! I advise you to bring your poor sister, kneel down, and apologize to me right now! Maybe if I’m in a good mood, I’ll let you pay a little less.” “My mom is Vanessa Price, wife of Richard Vance, Sterling City’s richest man! When she gets here, you two are going to be stripped naked and thrown out of this mall!” My pupils constricted sharply. Richard Vance’s legal wife was my mother, Eleanor Reed. Could it be…? While I was feeling uneasy, Brittany impatiently urged, “What are you standing around for? A million dollars! Hand over the money now! Otherwise, when my mom arrives, it won’t be just a million dollars that can solve this!” I took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil of emotions in my heart. Now was not the time to investigate my father’s messy affairs. The immediate priority was to get Chloe out of this troublesome situation. “I won’t give you the money. And I’m taking my sister with me now.” My voice was firm as I pulled Chloe, ready to leave. “Stop them!” Brittany shrieked. Several security guards immediately surrounded us. The head security guard, Captain Miller, looked at me sternly. “Ma’am, you cannot leave until this matter is resolved.” I looked at his unfamiliar face, my heart sinking. The mall’s head of security was someone I’d personally recruited from the special forces, and I knew most of his team by sight. These people, however, were clearly new faces. It seemed Dylan Hayes had replaced a whole new team of management with his own people without my knowledge. Was he trying to usurp my authority? What incredible audacity! Just as we stood in a stalemate, the click of high heels approached from a distance. A woman adorned in jewels, surrounded by a group of burly men, strode in, full of bluster. She was well-maintained, but her eyes held a hint of pettiness and shrewdness. “Who dares to bully my precious daughter?!” The moment Brittany saw her, she immediately burst into tears and rushed into her arms. “Mom! You’re here! It’s them! They’re bullying me!” The woman lovingly embraced her daughter, but when she saw me, a flicker of discomfort crossed her eyes, quickly masked. She sharply ordered the bodyguards behind her, “Grab this pathetic girl and her sister! Beat them within an inch of their lives!” “I’ll take responsibility for whatever happens! Let them know what happens when you offend my daughter!” The burly men, clearly paid to do a job, lunged at us without hesitation. “What are you doing! Stop!” I yelled, shielding Chloe tightly behind me. But how could two girls possibly stand against a dozen grown men? Soon, Chloe and I were roughly pinned to the ground. Fists rained down on us. I desperately protected my head and vital organs, holding Chloe close in my arms, taking the brunt of the attacks on my back. My bones felt like they were being crushed inch by inch; searing pain shot through every part of my body. Chloe was trembling in my arms, her cries turning into desperate whimpers. “Stop… Please, just stop…” Enduring the pain, I struggled to sit up and roared, “Think carefully! This is a lawful society, and there are surveillance cameras everywhere in this mall!” The burly men’s actions indeed hesitated. Seeing this, Vanessa Price sneered. “Little girl, you’re still too naive.” “You think I’d bring people here if I was scared of that?” She clapped her hands, and Captain Miller immediately understood, running to a nearby electrical box and pulling a lever. The lights on the entire floor instantly went out, plunging the area into dimness. The crowd gasped. Vanessa’s triumphant voice echoed in the darkness. “Now there’s no surveillance! What are you going to threaten me with now?” “Attack!” Chloe clung to me, terrified and trembling. My heart sank to the bottom. I never imagined that in broad daylight, in my own family’s mall, I would encounter such lawless thugs! “Stop!” a furious shout rang out. Emergency lights flickered on, and Dylan Hayes’ figure appeared before us. My heart stirred. Did he still have a shred of conscience? As soon as he appeared, Brittany immediately rushed to him, tearfully complaining: “Dylan! You’re finally here! Look at them, they not only ruined my dress, but that old woman even tried to hit me!” Dylan immediately put his arm around her, comforting her softly. “Don’t be afraid, I’m here.” He turned to me, his face twisting into one of annoyance. “Amelia Reed, what exactly do you want? “I’ve already made it clear to you that I don’t like you. Are you incapable of understanding plain English?” I looked at him, feeling utterly disgusted. I spoke each word distinctly, “Dylan Hayes, I sponsored you for seven years, from your high school days until you graduated college. I even brought you in to manage this mall, and I never asked for anything in return.” His face stiffened, his eyes darting away. Brittany, however, wasn’t pleased. She pinched him hard. “Dylan, why are you wasting your breath on her? She gave you that money because she wanted to sleep with you, didn’t she? Everyone knows what her real intentions are!” At her words, the murmurs from the crowd grew louder. “So it’s a sugar mommy keeping a pretty boy, and the pretty boy found true love.” “Tsk, tsk, this woman is something else, buying affection. There’s no sincerity in that.” “Serves her right, she brought it on herself.” Dylan’s posture instantly straightened. He looked at me, a cruel smirk playing on his lips. “Amelia Reed, I like sweet, innocent girls like Brittany, not manipulative old women like you!” I was trembling with rage. “Fine. Just fine.” I laughed in my fury. “Dylan Hayes, remember what you said today!” I didn’t want to waste another second with that despicable pair. I pulled Chloe and turned to leave. “Stop right there!” Dylan blocked our path, his face a picture of smug triumph. “Pay for Brittany’s dress before you go!” He ordered the security guards, “Keep them here! Don’t let them leave until the money’s paid! I’ll take responsibility for whatever happens!” I looked at his smug, arrogant smirk and said coldly: “Dylan Hayes, have you forgotten who actually owns this mall?” He froze for a moment, then burst into maniacal laughter. “Amelia Reed, are you awake? You don’t actually think that because you sponsored me, this mall belongs to you, do you?” I looked at him, finding it ironic. Dylan only knew I was wealthy, but he had no idea this mall was *mine*. When I initially had him manage the mall, it was my assistant who conveyed the instructions. I had been too low-key, which gave him the opportunity to run wild. Seeing this, Vanessa Price pointed at the dress on the floor and made an outrageous demand: “That dress is a million dollars, plus emotional damages for my daughter, and my lost wages… Let’s round it up to five million dollars! Hand over the money now! If you can’t, then your sister will kneel down and lick the floor clean!” “You’re dreaming!” My chest heaved with fury. Vanessa’s eyes turned cold, and she told the bodyguards, “Pin the little one down! Make her lick it!” Two bodyguards immediately stepped forward, roughly grabbing Chloe’s arms, about to force her to the ground. “Let her go!” My vision blurred with rage. I lunged forward to push them away, but two other bodyguards held me firmly. “Amelia! Help me! Amelia!” “Let my sister go, you bastards!” I struggled frantically, but the disparity in strength between men and women was too great; I couldn’t break free. Dylan Hayes stood to the side, watching all of this coldly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Brittany was even more excited, clapping her hands. “Mom, push harder! Make her lick it! Make her lick it clean for me!” Just then, my phone suddenly slipped from my pocket and fell to the floor. The screen lit up, showing the emergency call I had frantically dialed. One of the burly men, sharp-eyed, saw the numbers on the screen, his face changing, and he subconsciously loosened his grip. “Damn it, she called the police!” The three on the opposite side were also startled. Seizing the moment the bodyguards relaxed, I violently broke free and lunged to pick up my phone. “I’ve already called the police! They’ll be here any minute! None of you will get away!” I held up my phone, screaming at them. In truth, I hadn’t even had time to dial out, but it was enough to deter them. Brittany, her voice betraying her fear, shrieked, “So what if you called the police? My dad is Richard Vance! The police will still have to show *him* some respect!” Dylan Hayes, meanwhile, rushed forward, trying to snatch my phone. “Amelia Reed! Are you crazy?! Hang up the phone now!” There was no way I’d let him succeed; I clutched my phone tightly. Failing to grab it, in a fit of desperation, he slapped me hard across the face! My face burned, my ears rang, and I tasted a metallic tang of blood in my mouth. I looked at him in disbelief. This man, whom I had sponsored for seven years, who had recently sworn to protect me, had just hit me. Dylan Hayes was also startled by his own actions, his hand frozen in mid-air. But seeing the hatred in my eyes, he hardened his heart, deciding to go all in. “You forced my hand!” He said viciously, “Let me tell you, if you dare to blow this up today, I’ll make sure you can’t survive in Sterling City!” “Oh really?” A cold, authoritative voice suddenly cut through the crowd from outside. “Who has such big talk, daring to make my daughter unable to survive in Sterling City?” I looked towards the sound. A distinguished-looking middle-aged man walked over. It was my father, Richard Vance. The moment he appeared, my tightly strung nerves finally relaxed a little. Although I harbored resentment about his possible infidelity, it could also be that Brittany and her mother were lying; nothing was confirmed yet. I was about to step forward, but Brittany ran past me, intimately linking her arm with his. “Dad, you’re here just in time! Look how they’ve bullied me!” Richard Vance’s face immediately broke into a doting smile, and he affectionately stroked her head: “Brittany, darling, with Daddy here, no one can bully you!” I froze on the spot. Vanessa Price also swayed her hips over, complaining coquettishly: “Richard, you’re finally here. Brittany and I were almost bullied to death by these two little girls.” Richard Vance patted her hand reassuringly, speaking softly, “You’ve worked hard, Vanessa.” His gaze, from start to finish, never once fell on Chloe or me. As if we were strangers. My heart sank, little by little. Chloe whispered from behind me, “Daddy…” Richard Vance’s frown deepened, and he reprimanded us sharply: “Who are you two? What are you making a scene about here? And who’s your dad? Don’t go around claiming relations! I, Richard Vance, don’t have such unsophisticated daughters!” My blood instantly ran cold. Chloe couldn’t accept this fact. She rushed out, tugging at Richard Vance’s sleeve, crying and asking: “Daddy, why won’t you acknowledge us? It’s Chloe! Don’t you want me and Amelia anymore?” A flicker of unbearable pain crossed Richard Vance’s face, but he quickly shook off Chloe’s hand in disgust, sending her stumbling and falling to the ground. “Get lost! Don’t touch me!” He said mercilessly, “I’ll say it again, I don’t know you!” Seeing this, Vanessa Price and Brittany Vance laughed, shaking with glee. “Did you hear that? My husband doesn’t know you! You two liars, trying to impersonate the Vance daughters, how delusional!” Brittany even squatted down, poking Chloe’s forehead with her finger, utterly humiliating her: “Little poor thing, did you hear? My dad said he only has one daughter, me! You and your home-wrecker sister, just get lost!” Dylan Hayes also stepped forward, looking down at me. “Amelia Reed, I’m giving you one last chance: pay up and apologize. Otherwise, one word from Mr. Vance, and you two will completely disappear from Sterling City!”
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