In an abandoned warehouse in the suburbs.

Shirlene Osborne was huddled miserably on the ground, her nailless fingers bleeding, the pain nearly making her lose consciousness.

Daisy Osborne, Shirlene's half-sister, reveled in cruel laughter, triumphant with a pincer in hand.

"Shirlene, does it hurt?" Daisy stood up and callously stepped on Shirlene's injured fingers with a sinister smile. "I've always wanted to do this. Sebastian Pearson shielded you, and I never had the chance before. Otherwise, do you think you'd live to see this day? But you were so foolish, divorcing Sebastian for Nolan Lowe! You've dug your own grave!"

Envy flickered in Daisy's eyes as she mentioned Sebastian's name. With a malicious smile, she kicked Shirlene in the belly.

It hurt so much Shirlene had cramps and vomited blood.

"Daisy, why? Why?" Shirlene asked, her eyes fiery.

She had never mistreated Daisy. Why did Daisy kidnap and torture her?

"Why?" With a murderous look in her eyes, Daisy grabbed Shirlene's long hair and said viciously, "Because you got in my way! Why are you the firstborn of the Osborne family? Why does Sebastian like you but won't even spare me a look? Why does that old bastard want you to take over the company?

"If you die, the company will be mine, and Sebastian will like me. Don't you deserve to die?"

Holding Shirlene's hair, Daisy smashed her head against the cold wall.

Shirlene's head began to spin, and she slumped to the ground, blood streaming down from her head.

Daisy released her grip, stood up, and grabbed the gas barrel, dousing the area with gasoline.

The flames roared to life, spreading rapidly as the lighter ignited the gas.

Daisy briskly exited the warehouse.

Regret and hatred overwhelmed Shirlene as she watched Daisy depart.

The dreadful mistakes she had made in her life...

If another life awaited, she vowed never to push away the man who cherished her.

"Sebastian, Sebastian..." she called out inwardly.

"Shirlene!"

A heart-wrenching cry echoed. Shirlene looked up in shock, spotting Sebastian's figure through the flames. Their eyes locked, and horror was etched across his typically composed and handsome face. His eyes were bloodshot.

Tears flowed down Shirlene's cheeks. She tried to speak but couldn't make a sound. Before losing consciousness, she witnessed Sebastian, his face filled with desperation, charging into the inferno towards her like a man possessed.

***

"No!

"No! Sebastian...no!" Shirlene screamed as her eyes jerked open.

"Shirlene, do you hate me so much?" a deep voice said beside her.

Shirlene shivered.

She thought, "this voice..."

She turned her head to look, but the sudden movement induced dizziness, forcing her to shut her eyes and recline on the pillow.

Aches surged through her body as if a car had just rolled over her, especially...there...

Observing her keep her mouth shut with closed eyes, Sebastian interpreted it as agreement with his statement. His gaze dimmed, and he exited the bed.

The sound of water splashing came from the bathroom.

After a while, the dizziness was finally eased.

Shirlene sat up with difficulty and looked around. The surroundings shocked her.

This was her and Sebastian's bedroom.

But didn't she...die?

Shirlene shook her head. The quilt slipped off her, and she found herself naked with hickeys all over her body.

A realization dawned on her. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and checked the date.

2022?

She was reborn and returned to the year before?

On the same day the year before, Daisy had invited her to celebrate Nolan's birthday. Daisy had gotten Shirlene drunk, and she woke up to find she had slept with Sebastian.

Back then, Shirlene believed Sebastian had taken advantage of her inebriated state.

However, on the day Shirlene died, Daisy revealed that her drink had been spiked that night. The consequences could have been dire if Sebastian hadn't intervened and taken Shirlene away in time.

Contemplating this revelation, Shirlene clenched her fists, the hatred evident in her eyes.

Sebastian happened to witness her in this state as he emerged from the bathroom.

He sneered in his heart, "Do you hate me so much for taking your first time?

Are you so deeply in love with Nolan?"

"I'll sleep in the guest room," Sebastian withdrew his gaze and said coldly, ready to leave.

Shirlene realized what was going on immediately. Seeing Sebastian had put his hand on the door handle, she called out anxiously, "Honey."

Sebastian trembled, his pupils contracting. He froze on the spot in disbelief.

He thought, "What did Shirlene just call me?

Honey?"

Sebastian tightened his grip on the door handle, his eyes oozing with disdain. He declared coldly, "Don't fret. I won't harm Nolan. He'll be released tomorrow."

Gazing at his frosty profile, Shirlene felt a pang of sadness and guilt.

In her last life, she had rarely treated Sebastian kindly except when seeking a favor.

Sebastian might assume Shirlene was interceding for Nolan, fearing he would inflict harm.

"I'm not doing this for him!" she explained hastily, anxious to prevent any further misunderstanding by Sebastian.

Sebastian glanced at her doubtfully.

"I want to say that..." Shirlene bit her lip, blushing. "you can stay."

Sebastian held his breath, thinking he must've misheard.

"You..." Sebastian was surprised at first. Then, something seemed to occur to him. Scowling, he sneered, "You want me to sign the divorce agreement, don't you?"

He misunderstood again. Shirlene felt a lump in her chest.

Before she could answer, Sebastian took out a document from the drawer.

The words "Divorce Agreement" on the cover were conspicuous.

Shirlene's heart constricted as Sebastian turned to the final page, seizing a pen from the desk to sign his name.

Shirlene's complexion drained of color. She hastily donned a nightgown and cried out, "Don't sign it! Don't!"

Exiting the bed, she seized the document from Sebastian and tore it into pieces without a moment's hesitation.

The shredded paper fell to the floor. Sebastian looked at her in surprise.

He thought, "Haven't you drafted the divorce agreement yourself?

Don't you always want a divorce? I'm about to grant your wish. Why did you..."

Shirlene patted her chest in relief, winking as she coquettishly said, "Honey, let's not get divorced, OK? It's late. Why don't we go to bed?"

At the sight of her bright eyes, Sebastian's Adam's apple bobbed, a hint of ambiguity in his gaze.

"No," Sebastian looked away, refusing coldly. "I'm going to the guest room."

He opened the door and exited.

The closed door now separated them from each other.

The smile on Shirlene's face faded. A profound sense of crisis gripped her heart. Desiring to go to Sebastian, she attempted to move, but she got a cramp in her leg. She slumped back in pain on the bed and didn't recover until much later.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Shirlene sighed as she massaged her leg.

She had been reborn at an awkward juncture: the time when her relationship with Sebastian was at its lowest.

Sebastian had signed the divorce agreement without hesitation. It appeared that winning back his heart would be a prolonged endeavor for Shirlene.

The following morning.

As Sebastian walked past Shirlene's bedroom after waking up, he found it empty. Confusion clouded his mind momentarily. Soon after, a sneer curled onto the corners of his mouth.

Had she gone to see Nolan?

Shirlene couldn't wait to see him, could she?

Sebastian withdrew his gaze and went downstairs.

At the sight of him, a domestic worker walked over and asked, "Mr. Pearson, breakfast is..."

"I won't eat." He walked toward the entrance with a long face.

"Mrs. Pearson made it."

Sebastian stopped in his tracks and looked at the domestic worker.

She said at once, "Mrs. Pearson began making breakfast at 6 a.m. She wanted you to have a taste of the food she cooked. Won't you have some?"

Sebastian was surprised and frowned.

She would do everything for Nolan.

Shirlene used to avoid even sharing a meal with Sebastian, but now, to appeal to him on behalf of Nolan, she went as far as making breakfast for him.

Her love for Nolan was profound.

However, this would be the final occasion...

After a brief moment of silence, Sebastian pivoted and headed towards the kitchen.

In a white dress, Shirlene, with her black curly hair tied in a ponytail, was meticulously arranging omelets in the open kitchen, revealing her fair face.

"What are you doing?"

Shirlene looked up and saw Sebastian standing several steps away with an unfathomable expression.

"Honey!" Her eyes lit up. She smiled, "I made breakfast for you. Have some..."

Before she could finish speaking, Sebastian interrupted coldly, "There are domestic workers in this house. You don't have to do this."

The smile at the corners of Shirlene's mouth froze, replaced by a tinge of sadness.

In her past life, Shirlene had only learned to cook because Nolan had gastric issues. Yet, since her marriage to Sebastian, she had never prepared breakfast for him.

Now, she was trying to make amends.

But Sebastian didn't trust her anymore.

Suppressing her sadness, Shirlene put breakfast on the table and dragged Sebastian over.

"Have some. I'll go heat milk for you." She turned around and walked into the kitchen again.

The omelets had been arranged in a heart shape. Looking at them, Sebastian sneered.

Suddenly, Shirlene's phone rang.

Sebastian saw the caller ID at a glance.

Nolan?

When Sebastian glanced at the food again, his appetite had vanished. He departed the villa with a scornful smile.

When Shirlene brought the milk, Sebastian was nowhere to be found. The domestic worker informed her that Sebastian had already left.

The untouched breakfast left Shirlene disheartened. Contemplating whether to call Sebastian, she grabbed her phone just as her father's call came in.

"Dad."

"I'm surprised you still know you have a father!" her father, Neilson Osborne, thundered.

"What did I do to have a shameless daughter like you? I don't care where you are. Come home in 30 minutes, or don't ever come back again!"

Neilson hung up before Shirlene answered.

Shirlene stood there, holding her phone. Hatred surged in her heart when she thought of her pregnant stepmother and scheming half-sister.

Her good mood was spoiled.

Shirlene packed her things and drove to the Osborne's home.

The atmosphere in the house felt stifling. A domestic worker brought Shirlene her slippers and slyly winked, subtly conveying a message.

Shirlene entered calmly. Neilson was seated on the sofa, and she greeted him with a smile, "Dad, I'm back."

Her stepmother Molly Gilbert and Daisy sat beside Neilson. Shirlene looked at them and discreetly glanced at Molly's belly.

Although Molly was over three months pregnant, she didn't show a baby bump.

"Shirlene, you're finally back." Daisy hurriedly approached Shirlene. "Did something happen to you at Nolan's birthday party last night?" Posing as if they were close, Daisy tried to take Shirlene's hand.

Shirlene slapped Daisy before the latter could touch her.

"Daisy, how shameless you are!"

Everyone present was stunned.

Neilson, who had been holding back his anger, flared up at once.

He shot up from the sofa, roaring, "What are you doing? Daisy is only concerned about you. You must be out of your mind! For Nolan, you don't even care about your dignity! You're such a disgrace to our family. People talk behind my back!"

Bitterness welled up in Shirlene's heart as she observed the disappointment in Neilson's eyes.

Her relationship with Neilson had deteriorated since Molly and Daisy's arrival. He had even disowned Shirlene for Molly's unborn child.

Having experienced Molly's and Daisy's schemes in her previous life, Shirlene was determined not to fall prey to them again in this lifetime.

"Concerned?" Shirlene looked at Daisy with a sneer as if having heard a hilarious joke. "Daisy, whether something happened or not, don't you know it better than anyone else? Didn't you force me into going to the party last night?"

"I..." Surprised by Shirlene's retort, Daisy put on a sad face. "Shirlene, how could you say that? I took you to celebrate Nolan's birthday. I didn't ask you to...sleep with him."

Daisy shifted her eyes to Shirlene's fair neck. The hickeys told her what happened the night before.

Neilson's face became livid when he noticed the red marks. He hissed, "Shameful! Kneel!"

Shirlene looked Neilson in the eye and asked coolly, "Why?"

"Why? Don't you know what you did last night? I didn't believe it at first. But it turns out you did disgrace our family so. You're married. How could you sleep around? You have no self-respect. I wish you were never born!" Neilson's chest heaved with rage, his face livid. Molly stood up immediately to soothe him.

"Neilson, you're in poor health. Don't be mad. Shirlene must have been drunk last night. Otherwise, she wouldn't have... It must've been an accident." Molly's tone was soft, but there was a gloating look in her eyes. "Shirlene, say you're sorry. Then, your father will..."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Shirlene cast a disdainful glance at her and chuckled, "This is the Osborne's home. Do you have the right to speak here?"

Having been deceived by Molly's false affection in the past, Shirlene had once believed Molly was genuinely helping her each time she spoke this way. However, apologizing now would be akin to admitting the validity of Molly and Daisy's accusations.

Molly froze on the spot. A tinge of hatred showed in her eyes.

"Shirlene, where are your manners? Molly is your stepmother. How could you speak to her like that?" Neilson snapped.

Shirlene stared at him with a sneer. "Dad, did you forget how my mom died?"

Neilson's expression changed sharply. Unease was plain in his eyes. As if to conceal his nervousness, he raised his voice and shouted, "How stubborn you are! Daisy, show her the picture. It's evidence!"

Daisy pretended to be hesitant. She looked at Neilson and slowly took out her phone. But deep down, she was ecstatic.

She brought up the topic because she was well-prepared. In front of the evidence, Shirlene wouldn't be able to deny the affair.

Daisy tapped the picture and handed her phone to Shirlene. Then, she pried, "Someone sent me this photo before long after I left last night. Shirlene, did you really sleep with Nolan?"

Shirlene enlarged the photo on Daisy's phone. After looking at it, she scoffed.

"That's not me!"

Shirlene put the phone in front of Neilson and enlarged the picture. Pointing to the woman in the picture, she sneered, "Dad, don't you recognize your own daughter?"

Shirlene was rebellious and stubborn while Daisy was meek and understanding. So, Neilson believed Daisy, his illegitimate daughter. When Daisy told him about Shirlene's affair, he bought it immediately and hardly looked at the photo.

Hearing Shirlene's words, he surveyed the picture and frowned instantly.

It was a man and a woman in disheveled clothes. The angle was terrible, and the light was dim. Still, Neilson could tell the woman wasn't Shirlene.

Daisy's heart skipped a beat when she saw the doubt in Neilson's eyes.

What was the matter?

Her plan should be impeccable.

She had drugged Shirlene's wine the night before, and she had watched Shirlene drink it before carrying her into the room. The man taking the photo was also hired by Daisy. How could there be a mistake?

"Daisy, what's going on?" Neilson turned to Daisy and asked sternly.

Daisy hurriedly grabbed her phone and looked at the picture. The woman indeed wasn't Shirlene.

She was fooled!

No wonder the man she hired stalled before sending the picture to her. It turned out he didn't take any photos of Shirlene.

Daisy bit her lip awkwardly. "Dad, I was only concerned. I didn't see the picture clearly. But the red marks on Shirlene's neck..."

The picture might be fake, but the hickeys on Shirlene's neck weren't! Daisy figured Shirlene couldn't deny it now.

Shirlene raised her brows and sneered, "What? Do I have to have your permission to sleep with my husband?"

"You and Sebastian? How's it possible?" Daisy blurted out, her face pale.

Shirlene looked at her with a half-smile and called Sebastian.

A few seconds later, Sebastian said coldly, "What is it?"

Shirlene turned on the speaker and smiled, "Honey, where was I last night?"

After a few seconds of silence, Sebastian answered, "Home."

Seeing Daisy's nervous expression, Shirlene asked further with a smile, "Was I with you?"

Sebastian answered faintly, "Hmm." Then, he added, "Get to the point."

"Nothing serious. Someone questioned our legal sex life. I want her to face the fact." Shirlene stared at Daisy sarcastically.

Sebastian said, "I'm at a meeting. I'm hanging up."

Daisy bowed her head. She clenched her fists so tightly her nails stuck into her flesh, but she didn't seem to notice. Jealousy and hatred filled her heart.

Didn't Shirlene hate Sebastian? When did they become intimate?

Daisy couldn't accept it.

"Happy now?" Shirlene took a step toward Daisy with a frightening sneer. "Now, it's time for me to reckon with you for framing me."

Daisy bit her lip to stay calm. "Shirlene, I..."

A loud smack sounded. Daisy stopped midsentence.

She covered her face with a hand, her eyelashes fluttering. Her eyes dripped with resentment.

"Does it hurt?" Shirlene's wrist had gone numb from the impact. She massaged it. Looking at Daisy's red and swollen cheek, she sneered, "Daisy, do you think I don't know what you did?"

Daisy looked up. She panicked when she met Shirlene's icy eyes. "Shirlene, I told Dad about it without confirming it. I was wrong. But I was truly concerned about you. You're married, but you go out with Nolan often. If the paparazzi take photos of you and him, your career and the reputation of the Osborne family will be ruined."

Neilson felt terrible about wronging Shirlene. But when he heard Daisy's words, his face darkened again.

"Daisy meant well. You paid no attention to your conduct. How can you blame her?"

Shirlene looked at Neilson. "Dad, do you know why I went to Nolan's birthday party last night?"

Neilson only snorted.

Shirlene wasn't surprised. Everyone thought she was crazy about Nolan.

"Dad, you don't want me to have anything to do with Nolan. So, I broke up with him a month ago. How could I possibly go to his birthday party?" Shirlene felt great when she saw Daisy's face go increasingly pale. "Daisy called me last night, saying the people at the party were trying to get her drunk. She was afraid and wanted me to take her home.

"When I got there, she made me stay and drink in her stead. Yes, I can't hold my drink. But I wouldn't have gotten drunk after two drinks. Why did I pass out after drinking your wine?"

The color drained from Daisy's face. Trembling, she explained, "Shirlene, you're overthinking. Maybe the wine was too strong. You were sad. I was trying to cheer you up..."

Shirlene squinted with a menacing look in her eyes. "What do you think the report will say if I go to the hospital and have a drug test now?"

Daisy shivered, her face pasty.

Neilson would kick her out if the truth came out.

No! She wouldn't let that happen!

She looked at Molly for help. Molly understood and screamed with her hand on her belly.

Shirlene saw their trick through. She said, "Dad, Daisy is always scheming. We can't..."

Molly raised her voice. Covering her belly, she shrieked, "Ow, m-my belly...my baby..."

Neilson got nervous when she mentioned the baby. He supported Molly at once.

Her face was pale, and her forehead was sweaty. Neilson glared at Shirlene. "Talk about this later. I won't spare you if anything happens to your brother!"

Shirlene glanced at Molly's belly with a darkening expression.

Molly had also gotten pregnant in Shirlene's previous life. Neilson cherished the baby, hoping it was a boy. But Molly had a miscarriage in the end.

It had something to do with Shirlene.

And it happened tonight, at Daisy's birthday party.

For some reason, Shirlene went skeptical, and she looked at Molly tentatively. "It's been more than three months already, and you still haven't shown. Nothing is wrong with the baby, is it?"

A trace of panic flashed across Molly's eyes, and she didn't dare to meet Shirlene's gaze at all. Molly took Neilson's hand and said in a low voice, "Neilson, I'm not feeling well. I want to go back to the room and rest for a while."

Though Neilson had doubts and dissatisfaction with what Daisy had done, he could only temporarily endure for the sake of Molly's baby.

"Daisy, help your mom to the room for her to rest." Then Neilson turned around. He said, "Call the doctor."

Daisy was relieved and quickly helped Molly up the stairs.

Looking at their backs, Shirlene said sarcastically, "Dad, you're not going to cover for Daisy, are you?"

Neilson snorted, "You wouldn't have caused so much trouble if everything you did had been so flawless."

Shirlene sneered, "Are you saying that it's my fault that she set me up?"

Neilson looked unhappy. "Molly is pregnant and shouldn't be stimulated. No matter whose fault it is, I'll call it a day."

Shirlene thought, "I knew Dad would cover up for Daisy, but when I actually hear him say it, I'm still very disappointed and upset.

"I'm not as important to Dad as a homewrecker and an illegitimate daughter.

"How ridiculous."

She looked at Neilson coldly and sneered again, "She'd better give you a son!"

Neilson, pretending not to hear the sarcasm in her tone, said domineeringly, "Daisy's birthday party is at Sunrise Hotel tonight, and you must be there."

Shirlene knew that it was what Molly wanted.

Though Molly was just a homewrecker, and Daisy was the illegitimate daughter, Molly still wanted everyone to know that Daisy was also the daughter of the Osborne family.

Therefore, Molly used her pregnancy to trick Neilson into formally introducing Daisy at Daisy's birthday party tonight.

Thinking about what was about to happen at the birthday party, Shirlene said, a cold light flashing across her eyes, "OK. I'll go."

Neilson was a little surprised and wanted to say something, yet eventually, he didn't. Without saying anything, he turned and went upstairs to see Molly.

Shirlene went back to the car and called Sebastian.

"What's up?" he asked coldly.

"Sebastian, Dad says we're having Daisy's birthday party at Sunrise Hotel tonight. You..."

Before she could finish, Sebastian interrupted her coldly, "Not available."

Shirlene was stunned. She was about to say something while he had already hung up the phone.

She looked at the dimmed screen and sighed.

Then she drove to the hospital while thinking about how to appease Sebastian.

She didn't have much time, and she had to get ready before the party.

It was 7:00 in the evening, and everyone had gathered in the ballroom of Sunrise Hotel.

Daisy took Neilson's arm and sweetly followed him to chat and toast with the guests.

"Mr. Osborne, is this your daughter, Shirlene Osborne? She looks so pretty," Alec Curme from Universe Corporation sized Daisy up and smiled.

The smile on Daisy's face stiffened, and a flicker of annoyance crossed her eyes. Yet soon, she hid her emotions well and smiled delicately, "Mr. Curme, in fact, I'm Dad's younger daughter. I'm Daisy."

"I'm sorry for being rude." Alec's eyes became playful at once, and he looked at Daisy with a bit more disdain.

Secrets seldom survived when it came to the upper class. He knew that Daisy was the daughter of Molly, the homewrecker, and Daisy could never be compared with Shirlene, the daughter of Neilson's wife. Daisy was unpresentable, and she would never be able to walk around with dignity.

Daisy gritted her teeth bitterly but could only maintain a decent smile. She finally managed to persuade Neilson to throw her a birthday party to introduce her formally, and she would never let such trivial matters ruin everything.

She checked the time on the clock on the wall and reminded Neilson, "Dad, it's getting late. The guests are here already. Shall we announce to begin the feast?"

Neilson looked down at his watch and nodded with a sullen face.

He thought, "I shouldn't have expected anything from Shirlene. She promised me she'd come this morning, and yet now she's nowhere to be seen."

He went onto the stage while holding Daisy's arm, and Molly followed them naturally, standing on Daisy's right-hand side.

"Thank you all for coming to the birthday party for my daughter, Daisy..."

The door of the banquet hall was pulled open at the same time, and Neilson paused.

"Looks like I'm a bit late." Someone's voice mixed with a smile came from the door of the banquet hall.

The crowd looked in the direction of the voice, and their breathing paused for a second.

They saw a face so beautiful that all of them were intoxicated.

Her skin was fair, and her eyes, like amber gems under her thick curling eyelashes, were glowing cold to the point where the others were actually a bit terrified to look at her.

She wore a green fishtail dress that made her slim and tall. Her thick, fluffy long curly hair fell over her shoulders, making her look pure, seductive, and definitely unforgettable.

All that was left of the banquet hall was the sound of breathing.

All eyes were drawn to Shirlene.

Shirlene raised her eyes slightly, looking coldly and haughtily at Daisy's twisted, pale face, and curling up her lips defiantly.

Alec took a sip of wine and smiled, thinking, "Sure enough. The illegitimate daughter can never be a match for the real daughter of the Osborne family."

Shirlene walked calmly into the ballroom, took a glass of wine, and walked up to the stage.

Looking at Shirlene's sharp eyes, Daisy felt scared and subconsciously grasped Molly's hand.

Shirlene was about 1.7 meters tall. When she stood in front of Daisy, she made Daisy feel very overwhelmed. She leaned closer to Daisy and sneered, "Are you afraid?"

"You're here, Shirlene." Daisy stared at her defensively.

Neilson's face darkened. He gave Shirlene a warning look and reminded her in a low voice, "Don't mess around with so many people watching."

With a gleam of sarcasm in her eyes, Shirlene raised her glass to Daisy and said, word after word, "Happy birthday, my dear sister!"

With that, she gulped down the wine and looked at Daisy.

With a flicker of hatred in her eyes, Daisy waved to the waiter.

When the waiter handed her the wine, Daisy had a slip of hand deliberately, and the wine spilled on Molly, who was next to her.

Daisy exclaimed softly, and her face turned pale at once. She quickly bent down to wipe Molly's evening dress.

Molly was wearing a beige evening dress today. With the wine stains seeping into the fabric, there was no way to get it stainless again. Things would only get worse.

Shirlene looked at Daisy and Molly coldly and thought, "I can't believe I fell for such a lame act in my previous life."

Neilson looked gloomy. The eyes around him made him a little more annoyed with Daisy. "Stop wiping it. Go change and then come back."

Daisy looked hesitant. It occurred to Neilson that it was the first time she was here, and perhaps she wasn't familiar with the surroundings, so he said to Shirlene, "Shirlene, take Molly up so that she can change her dress."

Shirlene smiled, knowing that the show was about to begin.

She looked at Daisy and then Molly, her eyes obscure. "Come with me."

Daisy felt a surge of nervousness as Shirlene fixed her gaze on her. A premonition that Shirlene might be aware of something unsettled her deeply.

She even felt an impulse to halt Molly.

Clutching her palms tightly, Daisy struggled to suppress her anxiety as she observed Molly trailing Shirlene up the spiral stairs.

The ballroom spanned two floors, with a makeup room and a lounge on the upper level, accessible via the spiral stairs.

Shirlene scanned the ballroom, sighing in disappointment upon finding no trace of Sebastian.

She figured that he wouldn't show up tonight.

Then she looked at Molly out of the corner of her eye.

Despite Molly's composure, her unnatural expression gave her away.

Instead of exposing her, Shirlene took her into the lounge.

To attend to Molly, who was pregnant, the Osborne family had assigned two maids to accompany her. Spotting Shirlene and Molly's entrance, the maids quickly moved to assist Molly in changing her dress.

Within a few minutes, Molly emerged from the dressing room in her new attire.

A significant, enigmatic smile played on her lips as she noticed Shirlene still waiting outside.

"I'm done. Shirlene, shall we go down?" She stepped forward kindly and tried to hold Shirlene's hand.

Shirlene hastily withdrew her hand, casting a cold glance at Molly. She exited the lounge ahead of Molly.

A momentary flash of venom crossed Molly's eyes. She winked at the maids beside her and swiftly followed Shirlene.

Approaching the staircase, Molly rushed to catch up with Shirlene, hastily saying, "Shirlene, don't be upset about what happened this morning, okay? After all, we're family."

Shirlene halted and regarded her with an inscrutable expression.

As Shirlene stopped, a triumphant gleam flickered in Molly's eyes. She lifted her hand to caress her belly, assuming an air of superiority. "Your birth mother passed away early, and your father has always desired a son. I'm his only hope now. Even if you're angry, you'll have to endure it."

Shirlene's birth mother's death had always been a sensitive point for her, and Molly knew precisely how to exploit it to provoke Shirlene.

"Say that again!" Shirlene stared at Molly with utterly cold eyes.

Witnessing Shirlene taking the bait, Molly intentionally closed the distance, discarded the façade, and directly provoked her, "So what if I say it again? What can you do to me? Your mother died early, didn't she? What was the point of being from a respectable family? Your father never loved her. That's why he let her suffer and die without lifting a finger!"

Shirlene clenched her fists, battling against the profound hatred welling up within her. She repeatedly reminded herself that it was Molly's scheme and that she mustn't fall into the trap.

After a deep breath, she looked up at Molly with a sardonic smile. "Even if you give birth to a son for my father, you'll still be a despicable person for the rest of your life!"

Then she turned and was about to go downstairs.

Molly was stunned for a second.

She thought, "With Shirlene's character, she would have done something to me when she heard me humiliate her mother. How is this different from what I pictured?

"No way! I can't wait any longer. I can't hide it anymore..."

Molly, gritting her teeth, closed her eyes, and just as Shirlene was descending the stairs, she leaned forward and tumbled down.

Almost simultaneously, a scream erupted from the maids behind Molly, "Oh my! Ms. Osborne pushed Mrs. Osborne down the stairs!"

The once lively banquet hall descended into an eerie silence.

Molly lay sprawled on the carpet, crimson blood seeping from underneath her. Gripping her stomach, she groaned in pain, crying out, "My baby! Save my baby!"

Daisy rushed over promptly. Embracing Molly, she confronted Shirlene, who stood on the stairs, "Shirlene, how could you? Can't you tolerate the presence of your own brother?"

Upon hearing this, everyone in the room realized the gravity of the situation and was stunned.

Such scenes weren't uncommon among the upper class, but Shirlene had become the first to push her pregnant stepmother down the stairs in front of a large audience.

In an instant, everyone gathered around them, not wanting to miss a bit of the juicy gossip.

Step by step, Shirlene walked up to Daisy. Before she could say anything, Neilson walked over, raised his hand, and was about to slap her in the face.

"You wicked girl! How dare you..."

Shirlene grabbed his hand nimbly and looked at him coldly. "Dad, are you going to convict me before things get clear?"

Her eyes were crystal clear, and she didn't look guilty or scared at all.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Neilson harbored no trust for Shirlene. Through gritted teeth, he uttered coldly, "You're not suggesting she simply tumbled down the stairs and set you up, are you?"

Shirlene sneered, casting an ambiguous gaze at Daisy. "Why wouldn't she? She isn't..."

Being looked at by Shirlene, Daisy panicked and immediately interrupted her loudly, accusing her, "Shirlene, no matter what, he is your own brother. He is innocent! How could you?

"I know you hate us. You think I snatched Dad away from you, and you are worried that Mom will give birth to a baby boy, who will fight you over the family property. Yet we have never thought about fighting with you for anything. If you don't believe me, I can sign an agreement, or I can leave the Osborne's place... How could you do such a nasty thing?"

Daisy was agitated and furious. She glared at Shirlene, her eyes red and tinged with disappointment and hatred.

Shirlene thought, "It's a shame that Daisy didn't choose to be an actress. I would have believed her words if I hadn't known the truth."

"Do you have any proof that I pushed her down the stairs?" Shirlene showed no signs of panic at all. She was even calm and composed.

Witnessing Daisy's increasing agitation, the maids received a rapid signal from her and immediately stepped forward.

One of the maids pointed accusingly at Shirlene, declaring with excitement, "I can testify! I saw Ms. Osborne push Mrs. Osborne down the stairs. Ms. Osborne claimed that the baby Mrs. Osborne carried would be a threat to her share of the family's fortune in the future, so the child should not be allowed to live!

"Ms. Osborne, even though Mrs. Osborne isn't your biological mother, she has always treated you as her own daughter, never showing any bias. Moreover, she is over three months pregnant. How could you commit such an act? It's a human life!"

The maid's words convicted Shirlene and proved Daisy's words to be true.

Instantly, all eyes were on Shirlene, reflecting various emotions like disdain, disgust, and other sinister sentiments.

The banquet hall erupted in noise.

"Who would have thought? Shirlene is so ruthless. How could she harm her own brother? Isn't she afraid of the consequences?"

"She's truly wicked! Despite her appearance, she's nothing more than a schemer. If she can harm her pregnant stepmother for the family's wealth, who's to say she won't harm her father to secure her position in the future?"

"I heard that Ms. Osborne didn't have a good reputation to begin with, as she had made a fool of herself repeatedly because of some man. Mr. Osborne was very disappointed in her, so he has been wholeheartedly cultivating the adopted daughter. See? Today's birthday party is to pave her way."

"You can never judge a book by its cover indeed. No wonder she goes after her stepmother. Everything makes sense now. Maybe Mr. Osborne has seen through her, and that's why he has chosen to favor his adopted daughter.

Shirlene was bombarded with accusations and questions.

She lowered her eyes slightly, and there was no emotion on her face.

In the eyes of others, it seems that she had nothing to refute, and she acknowledged in silence that what they said was true.

Seeing the onlookers and Shirlene's reactions, Daisy was complacent.

She thought, "After tonight, I will be the only daughter of the Osborne family, and Shirlene's reputation will be ruined. She will never gain her footing again.

"Just thinking about it makes me feel so great."

Daisy put her hands over her face to hide her smile and asked bitterly, "Shirlene, you let me down so deeply. How could you be so cruel?"

"Cruel?" Shirlene, who had been silent, raised her eyes slowly and looked at Daisy sarcastically. Then Shirlene sneered a few times, "Who is the cruel one here, is it me or you? Your mom had a miscarriage, right? Why did you blame me at once instead of calling an ambulance for her? What your purpose was? Do I really have to say it out loud?"

Daisy's expression changed drastically at once. Seeing the questioning eyes cast on her, she bit her lip and said loudly, "Shirlene, by saying so, are you admitting that you pushed my mom downstairs?"

Shirlene sneered, "I didn't say that."

She looked at Molly, who was pale, and said with a meaningful sneer, "Don't worry. Now that your daughter forgot to call a doctor for you, I did."

Molly was blanched by the look in Shirlene's eyes and felt vaguely uneasy. She clutched Daisy's hand hard, and Daisy immediately looked down. They exchanged a look.

Daisy quickly reacted and said loudly, "No need. I'll call an ambulance for my mom myself. There's no need to trouble you."

Daisy looked wary as if she was afraid Shirlene was with ulterior motives and would do something to hurt them.

"Why are you so uneasy?" Shirlene gave her a half-smile, took out her phone, and made a call.

Looking at her, Daisy had a bad feeling.

She reached out subconsciously and pressed Shirlene's phone.

Her gut told her that she must stop Shirlene.

"Shirlene, my mom is already like this. What more do you want?" Daisy's eyes were red, and she glared at Shirlene with sadness. "If it's still not enough for you, you can beat me and scold me however you want after we go back. Just don't mess around anymore now, OK? Dad will be upset."

Then Daisy glanced at Molly and Neilson, looking upset and in a quandary.

Her act of pretending to be graceful and forgiving won her a lot of praise instantly.

"Who knows? Mr. Osborne's adopted daughter is actually so sensible. No wonder she is favored."

"You're right. The eldest daughter of the Osborne family is quite insensible. By making a scene on such an occasion, she is embarrassing her father utterly."

Hearing their voices, Neilson pulled an even longer face. "Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Come over here and apologize to Molly!"

Shirlene ignored Neilson. She turned her gaze slowly from Daisy's face to the lit phone screen. It showed that the call was through.

Then she pushed Daisy's hand away, picked up the phone, and said, "Did you hear that? You may come over here now."

"Shirlene! What the heck are you up to?" Neilson glared at her, exasperated.

She hung up the phone and looked mockingly at Neilson. "What can I up to? I just want you to see through the two women you've been so doted on. Or do you want to be fooled by them for the rest of your life?"

Neilson was puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"You'll know soon."

Daisy was alerted, and she realized something horrifyingly. She felt that it was not that Shirlene had fallen into a trap they had set, but that they had fallen into Shirlene's trap instead.

She thought, "No way! This cannot go on. I have to stop this!"

"Dad, why don't we take Mom to the hospital before anything?" she pleaded.

Molly immediately played along. She collapsed into Daisy's arms and pretended that she was about to faint.

Neilson wanted to continue to ask Shirlene. Yet when he saw Molly covered in blood, he could only glare at Shirlene, displeased, and was about to call an ambulance.

Just then, the door to the banquet hall was pulled open again, and a middle-aged man in a white coat walked in.

"Ms. Osborne," he greeted Shirlene. Then he looked at Neilson and Molly. "Mr. Osborne, Mrs. Osborne."

His eyes flickered when he saw the blood on Molly's dress.

Such a reaction of his only lasted for a second, yet Neilson still keenly noticed it. Neilson's eyes turned sharp at once, and he looked at Molly.

Molly was deadly pale, and she could hardly go on with her performance. She stared at the man without blinking, trembling uncontrollably.

Looking shocked, Daisy grabbed Molly's hand and said nervously, "Dr. Baldwin, why are you here?"

"I invited him to be here, of course." Shirlene looked at Neilson coldly. "Dad, you know Dr. Baldwin, right? He is Molly's attending. He's been taking care of every checkup she's had since she got pregnant. Even though you don't believe me, at least you believe him, right?"

Neilson finally realized something was off. "What are you trying to say?"

"Dr. Baldwin, you know her better than anyone else. I hope you can tell us the truth," Shirlene said, emphasizing the word "truth", and there was a cold chill in her eyes.

Hector Baldwin nodded, looking a bit awkward, and took out a copy of the examination report, and handed it to Neilson.

Daisy's breath paused for a second when she saw the examination report, and she almost wanted to grab it and tear it apart.

Both she and Molly knew very well that they couldn't afford the consequences after Neilson saw the report.

"Dad!" one second before Neilson saw the words on the report, Daisy shouted, flustered. "Mom has lost a lot of blood. Let's take her to the hospital, OK?"

Shirlene wrapped her arms around her chest and sneered, "She's not pregnant. Even though she fell down the stairs, she wouldn't bleed."

Shirlene's words caused an uproar in the hall.

Every onlooker looked at Hector, waiting for a great show.

Hector wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and said to Neilson, "Ms. Osborne is right. Mrs. Osborne is not pregnant. I presume that she had a lot of miscarriages when she was younger, so it would have been hard for her to get pregnant, to begin with. Besides, given her age, the chance of her getting pregnant now is almost zero. So... She isn't pregnant at all."

Hector's words collapsed Neilson's world. He was utterly shocked.

With trembling hands, he took the report and read the words on it one by one. The words "not pregnant" hit him like a slap in the face.

He was angry that he had been deceived and at the same time, disappointed. He couldn't even tell which feeling was stronger.

It never occurred to him that Molly dared to lie to him about this.

"Do you want to explain?" he smashed the report in Molly's face and said angrily.

Molly was so scared that her face was bloodless. She reached out and grabbed Neilson's pants leg in panic, crying and saying, "Neilson, please, listen to me. This is not true..."

Daisy was so shocked that she failed to react at once. After she came back to her senses, she quickly pointed at Shirlene and shouted, "Dad, I'm sure it's Shirlene who bribed Dr. Baldwin! Have you forgotten that you've accompanied Mom to a checkup once? It was Dr. Baldwin who did the checkup for her. He said that Mom was pregnant back then."

Daisy glared menacingly at Hector from an angle Neilson couldn't see, threatening Hector silently.

Hector lowered his head in shame. "I admit that I took money from Mrs. Osborne and made a false pregnancy test report. If Ms. Osborne hadn't come to me, I might have kept making mistakes."

With that, he took a bank card out of his pocket and handed it to Daisy. "Here's the 80 thousand dollars you gave me. I'm now giving it back to you."

Daisy looked at the card, the expression on her face changing a few times. "Dr. Baldwin, you are a doctor, and you ought to have medical ethics. When did we ever give you money? Are you threatened by someone?"

She denied it. Hearing that, Hector said, "It's easy to know the truth. Everything will be clear as long as Mrs. Osborne goes to the hospital to do a checkup."

Hearing that, Daisy was relieved.

She and Molly had prepared for everything for the sake of tonight. As long as they went to the hospital, there would be a doctor proving that Molly indeed had a miscarriage. In such a way, Molly could clear her name of falsifying her pregnancy.

"No need. I can give her a brief checkup right now." Suddenly, a gentle, clear male voice rang out.

Shirlene looked in the direction where the voice came from, saw the man, and was stunned.

She thought, "Simon?

"Why is he here? Does that mean Sebastian's here as well?"

Shirlene looked up quickly and carefully around her, but she didn't see the familiar figure. A trace of disappointment flashed across her eyes.

"Stop looking. He isn't here." Simon shattered the last bit of her hope.

She lowered her head and smiled ruefully.

She thought, "That makes sense. What am I expecting? Why would Sebastian come to this type of banquet?"

Shirlene didn't notice that when Simon was talking to her, he was looking at a corner somewhere upstairs.

"It's been a while, Mr. Osborne," Simon smiled. "Mr. Osborne, you won't be mad at me for showing up uninvited, will you?"

Simon was the future heir of the Wilson family. Even if Neilson was unhappy, he wouldn't reveal it.

"Not at all," Neilson smiled and patted Simon's shoulder as a courtesy.

Simon had received the invitation from the Osborne family a week earlier, but he was not at all interested in attending the birthday party of an illegitimate daughter. He wouldn't have been here today if Sebastian hadn't asked him to.

"Mr. Osborne, you know that I've studied medicine as a child. Though I'm not famous I'm capable of telling whether a woman is pregnant or not."

Neilson nodded stiffly. "Thank you very much."

"No problem. I'm just doing someone a favor." Simon glanced at Shirlene meaningfully and then was about to approach Molly.

Molly subconsciously shrank. Being glared at by Neilson, she had no choice but to accept being treated by Simon.

"Not pregnant."

Simon exposed Molly directly.

Molly slumped to the ground, her ears filled with taunts.

"Who knows? She's so shameless. She pretends to be pregnant and lies through her teeth! And she makes it look so real. She disgusts me."

"She was a homewrecker, to begin with. Is there anything she won't do? She doesn't have boundaries at all."

"She almost ruined Ms. Shirlene's reputation. How vicious."

The tide had turned in the blink of an eye. Those people who had been scolding Shirlene were now pointing fingers at Daisy and Molly.

Daisy clenched her fists, snapped, and shouted at Shirlene, "Even though she isn't pregnant, you pushed her off the stairs. That's the truth, right?"

Shirlene curled up her lips and sneered, "Why don't we check the surveillance footage?"

The spot where the incident occurred was a blind spot for surveillance, and Daisy had already checked it before today. Hearing Shirlene say so, she nodded and agreed at once.

The hotel manager immediately made a call to the top management.

Mike Gracie, the owner of Sunrise Hotel, was upstairs in the VIP room.

He received the call and glanced tentatively at the man sitting on the couch.

The man slouched on a leather sofa in the warm yellow light. He stared at the slender figure on the large surveillance screen, his face showing no emotion.

Mike hung up the phone, went to the couch, and respectfully asked, "Mr. Pearson, Ms. Shirlene required to check the hotel surveillance. What do you think?"

"OK," Sebastian said flatly.

"Mr. Gracie, please project this onto the big screen in the banquet hall." Donald Cheadle, the assistant standing aside, took out a USB flash disk and handed it to Mike.

Mike quickly took it with both hands and got on it himself.

A minute later, a surveillance video was played on the big screen in the banquet hall.

"Your mother died early...

"Your father didn't love her at all..."

Molly's voice rang through the ballroom.

Neilson looked at her in shock. He could not believe that Molly, who had always appeared to be gentle when she was around him, could say such vitriolic and even vicious things to Shirlene, his daughter.

Something deep down in his heart collapsed.

The video continued to play. The footage clearly showed that Shirlene and Molly had no physical contact, and Molly rolled down the stairs herself.

Now that her true colors were exposed, Molly didn't dare to pretend anymore. She quickly got up from the ground, reached for Neilson's arm, and begged, "Neilson, no, it's not like that. Let me explain."

Neilson slapped her in the face. "You bitch! What are you trying to quibble now?"

Molly was so flustered that she blurted out with tears, "Believe me, Neilson. The video is fake! It is a blind spot, and whatever happens there cannot be captured by surveillance!"

Shirlene said with a half-smile, "So, you already knew that, and you used it to frame me, right?"

Molly immediately realized that she had spilled the beans and said unreasonably, "Shirlene, how could you edit the video, just because you wanted to get away with it? The maids saw you push me..."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Osborne. I was greedy and took Mrs. Osborne's money, and therefore I claimed that Ms. Osborne had pushed Mrs. Osborne downstairs. Mrs. Osborne did it herself, because she knew that her lies about being pregnant would soon be exposed," the maid, who had testified for Molly, suddenly twitched sides.