Chapter 1

The third year after I returned home, my family went bankrupt, and my parents were murdered.

I fell from being a pampered heiress to working odd jobs just to survive.

To uncover the truth behind my parents' deaths, I married my ex-boyfriend’s father.

In public, Julian Thorne was aloof and dangerously elegant, his eyes filled with endless sarcasm and mockery.

"What? Couldn't reel me in, so you decided to hook my dad instead? Planning to be my stepmom now?"

But behind closed doors, his eyes would turn bloodshot as he gripped my waist, punishing me again and again.

"Stepmom… scream for me… a million bucks for every gasp…"

Three years after returning to the country, my family’s company unexpectedly went bankrupt, and both my parents died.

I went from being the darling of our circle to a laughingstock.

Burdened with debt, I had no choice but to work and simultaneously investigate the truth behind my parents' murder.

One evening, while serving drinks at a high-end club, a few luxury cars pulled up outside, and several rich young men stepped out.

Among them, I instantly spotted him: Julian Thorne, my ex-boyfriend.

He was wearing a black suit, his figure lean and tall. Rimless designer glasses framed his face, making him look exceptionally sophisticated and distant.

My heart was in turmoil. Just then, Mr. Davis, the club manager, assigned me to deliver drinks to their room, and I absently accepted.

The room number was 816. I knocked on the door, then pushed it open, carrying the tray of drinks inside.

But the next second, I regretted it.

The private room was thick with smoke, and neon lights flashed erratically.

Julian sat in the main seat. Beneath his suit jacket, his white shirt was unbuttoned, creating an aura of forbidden allure.

My body stiffened instantly. I lowered my head, praying he wouldn’t recognize me.

"Well, well, isn't that Miss Skylar? What are you doing in a place like this?"

As soon as I set the drinks down, one of the men beside Julian called out to me, his tone laced with amusement.

"Julian, you’ve just returned from abroad, so you might not know,"

"This, right here, is our infamous Miss Skylar."

Another man grabbed Julian’s arm and began rattling off my entire family history, complete with all the juicy details.

Julian lit a cigarette, glanced at me, and smirked.

"Oh, really? That famous, huh?"

I couldn't bear to listen to their insulting words anymore. After placing the drinks, I turned to leave.

But then, one of the rich guys abruptly shut the door.

"Didn't Miss Skylar used to love singing? How about a song for us?"

I felt a surge of humiliation. I set the microphone aside, picked up a fresh one, and was about to sing.

Suddenly, a low, sarcastic chuckle sounded in my ear.

"Having a club girl sing? Don't you worry about tainting the air with such vulgarity?"