Chapter 1 Caught Cheating

Janet's POV:

I stood right outside the bedroom, listening intently. The creaking sound that the bed made could be heard from where I was.

"I've given you everything! How have you still not broken up with Janet?" Jocelyn's voice sounded like honey as she spoke. "What's so good about her? Janet is adopted. She's nothing to our family."

"Let's not talk about it while we're in bed, alright?" There was a sense of unhappiness and dissatisfaction in Steve's voice as he hastily tried to change the topic.

Exhausted and feeling sick, I just stood there. My feet seemed to have been glued to the floor. As I eavesdropped on their conversation in front of the bedroom door, I suddenly felt the urge to throw up.

I had just come back from the hospital. Three months ago, the woman who raised me, Hannah Stone, was diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. It was discovered so late that it was now in an advanced stage. She was in dire need of a liver transplant and an incredibly ridiculous amount of money for her treatment. Everything had to be sorted out as soon as possible.

Now, my sister was sleeping with my lover. I guess it was true what people say, 'When it rains, it pours.'

"I don't give a rat's ass about it! You have to make a choice right now. Is it me or her?" Jocelyn was panting as she anxiously demanded an answer from Steve.

At that very moment, I had no idea what came over me. I kicked the door and barged in on them. Looking down at my sister and the man I loved, I coldly said, "Make a choice? He's just a man. You can have him if you like."

It may have seemed that I did not care but deep inside, I was hurting.

The pain of betrayal almost devoured me. My eyes were fixated on the two people in front of me. I had to endure the agony. The pain in my heart was too much that I was even oblivious of how deep my nails dug into the flesh of my palms as I clenched my hands ever so tightly.

Steve was my college classmate. He was ridiculously good-looking. To top it all off, he was privileged to be born in a wealthy family. For three long years, he chased after me.

When we were about to graduate, he declared his love for me once again.

I could remember it like it was only yesterday. On the playground of the campus, almost everyone in the university gathered around to witness his profession of love for me. Embraced by the crowd's relentless cheering, I said yes.

The memory of it all was so vivid in my mind. I never once forgot about it.

Now, however, I knew I had to.

As if on cue, Steve pushed Jocelyn away. There was panic in his eyes as he looked at me. Steve opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Jocelyn almost fell to the floor. Anger was evident on her face.

"What the fuck do you mean by that? He freaking dumped you! Don't you get it? Bitch!" The sheet was wrapped around her naked body as Jocelyn scornfully mocked me. Her eyes flew to Steve and said, "Steve, tell Janet what you told me just now!"

However, not a word escaped Steve's lips. Hastily, he put his trousers back on and got out of bed. With his knees on the floor, there were tears streaming down his face as Steve grabbed my wrist. "Janet, forgive me. I am begging you. I have no idea what got into me," he begged. I could hear the desperation in his voice.

Despite his heart-wrenching plea, I looked down on him, coldly. It was as if I was looking at a stray dog on the street.

"I'm sorry, Steve. The truth is, I never was in love with you. Besides, I am not a garbage bin. I'm not going to take back something that Jocelyn had already laid her hands on. Clearly, you two are perfect for each other. Let's just break up."

The look of anger and bitterness on Jocelyn's face made me feel much better.

When we were little girls, Jocelyn greatly enjoyed taking things away from me; dolls, candies and everything. Now that we were older, it was a man that she snatched. I had gotten accustomed to this wretched habit of hers.

The only thing on my mind now was Hannah's medical expenses.

I was about to leave when I heard rapid footsteps from the corridor. It was Bernie and Fiona, my adoptive parents.

"It's late at night. What is all that noise?"

Bernie was the first to walk in. Seeing Jocelyn naked as a baby, he pointed at her and screamed, "What the hell are you doing?! You are bound to get married in a couple of days. How can you do this now?"

There were tears streaming down Jocelyn's face as she pointed at Steve and said, "I'm pregnant. It's his child! I cannot possibly marry someone else now. You have to cancel the wedding!" "What?!" Steve was slack-jawed, unable to believe what he had just heard.

"What the hell are you talking about?! You are spoiled rotten!" Bernie raised his hand and slapped Jocelyn.

As if on cue, Fiona rushed in front of Jocelyn, protecting her. Her voice was soft as she cried. "Bernie... How could you raise a hand to Jocelyn? Look, Janet is also our daughter. She can marry that man in Jocelyn's place!"

Years after Bernie and Fiona had gotten married, they were still unable to have a baby. The pressure from both their families was too much for them to bear that they decided to adopt me in order to appease them.

However, not long after my adoption, Fiona got pregnant and later gave birth to Jocelyn.

As far as I could remember, Fiona had always despised me. When Jocelyn came along, Fiona's hatred for me grew with every passing day.

As time went by, I grew up with skills and capabilities that overshadowed Jocelyn's in many aspects. As a result, I became a threat for Fiona.

I heard that Jocelyn had been promised to marry the illegitimate son of the Lester family. When he was but a child, he was kicked out, left jobless and poor.

Jocelyn had always thought highly of herself. There was no way in hell she'd let herself marry a looser like that.

It felt as if I had been struck by lightning the moment I heard Fiona's suggestion. "He is Jocelyn's fiance! Why should I marry a man that she does not want?"

"For so many years, our family kept a roof over your head. It's time for you to repay our kindness, Janet." Fiona's voice was soft but her eyes were cold as ice. "Don't you want that servant to have the surgery? We will shoulder all of the expenses as long as you marry that man."

I gritted my teeth and clenched my fists as the doctor's words echoed in my mind. Hannah did not have much time left.

I was fresh out of college and I did not have the money to afford Hannah's treatment.

Although Bernie and Fiona adopted me, I never once felt parental love from them. It was Hannah, a servant of the Lind family, who brought me up like real family. She was like the grandmother I'd never had. I would do anything to save her.

Fiona stood up and walked up to me. "Eventually, you would have to marry someone. Why don't you give us a hand and marry the Lester family's son? I will give you the money as soon as you tie the knot," she persuaded.

Everyone's eyes were on me. Their gazes were so heavy that I felt the weight of it all over my shoulders. I needed that money.

I looked down on the floor and with a low voice I said, "Okay. I'll do this."