Chapter 1 It's All Kylee's Fault

"Kaylee, you must consider yourself fortunate to marry into the Stephens family. Don't be so ungrateful and mess it up!"

Kaylee Hadley stood in the dressing room, surrounded by servants who were assisting her in donning her wedding dress. The room was filled with a palpable silence, until it was abruptly shattered by a sharp voice.

In walked Josie Hadley, Kaylee's adoptive mother, her gaze piercing as she scrutinized her daughter from head to toe. Her animosity toward Kaylee was no secret, and she made sure it was evident in her sharp eyes.

Upon hearing her adoptive mother's words, Kaylee couldn't help but chuckle, maintaining her composure. With calmness in her voice, she replied, "Indeed, this is such a splendid marriage. It's truly too good for someone like me. How about I remove the wedding dress and let Gemma wear it instead?"

Gemma Hadley, the biological daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Hadley, enjoyed a privileged position in the family, whereas Kaylee was only an adopted daughter who had been cast out nine years ago.

The engagement between the Hadley and Stephens families had been settled long ago. Gemma was supposed to marry Elijah Stephens, the second son of the affluent Stephens family.

However, Elijah had gained notoriety as a notorious playboy in town. He was known for his worthlessness and his incessant philandering with countless women.

It was for this reason that Gemma vehemently refused to marry him, despite her parents' relentless pressure.

The Hadley family, though hesitant, couldn't bring themselves to cancel the engagement with the influential Stephens family. Eventually, they were left with no choice but to retrieve their adopted daughter, Kaylee, and compel her into marrying Elijah.

Josie couldn't believe the audacity in Kaylee's words and retorted, "How dare you threaten me?"

With disdain evident on her face, Josie glanced at Kaylee's partially disfigured countenance and said with even more venom, "If we hadn't taken you back, do you honestly think that an ugly woman like yourself could find a husband? You ungrateful thing!"

Meanwhile, Kaylee had yet to zip up her wedding dress. From the back, she appeared incredibly graceful. There was a birthmark adorning her flawless and exquisite skin, resembling a single red rose in full blossom.

Her back was undeniably beautiful, leaving one longing to see the breathtaking face that surely accompanied it.

Unfortunately, a dreadful scar marred half of her delicate face.

Upon hearing Josie's spiteful words, Kaylee remained composed. She gently touched the ferocious scar on her face and feigned sadness. Lowering her gaze, she offered an apology to Josie, saying, "Mrs. Hadley, I'm truly sorry. I shouldn't have spoken so carelessly earlier."

In reality, the scar was a mere fabrication, and Kaylee was far from disfigured. Her exceptional appearance had caused her numerous troubles in the past. Thus, she chose to masquerade as disfigured in order to avoid unnecessary complications.

Kaylee's apology seemed to temper Josie's anger to some extent. Snorting, she replied, "Humph, it's good that you haven't forgotten your place."

With her back turned to Josie, a trace of mockery danced in Kaylee's eyes.

She had agreed to marry into the Stephens family not because she was under the control of the Hadley family, but because she wanted to uncover the truth about Diana's poisoning.

Mr. and Mrs. Hadley had always shown extreme favoritism towards their own daughter, Gemma. It was nine years ago when Kaylee was driven out of the family, thanks to Gemma's relentless sowing of dissension. Fortunately, a compassionate old cleaner named Diana Byrd had taken Kaylee in. Diana was the only person in the world who truly cared about her.

Diana had fallen victim to a peculiar poison, an ailment with no known cure. Kaylee discovered that the source of the poison might be connected to the Stephens family.

Furthermore, one of her saviors happened to be a member of that very family. It was her intention to visit him after she married into the Stephens family.

Now, the time had come for the wedding ceremony.

The venue was lavishly decorated, and the bride, adorned in a white dress, stood upon the stage. However, the groom was nowhere to be found.

As the minutes ticked by, the guests below the stage began to whisper amongst themselves. Rumors and speculations swirled in the air.

"Did Mr. Stephens run away from his own wedding ceremony because Miss Hadley is too unattractive?" one voice questioned.

"Oh, my God! If I were Miss Hadley, I would have hidden away in a tiny box, escaping this humiliating situation!" another voice exclaimed.

Kaylee, standing calmly on the stage, paid no attention to the discussions circulating through the crowd.

After waiting alone on the stage for what seemed like an eternity, Kaylee watched as a waiter, breathless and flustered, hurried into the banquet hall. He caught his breath and shouted, "Mr. Stephens asked me to tell you that he- He-"

The waiter's face flushed with embarrassment, as if the words he was about to utter were too uncomfortable to voice. "He is currently engaged with a beautiful woman, and therefore, he has no time to come here."

The audience erupted into chaos upon hearing these words. Laughter and mockery filled the air, while some guests gazed at Kaylee with sympathetic eyes.

Josie felt deeply humiliated. Through clenched teeth, she muttered, "If the bride were Gemma, I refuse to believe Elijah would abandon her like this! It's all Kaylee's fault! She's too plain and unappealing!"

The guests were well aware of Elijah's debauched reputation. He had truly earned his notoriety.

This was meant to be his wedding ceremony, uniting him with the daughter of another affluent and influential family. Yet, he had chosen to stand the bride up, indulging in his vices with another woman instead. Such dissolute behavior was a rare find indeed.

Kaylee lifted the weighty hemline of her gown with both hands, taking a few steps forward. She approached the waiter with poise and inquired politely, "Which hotel is Elijah staying at?"

The waiter stood dumbfounded for a moment, before stammering, "Right here."

Unfazed by the situation, Kaylee maintained her composed demeanor and continued her inquiry, as if she were not the one about to catch them in the act of adultery. "Which room? Could you please show me the way?"