Chapter 1 A Naked Man And Woman

"Ah!"

After smashing the door open, the maid couldn't resist exclaiming in shock at the scene before her.

Joelle Bennett's eyelashes fluttered as she saw the man and woman, without clothes, all tangled up. Quite a view, indeed.

However, Joelle might have found the scene amusing if the man wasn't her so-called boyfriend and the woman wasn't her half-sister.

"What are you looking at? Clear everyone out of here now!" Verena Bennett, Joelle's stepmother, yelled in a frenzy.

The maids snapped out of their daze, quickly shut the door, ushered the guests away, and stopped any newcomers from heading upstairs.

The meticulously arranged birthday party suddenly turned into a mess.

Joelle felt her eyelashes flutter once more.

At that moment, Verena's gaze shifted fiercely to her stepdaughter, Joelle.

Her eyes were brimming with intense loathing.

Just as Joelle was about to talk, Verena hurried over and delivered a sharp slap out of nowhere.

The slap caught Joelle by surprise. Thankfully, a nearby servant caught her just in time, preventing her from tumbling flat onto the floor amidst the crowd!

As guests glanced back at the commotion, whispers began to spread.

"You despicable woman!" Verena hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "You brought Jaxon here, so don't pretend you're innocent! I sensed something off when my daughter announced she was about to get engaged, and you suddenly showed up with a boyfriend. Clearly, you planned to humiliate us intentionally!"

A red mark stood out on Joelle's perfect skin, throbbing painfully. She calmly caressed her cheek, easing the sting.

With a flirtatious twinkle in her eyes, she smiled and said, "Verena, hold up! Why rush to violence before we sort things out? Could it be that you're scared it'll come out that your daughter lured my boyfriend, so you're trying to shift the blame onto me?"

Joelle could tell what Verena was up to, causing Verena's facial expression to twist.

Verena glared at Joelle and declared, "I know what you're up to, Joelle! You want to ruin Emmeline's engagement because you're after Callum! You always chase after the wealthy and ignore the less fortunate. But now, with Callum's heart set on Emmeline, he won't give you a second look, no matter your schemes!"

Verena's statements were fierce, portraying her as a mother fiercely defending her daughter's romantic relationship.

Amid the gathering, Joelle stood with poise and elegance, drawing many doubtful looks her way. Rumors about her had spread far and wide.

Joelle's long eyelashes slightly fluttered again. A sting of emotion hit her every time Verena mentioned Callum.

Callum Sullivan...

That name now carried weight, representing a flourishing power in the business realm and a key player in several new sectors.

The old guard of wealth was keen to align with him, hoping to capitalize on this new trend.

Rumors circulated that he had been at the pinnacle of global wealth for three years since his business inception, acquiring a fortune beyond measure.

Once Callum became really famous, everyone dug deep into his past. There weren't many stories of love from his past, just one from his high school days. He was poor back then and had fallen for a rich girl. But she, with a penchant for affluence, scorned his modest origins and left him.

This girl, who once chased wealth and disdained the less fortunate, was Joelle herself. She had lost her status as the distinguished Miss Bennett and now was in a starkly different situation.

Life's twists and turns are unpredictable, showcasing how fortunes can flip unexpectedly.

Now, she wasn't the popular Miss Bennett from a rich family anymore, and he had become someone everyone wanted to be around.

Three years had passed since Joelle last encountered Callum, and then, her half-sister Emmeline Bennett had introduced him as her boyfriend to the Bennett family.

Her surprise at that moment was as big as seeing Jaxon and Emmeline sleeping together today.

Jaxon Lloyd wasn't even her boyfriend. He was just someone she had brought along for support.

Her ex-boyfriend was about to marry her half-sister, making her look pathetic. But who would've thought something like this would happen now?

Joelle avoided bringing up Callum since their relationship had ended a while ago. Instead, she said, "Hold on, Verena. Let's discuss this once these two wake up from their drunken sleep. All I know is I'm innocent."

Her look was calm and honest.

Yet Verena remained unconvinced, her eyes brimming with hatred as she accused, "You're lying! You and Jaxon must have plotted to intoxicate my daughter! You brought him here!"

Joelle's gaze sharpened.