Chapter 02: He's Your Sugar Daddy, Isn't He?

I stared at her contorted face, unable to believe that this was my future stepmother. I couldn’t believe that she thought I was the other woman. I was about to explain when a big slap landed on my face, which caused my head turn to one side, dazed through my pain Before I could recover, another slap came from the opposite direction, knocking the small diamond tiara from my head. As the daughter of the wealthiest man, I had never suffered such humiliation?

Her friends and relatives pointed at me and cursed: “You're just a student why do you learn to seduce people, and even the married men. Look at all the designer clothes you wear; you must have slept with many men, right?” Their filthy insults drew the attention of many in the hotel. They were quickly crowding the room inside and out.

It had been so long since my mother’s death, and my father had finally found a woman he loved. I didn’t want to make a scene today. So, swallowing my rage, I glared at her and bit back, “Ma'am, you are mistaken. I am not the mistress you're looking for, and there is no such person!” After hearing this, she scoffed and ran her sharp nails across my pearl necklace and my luxury dress, “Did my husband buy these for you? And includes the latest LV in the photo. He really spent much money on you!”

A photo? What photo?

She pulled out her phone and showed me the Instagram post from that morning. It pictured me with the new LV bag, arm in arm with my father. The caption read, “No matter what happens, we are the most important person to each other .”

It turned out she had misunderstood the relationship between Rupert and I from this photo, which cooled my anger slightly. I tried to explain again, "Mrs Gill, you're mistaken. I'm not a mistress; I'm Rupert’s daughter! Didn't my dad tell you?” She slapped me again.

“What are you talking about? Mocking me?” Eartha looked me up and down derisively, “My stepdaughter is studying abroad. You make up lies on the spot! Dressed like a prostitute, doesn’t your school have a problem with that?”

“If you don't believe me, ask my dad! Our house is filled with my photos, haven't you seen them?” I said, as panic flickered in her eyes. “What photos? There are not any photos in the villa I live in! My husband said his daughter doesn’t like to be photographed!” I suddenly realized my father had never brought her back to my old house. After my mother's death, to honor her, he even changed my surname to my mother’s. My name couldn't prove anything.

Seeing my frantic, she poked my shoulder with her sharp nails and jeered, “Your dad? your sugar daddy?” Her words were too offensive, and my patience wore thin, “Call Rupert now and ask him to clear this up!” “You want Rupert to save you? You wish!”

Then, at her command, the bodyguards began smashing things of the room. She livestreamed the destruction, smiling triumphantly. It was not until the comments reminded her that she realized her bodyguards was smashing school property “Thanks for the reminder, I almost forgot her stuff!” Then, she yanked the necklace from my neck, causing me to scream out in pain.

Pearls scattered across the floor. Ignoring my cries, she grabbed my bag from the desk and held it up to the camera. She cut my LV bag into shreds with scissors. My collectible vintage perfume was smashed, and its fragrance quickly filled the room, making her twisted face even more hideous..