Chapter 4
The whispers in the room hit George like one gut punch after another, each sharper, each heavier.
His earlier grandstanding, all those heartfelt words, now felt like a cruel joke as humiliation crashed down on him.
His jaw tightened, and his fists clenched so hard his nails dug into his palms. Every fiber of him screamed to lose his temper, to lash out, but he forced himself to keep control
With heavy, deliberate strides, he stormed toward the edge of the stage, motioning sharply at the hall manager. His voice was low, cold, and deadly. “I don’t care what it costs. Shut that fucking video off. Right now.”
no matter what buttons
The manager stammered, nodding frantically as he scrambled to turn off the footage. But no m was like the video was locked in place, mocking him.
Eventually, with no other options, the manager cut the power entirely, plunging the screen into darkness.
The relief was fleeting. The whispers didn’t stop. If anything, they got louder.
“Holy shit, poor Laurel. Her fiance’s screwing her sister? That’s next–level scumbaggery”
buttons he pressed, nothing worked. It
Laurel Lambert–Oslonia City’s princess, for crying out loud–and this asshole goes and does that? With her sister? Man’s trash”
“Those sisters deserved better. George Lynch, the golden boy! What a hypocritical piece of shit.”
In the shadows, Laurel watched as the color drained from George’s face, leaving him palle as a ghost. The satisfaction was electric, coursing through her like a high she never wanted to come down from.
The perfect, polished golden boy of Oslonia City? Every shred of that shine had been her doing. And now, she was going to rip it all away–slowly. meticulously, so he’d feel every ounce of it.
This wasn’t luck: this was strategy. The photos, the video–none of it was a coincidence. She’d hired a hacker friend to dig it all our of Regina’s private social media account
Laurel knew her stepsister inside and out. Regina’s vanity was practically a roadmap. The limited–edition handbags, the luxury trinkets, the little “look at me” moments she couldn’t help but share online–it was all so predictable.
And George? That was Regina’s crown jewel. Her best–kept secret. She’d wanted to flaunt him so badly but couldn’t because of Laurel So, she’d stashed all those intimate photos in her private album.
Big mistake. Laurel had been counting on her ego. Exploiting it had been laughably easy.
What the public had seen so far? Just the opening act. The real dirt–photos that would obliterate George’s carefully crafted image–was still tucked away for later.
Not yet, though. Timing was everything. If she dropped the bomb now, sure, it’d tarnish George.
But it wouldn’t destroy him completely. Worse, it might make the Lambert and Lynch families rally to his defense, dragging her into the crossfire.
She needed to play the long game. Let everyone think this was just perry d
petty drama between two jealous sisters.
For now, both families still needed her to prop up George’s bid for power. They wouldn’t suspect a thing
‘Patience, she told herself. This was only the first crack. She’d watch them crumble piece by piece, savoring every second as they fell apart.
As the crowd buzzed with speculation, Laurel stepped onto the stage, her head held high. Her expression was a masterclass in heartbreak–her eyes shimmering with tears, her lips curved into a fragile, pained smile.
She looked like a woman betrayed but holding herself together out of sheer dignity, and the crowd couldn’t look away.
She took a breath, steadying herself, and leaned into the microphone. Her voice was soft, trembling just enough to sell the act. “Good evening. everyone. I’m Laurel Lambert. Today.. today is a special day.”
She paused, her lips twitching into a small, sad smile. “It’s the engagement celebration for my sister, Regina Lambert, and George Lynch, the second heir of the Lynch family. Thank you all for being here to witness their happiness. On their behalf… thank you”
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Chapter 4
She gave a shallow bow, the picture of poise, before straightening. Her eyes glistened, but no tears fell. The restraint, the strength–it was heanbreaking to watch.
She turned toward Regina, who stood frozen near the stage, her face pale and unsure. Laurel’s voice softened, a quiver breaking through. “Regina,” she called gently, just loud enough to be heard. “Come on up. Everyone’s waiting for you.”
The shift in the room was palpable. All eyes darted between Regina and George. Regina’s lips parted, but no words came out. Her gaze flicked to George, who was staring at the ground like he wanted it to swallow him whole.
“How did this happen” she wondered. Her private album had been locked tight. There was no way that video–the one she’d hidden so carefully- could’ve ended up on the screen.
But beneath the confusion, there was a flicker of something else. Satisfaction.
run of the
streets, and yet, everyone had let her bask in
In Regina’s heart, Laurel wasn’t even a real Lambert. She was a stray their mother had picked up the family’s love, the wealth, the privilege.
Regina had swallowed her pride for years, watching as Laurel took everything that should’ve been hers–her title as the Lambert family’s eldest heiress, the affection of their parents, even George.
The bitterness churned in her stomach, sharp and unrelenting, ‘Why should I have to give up everything? Why should Laurel get it all?”
In the past. Regina had fought tooth and nail for what she wanted. She’d argued, pleaded, and even cried, only to be met with the same reassuring excuses from George and his parents.
Laurel, they’d said, was a brilliant strategist, someone who could help George rise above the competition and secure his place as the Lynch family
heir
Once that happened, they promised, he’d marry Regina and make her the official Mrs. Lynch–the rightful lady of the house. As for Laurel? She was nothing more than a cast–off, a nobody abandoned by the Lambert family.
But life was unpredictable, and the future even more so. Right here, right now, Laurel had just thrown everyone a curveball by proposing that Regina take her place and announce her engagement to George.
On the surface, it looked like a noble sacrifice to save the reputations of both families. But Regina wasn’t stupid–she knew Laurel was handing over the engagement on a silver platter.
This wasn’t part of George’s plan, that much was obvious. Accepting it would blow everything he’d been working toward. Yet despite knowing all this, Regina couldn’t ignore the flutter of excitement rising in her chest.
“Should I take it?” she mused. ‘Should I grab this chance and finally make my dream a reality!
As she stood frozen in indecision. George leaned in close to Laurel, his voice low and tense. “What the fuck are you playing at?
“This is supposed to be our engagement. Why the hell are you dragging Regina into this?”
Laurel lowered her gaze, her lashes shadowing her eyes as she masked the irritation brewing beneath her calm exterior.
When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, tinged with a bitterness that cut like a knife. “George, when did you and Regina start! How long have you been sneaking around behind my back? Do you have any idea how this feels?”
The guilt on George’s face was instant and raw. He opened his mouth, fumbling for an excuse, but Laurel didn’t give him the chance.
“Save it,” she said, lening out a tired, bitter laugh. “This isn’t the time to dig up the past. Luckily for you, the families never made the details of this engagement public.
“If we claim today is your engagement to Regina, the situation can still be salvaged. The Su and Lynch families won’t lose face.”
George stiffened, the wheels in his head turning. She wasn’t wrong. His engagement to Laurel had always been about convenience–a way to keep her under his control and use her to his advantage.
But now, with his affair
ir with Regina out in the apen, keeping Laurel in check would be a lot trickier.
His eyes swept over the crowd, catching snippets of their murmurs and judgmental stares. His jaw tightened. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was a way out..
He took a deep breath, his expression softening into something that resembled affection as he turned toward Regina “Regina,” he called gently, 2/3
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Chapter 4
holding out his hand, “come here.”
Fora moment, Regina froze, her breath catching in her throat. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. This moment—it was something she’d dreamed of countless times.
That tender look in George’s eyes, the warmth in his voice–it pulled her in like a magnet. Without a second thought, she stepped forward and
walked toward him.
Standing beside him, she slipped her hand through his arm, her face lighting up with a radiant smile. It felt surreal.
She’d imagined this so many times–dreamed of standing beside George as his fiancée–and now it was happening.
George forced himself to stay composed, his grip steady as he guided Regina through the engagement ceremony. The guests clapped politely, bur their whispers filled the room, sharp and relentless.
Off to the side, Laurel stood quietly, her expression a perfect mask of heartbreak. Her poised, lonely figure instantly made her the center of the crowd’s sympathy.
“God, poor Laurel. Those two shameless bastards are celebrating their engagement right in front of her.”
“She’s only letting this happen because she doesn’t want to embarrass the families. If it weren’t for their reputations, do you think she’d stand for this
“She’s got class, though Dignified, calm, even stepping aside for them. That’s how a real high society lady handles herself
“Class? Please. If it were me, I’d have exposed those two cheating assholes for the whole world to see.”
