Beneath the nightclub's domed ceiling, my heavily pregnant sister was dragged forcibly to the center of the stage. Down below, men, veins bulging on their foreheads, argued fiercely over the paternity of her unborn child. "It's gotta be mine! I was giving it my all that night!" "Bullshit! I was with her more often, so my chances are naturally higher!" My sister, her face ashen, tearfully questioned the man beside her, "Leo Carter, you're my fiancé. How could you humiliate me like this?" Leo, an arm around the delicate woman in his embrace, sneered, "The brat in your belly is of questionable origin, and you have the gall to question me?" That woman covered her lips, feigning shyness, but her eyes brimmed with arrogance. I hid in the shadows, a chilling glint in my narrowed eyes. I'd been away for years, and someone dared to bully my family, the Zhangs, to this extent! ... My assistant bowed. "Should I summon the nightclub manager, Ethan Lee, to apologize?" I scoffed. "What good would that do? Tell everyone to be on standby!" "Yes, ma'am." The assistant quietly withdrew. Dare to harm my own sister? Tonight, you will all pay in blood! My sister's voice trembled. "That night, it was clearly only you! How could I be pregnant with another man's child?" Scarlett Hayes, the woman in Leo’s arms, chuckled mockingly. "Anna, dear, after you got drunk, you kept shouting 'one isn't enough' and dragged several men into the room. Have you forgotten all about it?" My sister's body shook violently. "Absolutely not! Only Leo was in the room..." Before she could finish, she froze, staring dagger-eyes at Leo. "It was you... that glass of red wine... you drugged me?" Leo avoided her gaze, pulling out a stack of photos from his pocket and scattering them across the stage. "Place your bets, gentlemen! The winner gets a bonus: explicit footage from that night!" The crowd below erupted. "So graphic! Not a stitch of clothing! Enough to get your blood pumping!" "Hotter than a porn poster! Just a glance makes you sweat!" Scarlett picked up a photo, glanced at it with disgust, and casually tossed it aside. The photo fluttered to my feet. I bent down and picked it up, rage instantly consuming me. Such monstrous behavior! Later, I'll make every one of you wish you were dead! The men lunged for the photos like starving tigers, the sound of cash slapping on betting tables a constant rhythm, their bloodshot eyes like those at a livestock auction. I caressed my crystal glass, sitting silently in the shadows, coldly observing this grotesque gamble. My assistant hadn't returned yet; I still needed to endure… "No more bets!" The dealer's sharp voice cut through the uproar. "Bring in the medics to verify!" Several burly men in white coats rushed onto the stage, gripping my sister's delicate wrists like iron clamps, the cold tip of a needle aimed straight at her skin. "Insolent!" My sister, usually gentle, suddenly erupted. She struggled free, her nails scratching bloody marks on an assailant’s cheek. "Where is Ethan Lee? If you harm a hair on my head tonight, tomorrow you'll all be ruined!" My sister shrieked, but the hall was filled with roaring laughter. Scarlett laughed so hard she swayed. "Miss Zhang is still dreaming, isn't she?" She suddenly grabbed my sister's hair, whispering in her ear, "Did you know Ethan Lee is my brother? The Zhang family was ruined by him long ago. What makes you think you can still throw your weight around?" I, who had crept to the side of the stage, felt a jolt. Ethan Lee's sister? The Zhang family fallen? How could I not know? Leo pulled Scarlett back into his embrace. "Why waste your breath on her?" He turned and urged the medics, "Get on with it!" The moment the needle pierced her skin, the dealer suddenly screamed, "Stop!" 2 The entire room was stunned. I, too, momentarily sheathed my killing intent. The dealer, trembling, pulled a jade seal from my sister's waist, his back soaked in cold sweat. "The… The Cloud-Water Seal?!" In his panic, he pressed the emergency call button. "Mr. Lee, the Cloud-Water Seal has appeared! Please come and verify its authenticity immediately!" Leo's face turned grim; Scarlett was also silent as a cicada in winter. Ethan Lee was merely my father's adopted son; by seniority, he should call me 'elder sister.' Knowing this was familiar territory, I relaxed slightly, awaiting reinforcements. Soon, Ethan Lee's confidante, Vivian Cross, arrived gracefully. "Mr. Lee will be here shortly. Allow me to examine the seal first." Just as her jade-like fingers were about to touch the seal, Scarlett suddenly giggled. "What a coincidence, this worthless stone, I have one too!" The moment the brocade box sprang open, the room was in an uproar. Two Cloud-Water Seals, identical. "Hers has a crack!" Scarlett's red lips curled. "A fake." My sister hastily argued, "This was given to me by my own sister! How could it be fake?" "I am Seraphina Zhang's biological sister!" Before she finished, Scarlett scoffed. "I've lived with the Zhangs for ten years and never heard of you having an older sister. You're full of lies, daring to falsely claim kinship!" Vivian Cross, after examining the seals, respectfully returned Scarlett’s. Then, picking up on my sister's words, she said, “Seraphina Zhang?” A dismissive look crossed Vivian’s face, as if she’d heard a joke. “I’ve never heard of such a person.” “Since the real Cloud-Water Seal is in Miss Hayes’s possession, we can’t interfere in this Miss Zhang’s affairs. You may continue.” With that, Vivian Cross stepped aside, adopting an air of indifference. The men instantly exploded: “Verify it already! I bet a hundred grand she’s carrying my kid!” “After the test, we’ll all take a turn!” The men buzzed like flies to blood, some even starting to unbuckle their belts: “I’m raising my bet! We’ll get started right after the verification!” The thugs in white coats once again pinned my sister to the prize table. The syringe glinted coldly, aimed straight at her pale skin. My assistant hadn't returned yet, but I couldn't wait any longer. “Stop!” I leaped onto the platform, kicking over the metal tray of instruments with a crash. Vivian Cross’s pupils contracted. “Where did this crazy woman come from, daring to wreck Mr. Lee’s place?!” I gave a cold smile. “Zhang family. Seraphina Zhang.” 3 The entire venue fell into dead silence. But the silence lasted only a second. "Hahaha—" The entire hall erupted in deafening laughter; some even laughed until tears streamed down their faces. "Seraphina Zhang? You?" "That's the legendary figure who could shake the Capital to its core! Haven't heard anything about her for years, how could she possibly show up here?" Scarlett clutched her stomach, shaking with laughter. "Anna, which acting troupe did you hire this one from? She plays the part quite convincingly!" Leo frowned, his gaze filled with disgust. "Anna, get this imposter out of here. Aren't you embarrassed enough?" My sister clung to me tightly, her eyes filled with disbelieving excitement. Veins throbbed at my temples as I struggled to suppress my towering rage. "When Ethan Lee arrives, the truth will be clear!" I pulled my sister behind me, my gaze as sharp as a knife. "Until then, whoever dares to touch a hair on her head, I'll chop off their hand!" Scarlett covered her mouth with a mocking smile. "Oh, she's quite the actress. If it were really Seraphina Zhang, she'd be surrounded by an entourage. How could it be just you?" My eyes flickered to my team of bodyguards, squeezed into a corner. A cold smirk touched my lips. "Tell Ethan Lee to come out! I want to ask him if he still has any respect for me, his elder sister!" Vivian Cross narrowed her eyes, looking me up and down, a derisive curl on her red lips. "Who do you think you are? Daring to speak Mr. Lee's name so casually? You really don't know your place!" She slowly twirled the jade bracelet on her wrist, her voice suddenly dropping. "Men, seize her!" "I want to weigh you myself and see just how much you're worth!" Hearing this, several burly men grinned lecherously, their voices dripping with malicious glee. "Yes, Miss Cross! I'll make sure to strip her bare and weigh every inch of her for you, inside and out!" With that, several hands reached for us sisters. I slapped one of the approaching men across the face. "Insolent! Are you looking to die?! Do you know the consequences of touching me?" The man's head snapped to the side from the force of my slap. His eyes suddenly turned vicious, and he lunged, grabbing my throat. "You bitch, you think you're something special, huh?" "Today, in front of everyone, I'm gonna teach you some manners!" A wave of jeering laughter erupted around us. Several men, their intentions clear, closed in, some even pulling out their phones to record. My sister cried out, trying to rush over, but Scarlett grabbed her hair and shoved her brutally to the ground. "Anna, where did you find this lunatic? Is she out of her mind, daring to cause trouble here?" "You play the innocent rich girl so well, but who knows whose bastard you're carrying!" Saying this, Scarlett slapped my sister hard across the face, drawing blood from the corner of her mouth. I kicked out violently at the man beside me, trying to save her, but several strong arms seized me, holding me fast. My bodyguards were blocked by the chaotic crowd, unable to move an inch. "Tsk tsk, the imposter is really getting into her role, isn't she?" Scarlett, in her high heels, pressed the toe of her shoe against my sister's chin. "Kneel and kowtow three times, and maybe I'll convince Vivian to let your fake sister go." My sister looked at Leo, tears in her eyes, her voice trembling. "Leo, she really is my sister. If you hurt her, you'll all regret it..." Leo Carter coolly adjusted his cuffs, his eyes looking at her as if she were a pile of trash. "If it weren't for you, none of this trouble would have happened. Apologize to Scarlett. Now." "Kowtow! If she doesn't kowtow now, we'll strip her clothes off!" Several men sneered, reaching for my collar. "I'll kowtow!" My sister's knees slammed heavily onto the marble floor. Her forehead pressed against the cold marble. "Please, I beg you, don't touch my sister..." I watched her bang her forehead against the ground, again and again. With every kowtow, it felt like a piece of my heart was being gouged out by a sharp knife. My assistant was still not back. The bodyguards at the door were strangely inactive. Something was clearly wrong. Vivian Cross looked at my refined, beautiful face, a flicker of jealousy in her eyes. She had, at some point, produced a scalpel. The blade pressed against my cheek. "Such a pretty face. I wonder if Mr. Lee will still recognize you if it's scarred?" "Don't touch my sister!" my sister suddenly struggled. "Ethan Lee will make you wish you were never born!" "Still think you're the high and mighty Miss Zhang? Too bad the Zhang family doesn't go by Zhang anymore." Vivian mocked my sister while pressing the blade deeper into my face. Warm blood trickled down my neck. Just as she was about to slash again. The main doors burst open with a thunderous crash. Ethan Lee entered, followed by a team of his men. His eyes swept over my sister's bloodied forehead and the wound on my face. The atmosphere around him instantly dropped to freezing point. 4 "Ethan!" My sister's eyes lit up. "Quick, make them release my sister!" Ethan Lee's grim gaze swept across the room, finally landing on Vivian Cross. "What's going on?" Vivian immediately put on an aggrieved expression. "Brother Ethan, look at this woman! She's using a fake seal to impersonate your sister." Only then did Ethan Lee look at my sister, his eyes filled with disgust. "Anna, how long are you going to keep this up? Scarlett has been patient with you at every turn, yet you push your luck?" "Patient?" My sister trembled with anger. "They humiliated me in public, said my sister's seal was a fake, and you say I'm pushing my luck?" "You promised my sister you would take care of me! And now you're helping an outsider bully me?" "Outsider?" Scarlett smugly linked her arm with Ethan Lee's. "I'm his real sister! Who do you think you are?" My face was covered in blood as I stared coldly at Ethan Lee. He, however, was only focused on comforting Scarlett. My sister, her face urgent, pointed at me and said, "My sister has returned. How will you answer to her now?" Ethan Lee finally looked at me. The moment he saw my face clearly, a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes, but it quickly returned to cold indifference. "Anna, your sister died a long time ago. Hiring an imposter to act this out is very boring." I couldn't help but sneer. So, the dog my family raised had learned to bite its master when they weren't looking. "Ethan Lee, you've certainly become quite the big shot!" Hearing the familiar voice, Ethan Lee's pupils dilated violently, his Adam's apple bobbing. He lifted my chin with a trembling hand, studying my face intently for a long time, his eyes filled with an indecipherable, intense emotion. After a long moment, he gently touched the wound on my face and sighed deeply. "This face... it's so alike. A pity. If it weren't for this wound, I might have let you stay by my side." "But now, you're useless." His face held a sorrowful expression, as if through me, he was remembering someone he loved but could not have. "Even if you look so much like her, what's the use? She's gone..." After speaking, he closed his eyes. "Vivian, you handle this." A mocking smile appeared on Vivian Cross's face, as if she found me a joke. She snapped her fingers, and several burly men immediately ripped open my collar. My sister was roughly pushed onto the poker table, chips scattering everywhere with a clatter. Just then, the grand, gilded doors of the hall crashed inwards with a tremendous bang. My assistant stood silhouetted against the light, a dark tide of men flooding in behind him. His face was bruised. He said apologetically, "My apologies, Miss. There was a... slight delay on the way."
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