1 As the only daughter of an oil magnate, I’d been cradled in luxury since birth. A decade ago, my father, Mr. Hayes, had brought the sons of the heads of three subsidiary companies into his inner circle, personally grooming them as potential heirs and, more importantly, as my future husband. The plan was set: on the day of my twentieth birthday gala, he would publicly announce my chosen fiancé as his successor. But three days before the gala, I stumbled upon the three of them at our exclusive private club. Jax was grinding wildly with an exotic dancer on the dance floor, his movements crude. Caleb was sprawled on a sofa, shamelessly entangled with a catering staff member. And Aiden, the one I’d harbored a quiet affection for, was locked in a passionate, breathless kiss with Skylar, my supposed best friend. What chilled me to the bone was their blatant disregard, their voices sneering as they openly discussed me: "Tonight, one for each of us—consider it breaking our dry spell. Willow's such a germaphobe, isn't she?" "Right? With her body and mental purity complex, no matter which of us she picks, her virginity won't be her first anyway, hahaha!" Watching the sordid scene unfold, a cold laugh escaped my lips. "Since all three of you are already soiled, then I don't want any of you!" That very night, I pushed open the heavy door to my father’s study, my voice resolute. "Dad, I want to marry Liam Sterling, the son of the Sterling Oil baron!" My father frowned, his face a mask of disbelief. "You mean… the one rumored to be… less than whole? That timid Mr. Sterling?" He took a long drag from his cigar, his voice trembling. "Sweetheart, I heard Liam Sterling was born missing a crucial part of his manhood, most likely barren! Are you really going to marry him?" My gaze was unwavering. "Yes. That way, after we marry, our two families can form a powerful alliance, and you won't have to worry about the Hayes dynasty lacking an heir." My father extinguished his cigar in the ashtray, his tone softening. "But your father cares about your happiness, darling! Why did none of those three scoundrels catch your eye?" The vile images of the three men, their crude words, replayed relentlessly in my mind. My father gently patted my shoulder. "Didn't you say you had a soft spot for Aiden before? What made you suddenly change your mind?" The thought of Aiden passionately kissing my best friend brought a stinging dampness to my eyes. Seeing my distressed expression, my father pressed no further. He pulled me into his embrace. "Since my Willow has grown up, then your father will respect your decision." He let out a deep sigh, then left the study. Outside the door, Jax, Caleb, and Aiden stood respectfully, watching him leave. As I stepped out of the study, Jax shot me a venomous glare. Caleb's voice was cold as he demanded, "Miss Hayes, were you just slandering us to your father again?" Aiden's face was a mask of reluctance, a flicker of resentment in his eyes. The three of them had been sent to the Hayes estate for training since they were teenagers, groomed as my fiancé candidates. For over a decade, constrained by my father's influence over their families, they had been forced to play along. Now, Aiden, usually so reserved, spoke with disdain. "Have you already chosen your fiancé?" His gaze pierced me like an icy blade, as if he'd devour me whole if I dared choose him. My patience for them had long run out. My icy gaze swept over their faces. "Don't worry. I've already made my choice." Before I could finish, Caleb called out, "Wonder which unlucky soul among us will end up joining the Hayes dynasty." Jax glanced at Aiden, a hint of mock pity in his eyes. "Yeah, Aiden, I think you're the most likely. After you saved Miss Hayes on the beach last time, she hasn't been able to take her eyes off you!" Ignoring their taunts, I walked straight towards my room. Their low chuckles drifted from behind me. "You think Miss Hayes would be thrilled if she knew her favorite Aiden was messing around with her best friend?" As my door closed, their figures vanished from my sight. Too bad for them. The three of them had fouled themselves. I wouldn't choose a single one. 2 I spent that night wide awake, unmistakable sounds continuously drifting from the adjacent room—the rhythmic creaking of a bedframe mixed with a woman's seductive moans. Through the haze of sleeplessness, I heard Skylar, wrapped around Aiden, cooing, "Aren't you afraid Willow will find out about us? You'd lose your heir status completely then!" Aiden's voice, lazy with post-coital satisfaction, drifted back. "So what? She's just a spoiled heiress. If it weren't for Mr. Hayes, none of us would even give her a second thought. Even if I marry her, she'll just be a trophy wife, a pretty face. You're my true love." Their crude words grated on my eardrums, a relentless assault, until the sounds slowly subsided with the approach of dawn. I pushed open my door, just in time to see Skylar, wearing Aiden's white shirt, gingerly waddle out of his room, hand pressed to her lower back. When she bumped into me, her eyes flashed with panic, and she immediately stammered, "Willow, I-I drank too much last night and got sick. Aiden just lent me his shirt. I swear I don't have any other intentions with him!" "Absolutely not!" My gaze fell upon the undisguised hickeys blooming on her neck, then dropped to her legs, still trembling visibly. A cold smile touched my lips. "Oh? Why the sudden panic?" For years, whenever Aiden was involved, Skylar was always more eager than me. Every time I discussed the candidates for fiancé, she'd subtly steer me towards choosing Aiden. Turns out, they had been involved in secret all along, treating me like a complete fool! A surge of pure fury erupted within me. I lifted my hand and slapped Skylar across the face. Skylar clutched her cheek, staring at me in disbelief. Just then, Aiden suddenly pushed open his door, the powerful rebound sending me crashing against the wall. Skylar, seizing the moment, collapsed into Aiden's arms, weeping. "I don't know what I did to upset Willow. She actually hit me." Aiden instantly pulled Skylar close, his face etched with feigned concern. "Willow, don't bring your pampered princess act here to bully Skylar! She's your friend!" His voice hardened. "If you keep acting so irrational, don't blame me if I publicly reject you as my fiancé at the gala!" My eyes narrowed. He'd truly been spoiled rotten all these years. A manipulative viper and a spineless fool—they truly deserved each other! Still seething, I instinctively raised my hand for another slap, but Caleb suddenly appeared, grabbing my arm with surprising force. Jax positioned himself in front of them both. Their gazes, sharp as poisoned daggers, chilled me to the bone. Caleb spoke, his voice equally cold. "If you continue this irrational behavior, and you choose me, I won't agree." Jax quickly followed. "And me, I absolutely won't agree either!" 3 I stared at the three of them. From childhood, I had always shared everything good to eat, everything fun to do, with them. Over the years, my father had never shortchanged them an inch. Yet, each of them, while claiming not to want to marry me, stubbornly refused to give up their place as a candidate. They wanted to inherit the vast Hayes fortune, but they didn't want to join my family. Their hypocritical greed was truly sickening. Thankfully, heaven's mercy allowed me to see through their false faces in advance. I let out a cold laugh, forcefully pulling my hand free from Caleb's grasp, and walked straight forward. But in a flash, Aiden fiercely grabbed me back, his voice sharp. "Apologize to Skylar!" I turned, meeting Aiden's furious gaze, and retorted coldly, "Why should I apologize to her?" I tried to pull away from Aiden again, intending to continue walking. But Jax and Caleb instantly blocked my path, malicious intent blazing in their eyes. Skylar, seeing her moment, met my gaze with a triumphant, challenging smirk. The next moment, she suddenly said in a soft voice, "No, please don't argue with Willow because of me! It's all my fault, my fault!" Skylar, realizing her advantage, immediately fell to her knees before me, whispering, "Willow, if I've done something wrong, please tell me. Don't take it out on the three of them!" Skylar played the victim role to perfection, further highlighting my supposed arrogance and cruelty. The three men immediately helped her up, then turned on me, their voices filled with rage. "Miss Hayes, do you think everyone is just a toy to you?" "Or do you see us as your personal pets, summoned and dismissed at your whim?!" "Today, you will apologize to Skylar!" I bit back the tears stinging at my eyes, staring at the three of them. My mind replayed their arrival at the Hayes estate when they were just boys. Caleb, who'd been afraid of dogs, had needed my beloved golden retriever rehomed for him to feel comfortable. Jax, when he first arrived, cried secretly every night; I was the one who woke Dad up in the middle of the night to take him to the hospital when he had a fever. And Aiden, who'd been quiet and withdrawn as a child, always had me stepping in to defend him when the staff picked on him. And now, in their eyes, I had become nothing more than a vicious, spoiled brat. It was incredible how ten years of living side-by-side couldn't compare to a few manipulative words from an outsider. My gaze, cold and detached, swept over all four of them. Then I shouted, "Butler! Are you all blind?!" I called out three times, only to find the butler and the bodyguards standing respectfully to the side, secretly watching Aiden. Over the years, Aiden had become Dad's favorite, taking over many of Hayes Corporation's assets. These staff members were always opportunistic; no doubt they already saw Aiden as the next head of the household. And I, the heiress without real power, was little more than a prop. Just then, a voice from the staff called out, "Mr. Hayes has arrived." Aiden finally released my hand, and the three men stood respectfully behind me. Free at last, I stormed towards the door. This household clearly needed a clean-up, or it might as well be known as the Reynolds estate. But thankfully, tomorrow I would announce my engagement to Liam Sterling. And the three of them would be utterly irrelevant to my life. 4 The next morning, as I woke and got ready, I was surprised to find that my gala gown hadn't arrived. My phone suddenly rang. I answered, and the frantic voice of the boutique assistant came through. "Miss Hayes, the custom gown you ordered was picked up by Mr. Reynolds earlier." "Mr. Reynolds said he was your fiancé, so we didn't stop him." I hung up, then walked back towards Aiden's room. This gown was something my father had commissioned a French designer for, starting from my eighteenth birthday, specifically for my grand entrance at my twentieth birthday gala today. The moment I pushed open Aiden's door, I saw Skylar standing before the full-length mirror, admiring herself, wearing my gown. I immediately roared at her, "Who gave you permission to wear that?!" Skylar instantly flinched, shrinking into Aiden's embrace. Aiden, in turn, said coldly, "It's just a dress, isn't it? Is it really worth all this fuss?" I scoffed at both of them. "It was custom-crafted by French artisans over two years, my father's gift for my coming-of-age. Does that sound like 'just a dress' to you?" Skylar, hearing this, made a show of trying to take it off, but Aiden stopped her with a hand. "Consider it compensation for how you treated Skylar yesterday. Anyway, you're a germaphobe, so this dress is hers now." Just as I was about to retort, Aiden's voice hardened again. "If you don't agree, don't blame me if I embarrass you when I'm announced as your fiancé later!" The sheer audacity! He was using my money to pay for his cheap thrills and buy goodwill? How could I swallow such an insult? I grabbed the gown Skylar was wearing, yelling, "Take it off! Now! Get it off!" In that instant, Aiden's hand lashed out, slapping me across the face as he roared, "You're going too far, Willow!" I was sent sprawling to the floor, a trickle of blood escaping the corner of my mouth. My eyes welled up with tears. No one had ever dared to lay a hand on me, not once in my entire life! Hearing the commotion, the door was suddenly kicked open. Jax and Caleb rushed in, yelling at me. "It's just a gown, why are you making such a big deal?!" "Willow, you're absolutely evil!" Skylar, who moments before had been tearful, now flashed a cunning glint in her eyes. She whispered, "If I strip down, will you let me off? And you won't blame Aiden or them anymore?" Then, a theatrical sigh. "Willow, I'm sorry. I'll take it off, I'll take it off right now." As Skylar made to remove the gown, all three men stopped her. Aiden then turned his gaze to me, his voice chilling. "Willow, no matter what, I will not be your fiancé today." Jax and Caleb chimed in in unison, "We won't agree either." Aiden then smiled, a lewd grin spreading across his face. "If you're worried about making a scene, just strip down and apologize to Skylar, and we'll forgive you!" Caleb and Jax also wore playful, mocking expressions. "That's right! Strip down, and we'll agree to be your fiancés!" I couldn't believe what my ears were hearing. All three of them, humiliating me to this extent, for Skylar! Aiden, Caleb, and Jax closed in on me, their eyes filled with malicious anticipation. Behind them, Skylar's eyes gleamed with triumph, as if to say, You're getting what you deserve today, Willow. I even saw her mouth a silent, "You bitch! You deserve it!" They relentlessly pushed me towards the grand staircase, where the entire gathering in the ballroom was already watching. Aiden leaned close to my ear, his breath a foul whisper. "Losing face in front of everyone—consider it your punishment!" The next moment, Aiden stood on the second-floor landing and shouted down to the crowd, "I hereby publicly announce that I voluntarily withdraw from being Miss Hayes's fiancé!" A collective gasp rippled through the hall. Before anyone could react, Caleb and Jax stood beside me, declaring loudly, "We two also voluntarily withdraw from being Miss Hayes's fiancé!" The ballroom instantly erupted into a clamor. People whispered amongst themselves. "What's going on? Is Mr. Hayes's daughter really so unbearable that all three candidates willingly gave up their spots?" "Now that all three candidates have withdrawn, who will Miss Hayes marry today?!" At that precise moment, Skylar suddenly burst from the room, intentionally bumping into me. Caught off guard, my heel twisted, and I tumbled backward, hurtling towards the edge of the staircase. The guests in the ballroom gasped in horror. In the most important moment of my life, I was being destroyed by the four people I thought I could trust most. I squeezed my eyes shut in despair, bracing for the inevitable pain, the shouts from below growing louder. Just as I thought I was about to plunge down the stairs, I suddenly fell into a warm, strong embrace. The next second, a man's deep, resonant voice sounded in my ear: "It seems the three of you have some self-awareness. Willow Hayes's fiancé can only be me!"
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