CHAPTER 1: CHAPTER 1: THE TRAP SET BY MISS PICK-ME

On the night of Victoria Sinclair’s twenty-sixth birthday, there were no surprises, only shocks.

Surrounded by a few friends, she pushed open the door of the venue. The lighting was dim, and the music was flirtatiously enticing. Several scantily clad girls were striking provocative poses, dancing sultry dances filled with suggestive allure.

It was a scene of absolute decadence, a wild party of drunken revelry and lust.

"Uh...wrong room." Sarah Lowell linked arms with Victoria Sinclair, "Victoria, our private room is next door."

Victoria Sinclair shook off Sarah Lowell’s hand, looking seemingly calm at Eugene Vaughn on the sofa, but her heart felt like it was being relentlessly clenched by an invisible hand. Each breath came with a dull pain, making everything before her blur.

Married for two years, she knew he had a lot of scandals and played around, but seeing this intolerable scene with her own eyes, she couldn’t help but feel a surge of grief and anger.

Eugene Vaughn saw her too, yet he remained extraordinarily calm, with not a ripple in his eyes or a change in his expression.

Vivian Miller signaled for the provocative dancers to leave, turned off the music, and stood up from beside Eugene Vaughn, "Sister-in-law, don’t misunderstand, we’re just fooling around."

"Sister-in-law?" The two men beside them had long heard of Victoria Sinclair, looked nervously at Eugene Vaughn, and then at Victoria Sinclair, "Sister-in-law, it’s really not what you think."

Eugene Vaughn ignored her and continued drinking.

Vivian Miller complained, "Sister-in-law, we brothers were just watching a show, and with me here, they wouldn’t dare take these girls to a room. You wouldn’t get angry with Eugene over something so trivial, would you?"

Hearing this, Victoria Sinclair looked at Vivian Miller.

A reasonably pretty woman, she had grown up with Eugene Vaughn, calling each other brother and sister.

She hadn’t said a word from the beginning, so where did the anger come from?

This woman sure knew how to play things.

"Sorry for the intrusion." Victoria Sinclair forced back her bitterness, turned around, and left.

In the hallway, several friends were indignant.

Sarah Lowell grabbed her, "Victoria, our room is ahead. Where are you going?"

Victoria Sinclair halted, looked at Sarah Lowell, "Let’s unfriend each other, and don’t keep in touch anymore."

The others were stunned.

Sarah Lowell was shocked, her eyes wide as saucers, "Victoria Sinclair, are you out of your mind? Your husband fools around, what’s it got to do with me? We’ve been best friends for so many years, and you want to break up with me over a jerk?"

Forcing a birthday party on her, and bringing her to a place she disliked the most, how could it have nothing to do with her?

Victoria Sinclair suppressed her fury with all her strength, "What did Vivian Miller offer you?"

Sarah Lowell paused, her eyes flickering, "I..."

Victoria Sinclair didn’t give her a chance to explain, "I’ve been married to Eugene Vaughn for two years. I know what kind of man he is. I’m not an idiot. I don’t need you and Vivian Miller setting up traps to push us to divorce."

Sarah Lowell’s eyes darted around, her fingertips quivering as she reached for Victoria Sinclair, "Victoria, I just...didn’t want you to be deceived by him anymore."

Victoria Sinclair evaded her touch, "This is where it ends for us."

She didn’t need a toxic friend willing to betray her for benefits at any moment.

Victoria Sinclair briskly left the place that made her nauseous.

Sarah Lowell was surrounded and questioned by the other friends.

"Today’s Victoria’s birthday, what the hell are you doing?"

"Did you really take advantages from that pick-me girl?"

"Sarah Lowell, is this the surprise you arranged for Victoria?"

——

The room filled with the aroma of alcohol was exceptionally quiet.

A hard-to-describe oppressive atmosphere loomed, and no one dared to speak.

Eugene Vaughn downed several shots of strong liquor, lazily collapsed against the sofa back, eyes sharp, impatiently tugging at his tie, realizing the blindfold was still hanging around his neck, annoyed, he yanked it off.

He tore the blindfold off, throwing it harshly onto the table, then took off his suit jacket and tie, slowly unbuttoning his white dress shirt.

Vivian Miller crossed her arms angrily, leaned back next to him, and complained, "Are all women so petty? Just watching a show, and she gets mad? I really don’t enjoy playing with women, it’s no fun."

Charlie Spencer filled Eugene Vaughn’s empty glass, "Have a drink, don’t kill the mood."

Eugene Vaughn leaned over, picked up the glass, and downed it in one go.

As the strong liquor burned down his throat, he asked casually, "Who set this up?"

Everyone froze.

"We didn’t set anything up." Vivian Miller nervously said, "It was a coincidence."

Eugene Vaughn sneered coldly, lifted his eyelids to glance at Vivian Miller, and pointed to the door Victoria Sinclair left through, "Who is she?"

Vivian Miller’s anxious eyes darted to the other brothers, seeking help.

Eugene Vaughn harshly repeated, "I’m asking you, who is she?"

Of course, Vivian Miller knew who she was.

She was Victoria Sinclair, Eugene Vaughn’s secretly cherished untouchable taboo, the line he wouldn’t allow anyone to cross.

"Victoria Sinclair." Vivian Miller answered timidly.

Eugene Vaughn laughed cynically.

Yes! She was Victoria Sinclair!

Everyone present knew what the name Victoria Sinclair signified.

Eugene Vaughn stated word by word, "She’s not supposed to appear in such places."

Vivian Miller muttered in displeasure, "Who says pharmaceutical scientists can’t come to places like this?"

Eugene Vaughn bent down, elbows resting on his knees, head lowering, his voice turned cold, "Making this dirty, is it fun?"

Charlie Spencer noticed Vivian Miller’s fearful expression and loyally took the blame for her, "Eugene, I was the one who called the dancing girls, and I was the one who tricked sister-in-law into coming. I just wanted to test if sister-in-law still had feelings for you."

Eugene Vaughn raised his head, and his chillingly sharp gaze pierced into Charlie Spencer.

Charlie Spencer swallowed nervously, his back stiffening.

——

Victoria Sinclair was sleepless.

In the early morning, unable to sleep, she went to the kitchen, poured herself a glass of milk from the fridge, warmed it up, and sat on the living room sofa sipping it.

The night breeze gently wafted into the living room, swaying the light sheer curtains. The city lights were brighter than the night itself.

A quiet stillness.

She wrapped both hands around the warm milk, taking small sips, unable to calm her heart.

A soft click sounded.

Victoria Sinclair turned her head towards the door.

The door opened, Eugene Vaughn walked in, changing into slippers at the entrance.

He glanced at the brightly lit living room, momentarily dazed, his gaze landing on Victoria Sinclair.

Victoria Sinclair usually went to bed early; tonight was an exception.

She glanced at Eugene Vaughn, then drank the remaining milk in one gulp, went into the kitchen, washed the glass, and came out, switching off the lights.

Eugene Vaughn sprawled out on the sofa, sitting with a bold posture, head tilted back against the sofa back. Whether he drank too much or was overly tired, he remained motionless with his eyes closed.

Victoria Sinclair quietly walked past him.

"Were you waiting for me?" His voice cool and low.

Victoria Sinclair stopped, her back to him, something heavy blocking her chest.

She exhaled lightly, "No."

"Seeing your husband fooling around outside, don’t you have anything to say?"

His words felt like needles piercing Victoria Sinclair’s heart, a sharp, painful sensation.

However, she was used to burying her grievances deep inside.

Victoria Sinclair remained silent for a few painfully long seconds, the air seemed to freeze.

Finally, she feigned magnanimity, speaking calmly, "Be hygienic, take care of yourself."

Those words broke Eugene Vaughn completely.

He got up from the sofa, rushed to her, grabbed her wrist fiercely.

Victoria Sinclair was caught off guard, spun around, pain radiating from her wrist.

She panicked, tears welling in her eyes, "Eugene Vaughn, what are you doing?"