Chapter 3

My thoughts returned to reality.

Zoran called me again, inviting me to attend the company's IPO celebration party.

But I knew in my heart that I wasn't a guest, I was a joke.

I attended as promised, not for any other reason, but because I hoped he would hate me.

Back then, I endured Elias's arbitrary commands and mockery, cleaning up his messes with other women just to barely pay off my debts.

But I got pregnant, and when Elias found out, he slapped me several times and locked me in the storage room until I was on the brink of death before he let me leave.

Soon after, I gave birth to a daughter.

She was Zoran's child.

My daughter Lily watched me change clothes innocently: "Mommy, where are you going?"

I stroked her head: "Be good, sweetie. Mommy will be back soon."

The banquet hall was brightly lit, filled with guests.

Amidst the clinking of glasses, they toasted to power and bargained with capital.

I stood at the entrance, watching it all like an outsider.

Zoran and Mist stood in the center of the hall, the most dazzling couple of the night.

Seeing me arrive, Mist approached with a smile:

"Vivienne, you're here. I didn't expect you to be so shameless, sister. Zoran only invited you out of politeness, yet you actually had the nerve to show up..."She broke off mid-sentence, then burst into laughter as if something had just occurred to her. "Oh, right! I forgot. You don't have a face anymore, do you?"

With that, she walked over to me and, just like before, removed my mask.

The doctor had done some temporary work on me, so it didn't look as gruesome as last time.

But it was still enough to make everyone gasp:

"Vivienne? Isn't she Mr. Grey's ex-girlfriend?"

"I heard she was used and tossed aside. Poor thing."

"Wasn't it because she cheated? Mr. Grey sparing her life was already merciful enough."

"What happened to her face? Did a plastic surgery go wrong?"

"Holy shit, that's fucking terrifying. Someone must have taken revenge on her."

Mist chuckled softly, her tone innocent: "Oh, I remember now. You used to be in medical research, didn't you? But... what do you do for work now?"

I remained silent.

Zoran finally spoke up, his voice cold: "What else can she do? Gold-digging from men, probably."

He held his drink, looking at me with a half-smile: "You come running whenever I call. Don't tell me you're here looking for your next sugar daddy?"

"But with how you look now, no one would want you anyway." Mist gently tugged on his arm, cooing, "Zoran, don't say that. Vivienne was your ex-girlfriend, after all."

Zoran scoffed, "I was blind back then."

Mist turned to me, "But I should thank you Vivienne. If you hadn't dumped Zoran, how could we be this happy now?"

"Oh, by the way... I heard that you has a kid with some old geezer now?"

Old geezer?

I furrowed my brow, not understanding what she meant.

Then, Mist took out her phone and showed me a photo.

It was a picture of me with my daughter, and the landlord's husband...

People around us started looking over:

"No way!"

"Who's that old guy? He looks at least fifty!"

"How the mighty have fallen. Wasn't Vivienne the campus beauty before?"

"With a face like that now, who else but old men would want her?"

The crowd burst into laughter.

I took a deep breath, about to explain, when Zoran suddenly chuckled softly.

"Vivienne," he swirled his glass, "Didn't you used to have such high standards?" "How can you even consider stooping to someone like that now? Why don't I... find you a job instead?"

He curled his lip, his eyes filled with mockery: "I hear certain private clubs specialize in collecting trash."

At that moment, the waiter brought over a flaming ice cream dessert.

Watching the flames dance in the air, I unconsciously took a step back, my heart racing.

This didn't escape Mist's notice: "Don't tell me you're afraid of fire? Our Zoran nearly died in a fire trying to save experimental drugs, and even he's not afraid of fire."

Zoran glanced at me without saying a word.

Mist continued: "But it was really dangerous at the time. If I hadn't rescued Zoran, I'm afraid..."

I raised my eyes slightly.

She rescued Zoran?