Chapter 4

I watched this man coldly—someone I'd treated wholeheartedly for years.

After old Mr. Foster passed away, the mediocre Dominic took over the Foster family.

In just half a year, he'd offended investors and ruined the core project. Under the influence of his fair-weather friends, he'd also taken over several garbage projects.

Within days, the Foster family collapsed.

Accumulated debts reached hundreds of billions. Investors fled one after another. Even selling off the Foster family's ancestral assets built up over centuries wasn't enough to fill the hole.

Some people kicked them while they were down, demanding Dominic crawl between their legs—a few tens of thousands for each crawl.

It was me who, remembering our years together, helped him and encouraged him.

I even convinced my father to support him.

Back then, he knelt before my father, crying and swearing that if he ever betrayed me in this lifetime, he'd be struck by lightning and die a horrible death.

In just two years, once he'd regained his footing in the social circle, he'd forgotten his vows.

And he had the audacity to say that making me his mistress was doing me a favor.

Everyone present looked at Dominic like he was insane.

Unable to understand where a man who could only stand firm in business circles thanks to his fiancée got the nerve to be so provocative.

To be honest, the current Foster family really belonged to the Sutton family in all but name.

But Dominic didn't care. Seeing my silence, he was certain I was heartbroken and couldn't let him go.

He pulled Serena closer by the waist, becoming even more arrogant.

"Miranda Sutton, if you kneel down and apologize to Serena now, I'll agree to let you follow me."

"If you serve me well, I'll consider letting you move into the Foster residence. It's not impossible for you to see the child either."

I stared at his smug face and smiled.

Let Serena have this fool who couldn't see the situation clearly. At least he'd be blocking disaster for me.

My father beside me couldn't hold back. He was so angry he laughed.

"The Foster family really has stood back up, speaking with such an arrogant tone. It seems the Sutton family really can't reach that high. As for you—"

My father pointed at Serena. "The Sutton family has no daughter who steals her sister's marriage and throws away the family's dignity. When I get home today, I'll remove you from the family registry and sign a severance agreement. From now on, whether you live or die has nothing to do with the Sutton family."

Serena's eyes reddened, crying sadly.

"Dad, I'm also your biological daughter. Why are you so cruel to me?"

"I just tried to be with the person I love. What did I do wrong? If Dominic doesn't like Miranda, it's because she's incompetent. Why should all the good things go to Miranda!"

My father laughed coldly. "Fine. I'll fulfill your wishes. Everyone present is a witness. From now on, you're not part of the Sutton family. Take care of yourself."

"Someone, go retrieve all of Miranda's dowry!"

"Fifty chests of cash, fifteen loads of jewelry, three Porsches, a 20% equity agreement, property deeds for five Bay Garden villas—bring everything back to the Sutton family without missing a single item."

Everyone gasped when they heard about my dowry, all looking at Dominic like he was an idiot.

Serena screamed on the spot. "No! This is all my dowry!"

My mother slapped her across the face. "Stole Miranda's marriage and still want to steal the dowry? Dream on. These were all prepared by the Sutton family for Miranda. What are you? If you want a dowry, go ask Mrs. Wilson for it."

The bodyguards were about to leave with the dowry when Dominic blocked their way.

"Wait. If you dare take the dowry away, half the Sutton family will be mine by tomorrow."

He looked at my father. "When our two families signed the prenuptial agreement, it only said 'Sutton family daughter' without naming anyone specifically. I followed the contract obediently, promising to treat the Sutton family daughter well for life. Serena hasn't suffered any grievances. What you're doing is breaking the contract."

He pulled out the prenuptial agreement signed just a week ago. The lawyer read the terms aloud to everyone present.

"If Party B, Dominic Foster, is unfaithful to the Sutton family daughter, he leaves with nothing. Conversely, if the Sutton family withdraws the dowry, it's considered a breach of contract, and Party A must compensate Party B with 20% of the shares."

The entire room fell deathly silent.

"Impossible! How could I have signed such an agreement!"

My father's face turned pale instantly. He snatched the contract. The lawyer pointed to a line of small print at the very end.

Dominic smiled and gestured with his chin. On the big screen, footage of my father personally signing appeared.

"Mr. Sutton, you're someone whose every move shakes the city's business circles. You wouldn't play dumb and pretend not to remember, would you? But pretending won't help. This contract is stamped with your private seal. It has legal force. If you're not afraid of embarrassment in court, go ahead and take it."

My father was so angry he clutched his chest, gasping violently, nearly passing out.

My mother's eyes were bloodshot. She wanted to get justice for me but was forced into speechlessness.

Serena twisted her waist and nestled into Dominic's embrace, smiling radiantly.

"Miranda, it's fine if I can't be a Sutton family daughter. If you're willing to kowtow and apologize to me now, maybe if I'm in a good mood, I'll put in a good word for you with Dominic and abstain at the shareholders' meeting. Otherwise, Dad will lose his chairman position, and those old foxes in the company devour people without leaving bones."

"I'll accept this dowry graciously. Bring it all inside."

The Foster family servants roughly shoved past me. All the dowry was about to be carried back inside.

My mother tried to stop them in desperation but was pushed to the ground by the Foster family people acting like lackeys.

Serena raised an eyebrow. "Madam, this is Foster family private business. If you insist on getting involved and get bumped or bruised, you can only blame yourself."

I helped my mother up, watching the pair of dogs coldly.

Dominic curled his lips with a condescending expression. "Without this dowry, you won't even be qualified to buy yourself a husband. For the sake of how you used to chase after me pathetically, come to the Foster family and serve as Serena's servant for three years. I'll consider giving you a son to rely on."

Seeing me ignore him, Dominic roughly grabbed my shoulder and shoved me in front of Serena, then kicked my knee.

Just as he was about to use brute force to make me kowtow—

The tightly closed conference hall doors were violently pushed open.

"Someone reported that the Foster family illegally seized massive private assets from the Sutton family. Who is Dominic Foster?"