Chapter 2

Priscilla was about to explain when Quinlan jumped in from the couch, eager to speak first.

"Priscilla, the evidence speaks for itself—don't even try to deny it. I never would have guessed your taste was so... unique. Rejecting Preston for some disgusting fat guy instead."

Preston's face darkened with displeasure. "We're engaged, yet here you are chasing after other men. If I actually married you, the entire Coleman family would become a laughingstock in high society."

Priscilla's gaze grew colder as she listened to their coordinated attack.

Last night's events definitely had their fingerprints all over it.

She hadn't even revealed their affair yet, and here they were, turning the tables on her.

The doorbell rang, and Bianca went to answer it. No one expected the visitor to be Hayden.

Hayden's greedy eyes fixed on Priscilla like a venomous snake targeting its prey.

He hadn't forgotten the pain from Priscilla's kick yesterday—it had nearly damaged his reproductive function!

Bianca forced a smile. "Mr. Smith, what brings you here?"

Hayden let out a cold laugh. "Priscilla is mine now. I suggest you all be sensible and marry her off to me, unless you want me broadcasting what happened last night."

Suddenly, everyone's attention locked onto Priscilla.

She clenched her fists tightly, her sharp nails digging into her palms.

"What you're doing is slander and defamation—it's illegal!"

She turned abruptly to glare at Quinlan.

"Was last night your doing? You're having an affair with my fiancé and afraid that I'll expose you, so you concocted this scheme against me."

"As for the so-called photographic evidence, any professional agency could easily detect editing marks."

Quinlan's eyes immediately welled with tears, her face full of hurt. "Priscilla, you're the one who misbehaved, and now you're blaming me?"

Bianca responded without hesitation, "Quinlan would never do such things. Stop trying to frame her."

Preston rose to his feet, flushed with anger. "Priscilla, I'm only now discovering how truly despicable you are. Quinlan has always treated you like a sister, and even now, you're still lying and slandering her!"

Priscilla's fists clenched tighter as she stared at Preston with disappointment, not missing the flash of guilt in his eyes.

Although she was later discovered to be the true daughter, she had spent four years with Preston.

She had even considered marrying him, but now the reality before her showed just how foolish that thought had been.

Looking at the people in front of her, Priscilla felt an overwhelming sense of powerlessness rise within her.

She had always been the outsider, despite being the Medici family's biological daughter.

Quinlan spoke up again.

"Priscilla, there's something you never knew. Mr. Smith has had his eye on you for some time. He even offered the family 300 million dollars to marry you. We only refused because we were concerned about your happiness. We never imagined you'd turn around and do something like this."

She paused deliberately.

"If you'd just said you had feelings for Mr. Smith, the family would have supported you."

Contempt and mockery spread endlessly in Priscilla's eyes.

Quinlan's plan might as well have been written across her face.

Priscilla and Preston's engagement was a family alliance that couldn't be easily broken.

Unless one party did something utterly intolerable, no one would consider dissolving or transferring the engagement.

Quinlan's goal was obvious—to destroy Priscilla's reputation and end this arrangement.

So she could marry Preston instead.

Faced with a Priscilla now tainted with seemingly concrete evidence of infidelity, neither the Medici nor the Coleman families would object despite blood relations.

Their plan was revolting, yet her grandfather Chase Medici—the only person in this family who cared for and protected her—wasn't here.

Bianca frowned and said, "Since things have escalated to this point, you should marry Mr. Smith. But since this engagement failure is your fault, Mr. Smith's payment will go entirely to the Coleman family as compensation."

Priscilla's expression grew even more grim.

Hayden coughed, saying with dissatisfaction, "Three hundred million was the previous offer. After her disappointing performance last night, I'm only willing to pay one million dollars now."

Bianca instantly objected, "Mr. Smith, this isn't what we discussed. Priscilla is my daughter and a Medici—the full amount is non-negotiable."

Hayden laughed contemptuously. "If I spread those stories around, do you think anyone would dare marry Priscilla? One million dollars isn't a small sum. If I were you, I'd accept it immediately."

Bianca was visibly infuriated.

Quinlan stepped forward, tugging at Bianca's hand. "Mom, let's just agree. Priscilla's reputation is already ruined. Getting her married off quickly is our best option."

Hesitation flashed in Bianca's eyes—after all, Priscilla was the daughter she had raised for four years.

"You're all discussing this so enthusiastically, but has anyone asked for my opinion?"

Priscilla's voice carried an icy edge.

She was a living, breathing person, not an item to be negotiated and traded.

Her biological mother Bianca, hadn't shown a shred of concern for her, hadn't even asked what happened last night. She was solely focused on selling her daughter at the originally negotiated price.

Priscilla's heart turned completely cold, and she felt waves of disgust.

She stated firmly, "I absolutely will not marry him."

Bianca replied coldly, "It's too late for objections. If you refuse this marriage, forget about ever seeing your brother again!"

Priscilla's pupils constricted as if someone had suddenly seized her by the throat.

Her brother, Kieran Anderson, was her only weakness.

Though they shared no blood relation, they had been each other's only family for the first eighteen years of her life—a bond that transcended genetics.

Priscilla never imagined Bianca would use this to threaten her, and she felt powerless to resist.

Just then, steady footsteps sounded from the second floor.