Chapter 3 Each Does Their Own Thing

"I climbed into his bed?" Wendy trembled with anger. "That night, he was the one drugged with an aphrodisiac! He was the one who wouldn't let me go!"

When she was eighteen, Rita suddenly came back with a necklace, saying she was the real daughter of the Percy family.

Overnight, Wendy went from being the Percy family's precious daughter to an orphan.

The Percys felt she had stolen Rita's life, so they mistreated her at every turn, beating and scolding her.

Until three years ago, when Rita fell down the stairs herself during an argument with her.

The whole family said she had pushed her and threw her out like garbage.

That day, she was drowning her sorrows at a bar when she ran into Felix, who had been drugged. Felix had just broken up with Rita after being misdiagnosed with a terminal illness.

He held onto her and wouldn't let go.

Wendy had liked Felix since childhood, so she shamefully slept with him.

Who knew that the next morning, reporters would burst through the door.

The photos made all the headlines: [Percy family's fake daughter schemes deeply, drugs and seduces sister's fiancé.]

The Lu family was furious, the Percy family disgraced.

In the end, Felix said coldly, "Since we slept together, let's get married."

She thought marrying the person she liked would bring happiness, but it turned out to be the beginning of misery.

"What's the point of saying this now?"

Grace's tone was mocking. "Who knows if you saw us kick you out and wanted to latch onto the Talbot family."

Wendy flinched at those words.

"That's right, Felix never liked you at all. Besides..."

Zack's words were cruel. "The Percy family raised you for twenty years, fed and clothed you, sent you abroad to study. We didn't mistreat you. These three years you've occupied Mrs. Talbot's position, it's time to give it up."

"I'm occupying it?" Wendy laughed through tears. "You think I want to occupy it?"

Rita started crying then. "Wendy, it's my fault. I shouldn't have come back to the country, shouldn't have appeared in front of him again, but I can't help it. We used to love each other so much..."

Grace protected Rita, looking at Wendy with disgust. "See? Felix has only ever had Rita in his heart. If he hadn't been misdiagnosed with a terminal illness back then, we never would have let you marry him."

"Look at yourself—an orphan who only knows how to hang around the kitchen all day. What do you have to compare with Rita?"

These words stabbed into Wendy's heart like knives.

She looked at them, suddenly feeling they were both familiar and strange.

Twenty-some years of raising and companionship really couldn't compare to blood ties.

No, maybe they had never truly considered her their daughter.

She was just a substitute during Rita's absence. Now that the real one was back, this fake naturally had no value.

Her eyes reddened, but she stubbornly refused to cry in front of them.

"Fine. Starting today, I'm cutting all ties with this family!"

With that, she turned and left.

The night wind rushed in, and she realized it had started raining outside.

Wendy hugged herself. Rain hit her face—she couldn't tell if it was tears or something else.

Her best friend Sophie Bruce called just as Wendy set down her suitcase in the hotel room.

As soon as she answered, Sophie started cursing.

"Holy shit! Wendy, you finally left that bastard! I've been saying Felix is a narcissist! And those Percy family people—what the hell! Do they really think you're a pushover?!"

Wendy gripped her phone, her nose stinging.

"You know what? Rita just posted photos on Instagram! The caption is about a necklace, saying it's a reunion gift! Disgusting! Stealing her own brother-in-law and being so shameless about it!"

Sophie got angrier as she talked. "And Felix actually liked her post!"

Wendy was silent for a few seconds, looking out the window.

"Sophie, I want to leave Riverton City."

"Leave? No way!" Sophie huffed. "If you leave, isn't that exactly what those bitches want? Wendy, listen to me. Come to a party with me tonight."

"A party?"

"Yeah! My cousin's throwing it. All people from our circle. Tonight, you'll show everyone that you, Wendy, are living better without Felix."

Two hours later.

Wendy looked at herself in the mirror, somewhat dazed.

A body-hugging slip dress that followed her curves all the way down, with cutouts at the waist revealing a strip of pale skin.

The back was almost completely bare, held only by two thin straps crossing each other, exposing her shoulder blades and the beautiful line of her entire spine.

The dress had a slit up to mid-thigh, revealing glimpses of her legs with every step.

"This is too revealing..." Wendy instinctively tried to pull up the neckline.

"Revealing what!" Sophie grabbed her hand. "You've always dressed too conservatively. Please, with your amazing figure—curves in all the right places—why hide it?"

She put a collarbone necklace on Wendy as she spoke.

"And this makeup." Sophie cupped her face. "Your features are already striking. That light makeup you used to wear didn't suit you. Look, now you're gorgeous. With this dress, you're a total knockout!"

The makeup artist nodded. "Wendy's features are perfect. A little styling and she's celebrity-level."

Wendy looked at the stranger in the mirror who was also somehow familiar.

For over twenty years, she had tried hard to play the role others expected of her.

The Percy family's well-behaved daughter, the Talbot family's virtuous wife.

She wore modest dresses, light makeup, spoke softly, and behaved properly.

Because everyone said that's what Rita was like.

So she had to be that way too.

But now she didn't want to pretend anymore.

"Let's go." Wendy took a deep breath and picked up her clutch. "To the party."

The estate party was lively.

Music pounded, lights were dim, and the pool area was packed with young people.

The moment Wendy and Sophie walked in, all eyes turned to them.

"Who's that?"

"She looks familiar... is that Mrs. Talbot?"

"Oh my god, what a transformation."

Feeling everyone's stares, Wendy straightened her spine and walked in.

The red dress swayed with her steps, her long legs pale and striking under the lights.

"Wendy, look over there." Sophie nudged her with her elbow.

Wendy followed her gaze.

On the other side of the pool, Felix and Rita stood together.

Rita wore a white lace dress, hair down, makeup perfect, still looking pure and sweet.

And Felix...

Black shirt, sleeves rolled to his elbows showing strong forearms, holding a glass of whiskey, looking both distinguished and relaxed.

Felix saw her then too.

The next moment, he froze.

This was... Wendy?

The old Wendy was plain, always in a low ponytail, wearing an apron, no makeup, no styling. But this woman was different.

She was confident, stunning, looking both alluring and sophisticated.

Completely different from his memory.

Rita saw Wendy too, her smile freezing for a moment.

All the people who had been looking at her were now drawn to Wendy.

She gripped her glass tighter, but quickly recovered and waved in their direction.

"What an act." Sophie rolled her eyes.

Just then, a man walked over.

Tall, with striking features, he handed Wendy a drink.

"Hi, I'm Sophie's friend. Can I buy you a drink?"

Wendy glanced at Sophie, who winked at her.

She took the glass and smiled. "Thank you."

"You look stunning tonight." The man didn't hide his admiration. "That dress is perfect on you."

"Thanks."

"Want to dance?" The man pointed to the dance floor. "The music's good."

Wendy hesitated for a second.

But quickly, a rebellious feeling surged up.

"Sure." She smiled and agreed.

The man took her hand and led her to the dance floor.

Wendy was stiff at first, but gradually relaxed, moving to the rhythm. Her hair flew, and people around them automatically made space, their eyes full of admiration.

"That's Mrs. Talbot? Doesn't look like her at all..."

"See that guy? That's Mr. Talbot's first love. I heard Mrs. Talbot is divorcing him..."

The gossip floated to her ears, but Wendy didn't care anymore.

She let herself go completely, feeling free for the first time.

Now, she wasn't anyone, didn't have to play any role, didn't have to please anyone. She was just herself.

Felix's expression darkened, his glass nearly crushing in his hand.

This woman...

How dare she!

Especially when he saw that man's hand slide onto her slim waist, he couldn't watch anymore and walked straight over.

Wendy was dancing freely when suddenly a hand grabbed her.

Before she could react, she was pulled off the dance floor.

Felix dragged her toward the manor.

Wendy struggled. "Let go!"

Felix acted like he didn't hear, pulling her into a storage room and locking the door behind them.

Then he pressed her against the wall, hands on either side of her, eyes dark with anger.

"Wendy." He suppressed his fury. "We're not even divorced yet, and you're already this eager to find your next guy?"