(Aline POV) "How dare you steal your sister's man?" Mother's voice thundered down like lightning, striking without warning. Then came a crisp slap. Her palm landed hard across my face, the force making me stagger back half a step. My cheek burned with pain, but what seared even more was the feeling of my heart being torn apart. "You disappoint me so much, Aline." She spoke coldly, as if I had committed some heinous crime. "Your sister has been wandering for twenty years and finally came home, yet you can't tolerate her and even fight with her over a man?" My knuckles clenched white as I gritted my teeth: "Mom... Lucas is my boyfriend." This was a fact. An indisputable fact. But at this moment, in their eyes, it seemed to matter nothing at all. I looked toward the couple sitting on the sofa— Sophia Winchester, my long-lost sister. Lucas White, my childhood sweetheart and lover. She leaned gently against his shoulder while his arm naturally encircled her waist, as if that was where he belonged. Behind them, both families sat contentedly in a circle, like they were watching a "perfectly natural" performance. "You've come at just the right time." Father Victor's tone was flat. "We were just discussing Sophia and Lucas's engagement ceremony." I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. I looked toward Lucas, trying to see even a hint of reluctance, even a trace of guilt on his face— But he only spoke calmly: "I'm sorry, Aline. I think you may have misunderstood my feelings for you." I laughed, almost to the point of tears. Misunderstood? What about that ring? What about those words "I'll love you forever"? Were all those promises you made just convenient sticky notes you could tear off whenever you wanted? Sophia immediately stood up, putting on an act of being "at fault": "It's all my fault, I shouldn't have come back... If my presence makes Aline uncomfortable, I'll leave right away..." "Shut up." I hissed through gritted teeth, my anger barely contained. "You shut up!" Mother roared. "You've been willful since childhood! Sophia suffered so much before coming back, what's wrong with us compensating her?" "Then why do you have to sacrifice me to compensate her?" My voice was like ice shards, cutting. They fell silent. Father stood up, his face already written with impatience: "You're embarrassing yourself, Aline. Stop making a scene and get out." I stood there like a complete outsider. I thought this family belonged to me, Lucas belonged to me, and my future belonged to me too. Only now did I understand— They were just waiting for Sophia to return so they could replace me. I drove out of the estate, speeding through the city's night. Tears finally broke through at a red light, but I quickly wiped them away, refusing to let myself fall apart too pathetically. I dialed the only number that could save me. "Rhea, come drink with me." Our usual bar, Yes, had dim lighting and crowded privacy—perfect for healing wounds. I arrived first. Sitting in a corner booth, I ordered a whole bottle of red wine, no ice. The first sip burned like fire in my chest. I don't remember how much I drank alone until Rhea burst through the door. "How much have you had?" She grabbed my wine glass while frowning. "Not enough." I laughed hoarsely. "But it doesn't hurt anymore." "What the hell happened?" I briefly told her about tonight—Lucas's betrayal, my sister's return, and my parents' slap and banishment. After hearing it all, Rhea cursed: "Are they insane? You're their biological daughter!" "Maybe they always wanted Sophia more." I smiled bitterly. "And I... was just her shadow." Rhea slammed the table hard: "Aline, you can't just let this go. They treat you like this—you need to make them regret it!" "Regret? They don't care about me!" I laughed helplessly. "Come on, let's go find someone to fight—or better yet, find you a higher-quality new boyfriend to piss them off!" I was about to laugh at her craziness when she suddenly lowered her voice and gestured to my left: "Look over there, the man in the suit sitting in the corner—do. "Do you know who he is?" I followed her gaze. Under the dim yellow light, a man sat in the corner of the sofa. Impeccably dressed in a tailored suit. One hand casually draped over the armrest, eyes slightly closed, expression cold—like a predator lurking in the night. "Him?" I squinted. Rhea leaned close, her voice barely a whisper: "Evan White. Lucas's 'uncle.'" I froze. "Are you sure?" "One hundred percent. My brother met him at the corporation's annual meeting last year. Even Lucas's father has to show him respect. He never shows his face publicly, but he controls the White family's core resources—no one dares cross him." I stared at his handsome profile as a crazy idea suddenly sprouted. I took a light sip of red wine, my gaze unwavering: "Rhea." "Yeah?" "What do you think would happen if I... managed to get him?" She choked on her drink: "What did you say?! Are you crazy?" "If I could successfully seduce Evan White, imagine the scene," I continued. "Lucas discovering his fiancée became his uncle's woman. My parents discovering the daughter they abandoned became the woman beside the real power center of the White family. Their expressions would be absolutely priceless." I smiled. Rhea hadn't reacted yet. But I was already standing up, wine glass in hand, walking toward that man.