Chapter 3

The sudden slap made my face burn with pain.

"You cheap plastic surgery freak! Do you know where you are? How dare you barge in here?"

"You deliberately got surgery to look like Melody to seduce Mr. Blackwood. You're so desperate to climb the social ladder, you've lost all shame!"

Only then did I realize who this person was. The woman who burst in and hit me was Tristan's substitute-Melody Winters.

Because of Tristan's pathological need for control, I'd always been cold toward him.

Even though I was forced to marry him, I remained distant. I never let him touch me even once.

Perhaps to spite me, or maybe to fill the void in his heart, he searched everywhere for someone who resembled me.

And Melody was the substitute he found. The one who looked most like me.

Right now, Melody's face was filled with rage. Her eyes could shoot flames.

"You bitch! You know Tristan loves me madly, so you went through all that surgery to look like me. You want to be my substitute and take my place, don't you?"

Melody was arrogant and vicious. But considering she didn't know the truth, I decided not to hold this slap against her.

Instead, I tried to warn her kindly.

"This isn't a place you should be. Leave now, before Tristan gets here. Otherwise, no one can help you."

However, Melody showed no appreciation. Instead, she grabbed my hair and snarled, "Tristan is MY man. What place of his can't I go? You're just pretending to send me away because you're afraid I'll ruin your scheme. Afraid you won't even get to be the mistress, right?"

"Today I'll show you what happens when you try to steal my man!"

With that, Melody kicked me to the ground.

I stumbled and hit a rock. My forehead split open instantly.

I touched the blood on my forehead and looked at the aggressive Melody. My voice turned cold.

"Aren't you afraid of what Tristan will do when he finds out?"

Melody snorted disdainfully. "I'm the destined soulmate Tristan has been searching for all this time. If my face gets even slightly scratched, he can't sleep for days. So what if he finds out? Would he blame me because of an insignificant bitch like you?"

Melody's friends laughed coldly in agreement.

"Exactly. Everyone knows Mr. Blackwood fell for Melody at first sight. You're just a plastic surgery copycat. How dare you compare yourself to her?"

"Melody, Mr. Blackwood is so powerful. There must be plenty of vixens like this one trying to seduce him. Let's make an example out of her today and crush those scheming sluts' fantasies!"

"Right! Let those bitches know who Mr. Blackwood's real wife is!"

These women were all vicious with their words and looks, as if they wanted to tear me apart.

My expression grew serious. I spoke coldly. "You'd better go ask Tristan who I really am."

Melody lifted her chin, full of disdain. "You're just a plastic surgery freak who snuck into the villa. Why would I bother finding out who you are?"

"I'm the woman Tristan treasures most. My family, the Winters, is the Blackwood family's biggest business partner. What are you compared to me? How dare you compare status with me?"

Her eyes turned vicious. She ordered her friends behind her, "Strip this bitch naked. I want to see if she had surgery on her body to match mine too."

Immediately, her friends rushed over and violently tore at my clothes.

I desperately tried to protect my clothing while shouting, "Stop! I'm Tristan's wife!"