On my 20th birthday, I hosted a public draw to select my fiancé.

I nonchalantly picked a stick, which revealed Benson Gaskal, the boy I'd secretly loved since childhood.

While everyone congratulated us, his foster sister, Melisa Tabot, ran off in tears, concealing her face, and disappeared without a trace.

Shortly after, she was discovered dead at the base of a cliff. Her body was so bloated and decomposed that it was beyond recognition.

Benson seemed indifferent; he swiftly organized her funeral and soon after, married me.

After we got married, he concentrated on his career and became the head of two companies within a year.

I never anticipated that once I transferred all my shares to him, he would have my entire family kidnapped.

He accused me, saying, "If you hadn't rigged the draw and forced me to marry you, Melisa wouldn't have been so devastated and distracted, causing her to hit the wrong brake and die! Your family will pay for her death!"

My parents helplessly watched as eight thugs repeatedly assaulted me over three days and nights. Overwhelmed by sorrow, they passed away suddenly.

My lower body became severely infected, and I was in unbearable pain. Ultimately, I was thrown into Melisa's grave and buried alive.

***

When I opened my eyes, I was back to the day my parents told me to draw lots to select a husband.

I threw the lot container to the ground with force and smirked.

"Lots are dull. My right to arrange a marriage...

"Will be turned into an auction. The highest bidder wins!"

"What's happening? Wasn't it said that the richest man's daughter has been pursuing Mr. Gaskal for years, and the draw was fixed for him? Why the sudden change?"

"I think it's just a lovers' game. The marriage rights will surely be rigged for Mr. Gaskal to win the auction."

"It's uncertain. Ms. Kimbere did say the highest bidder wins. What if someone else tries to outbid him? Let's wait and see!"

As I stepped down from the stage and passed Benson, he grabbed my wrist.

His expression was stern, and his voice was cold and firm.

"Bailey, what are you plotting now?

"How many times have I told you? I don't like you and don't want to be a candidate to be your husband! Whether it's a draw or an auction, stop using your underhanded schemes that can't stand scrutiny!"

The man in front of me was handsome, but his eyes were filled with disdain for me.

I pulled my hand away from his grip and replied icily, "Since Mr. Gaskal isn't interested, then there's no need to go..."

Just as I was about to finish, Benson was pushed aside, and Benson's father, Henry Gaskal, stepped in front of me.

"Benson will definitely go! We would never let down your thoughtful arrangements, Ms. Kimbere."

I frowned and took a step back, speaking seriously, "Mr. Gaskal, please choose your words carefully. The auction is open and fair, without any bias.

"If you're aiming to join the Kimbere family, show some sincerity and the bidding amount is that sincerity!"

Everyone knew that marrying the only daughter of the Kimbere family, the wealthiest in the area, was a guaranteed success.

Dad had announced that after the marriage, he would hand over the Kimbere Group, worth hundreds of billions, to me and my future husband.

As he spoke, Dad glanced at Benson, leading everyone to murmur and assume he was the intended son-in-law.

In my previous life, he was indeed drawn by me.

But there was no pre-arrangement, just pure coincidence.

For years, I had admired him, and when I selected his name from countless others, I believed he was meant for me.

Not only did I forgive the Gaskal family's lack of gifts due to their financial troubles, but I also married him with a generous financial aid.

To my surprise, this decision resulted in my family's downfall and my own demise.

In this life, I refuse to let chance control my future.

My destiny will be determined by my own actions!

Three days later, the auction commenced.

The host explained the rules. Bids would remain anonymous, and the winner's identity would only be disclosed at the engagement banquet.

As the auction started, everyone hesitated, keeping their bid paddles lowered.

After a brief silence, Agent No. 2 lifted their hand and announced, "One dollar."

The room quickly filled with the sound of snickers.

I verified the identity of Agent No. 2 backstage and then discreetly signaled my assistant with a hand gesture.

She acknowledged with a nod, prompting my agent to lift the bid paddle.

"13 million dollars," he announced.

The room burst into chaos, but the frenzy soon subsided.

After all, 13 million dollars was just a trifling sum for the opportunity to marry me.

The auction had now entered a fiercely competitive stage.

"15 million dollars," announced the Carmichael family, our business partners.

"16 million dollars," countered the Wunne family, our long-standing allies.

Once the bidding exceeded 32 million dollars, only five families were left in the ongoing auction.

I directed my assistant to jump the price to 80 million dollars all at once.

Only the Carmichael and Wunne families were able to keep up.

Both the Carmichael and Wunne families hold a similar status to the Kimbere family and are well-acquainted with each other, making them ideal choices for a marriage alliance.

When the bidding reached 150 million dollars, the Wunne family lowered their bid paddle.

I paused briefly to review the file on the eldest son of the Carmichael family.

He was polished, attractive, reliable, and respectable, with no rumors surrounding him. He would be suitable.

However, the anticipated sound of the gavel did not occur.

Puzzled, I glanced up and noticed a new bidder raise their card.

"Unlimited bidding."

The auction room descended into chaos as I stared in shock at the unexpected appearance of bidder No. 99.

The auctioneer was the first to regain composure and asked the agent, "Can you confirm with your principal that they intend to continue outbidding everyone, regardless of the next offer?"

The agent for bidder No. 99 hastily spoke on the phone, then nodded emphatically.

"Yes, no matter the expense, my client is determined to win the right to marry Ms. Kimbere."

The venue buzzed with excitement.

"Who is this person? They're nearly bidding 160 million dollars and still placed unlimited bidding! Are they out of their minds?"

"I bet it's the Carmichael family. They've always been second on the wealth list and might be trying everything to marry into the richest family."

"You're behind the times! The latest ranking has the Kimbere family in second place, the Carmichael family third, and the top spot now belongs to..."

Oliver Jombel.

The newly declared richest man.

The person behind bidder No. 99.

My fingers brushed against his photograph.

He exuded an air of enigma, with just a blurry profile picture on his information page.

As I pondered this, Bryan Carmichael, seated in the neighboring box, suddenly leaped up in alarm and shouted, "260 million dollars!"

That was the entire amount of liquid assets the Carmichael family had available.

This was a legitimate auction, requiring immediate transfer of funds once the gavel struck—the Carmichael family was truly putting everything on the line.

Would Oliver back down?

He had only recently become the wealthiest man, just a month ago, and we had no previous dealings.

Rationally, it didn't seem worth it for him to spend such a fortune.

Under the scrutinizing eyes of the crowd, bidder No. 99 confidently lifted his paddle.

"I'll raise—320 million dollars."

A shock ran through me.

The room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop, and even the Carmichael family next door went silent.

The gavel came down, sealing the bid.

During the post-auction interview, reporters kept asking me who placed the "unlimited bidding."

I avoided answering directly. "You're all invited to the engagement banquet to find out."

Benson's mocking voice interrupted as he stepped into the camera's view, his face showing clear disdain.

"Bailey, still keeping up the act, huh? So you ditched the draw and opted for an auction for this spectacle?

"How many times have I told you to stop bothering me? Staging an unlimited bidding just to marry me. How absurd!

"Let me tell you straight. I was the one who bid one dollar! Because to me, you're just a clingy nobody, and that's all you're worth."

My fists clenched, and a sharp bitterness stung my eyes.

Even though I had faced countless similar humiliations in my past life, at that moment, my chest still throbbed with a dense, pinprick-like pain.

I didn't want to get into a confrontation with him in front of the press, so I calmly said, "Benson, I'm not bothering you."

Benson's jaw tightened as he sneered, "Everyone knows you've sworn to marry no one but me. The Kimbere family decided long ago that I would be your fiancé.

"You pulled that public bidding stunt just to pressure me with your filthy money into marrying you! But let me tell you, it won't work! Even if you join the Gaskal family, I'll never have anything to do with you. You can just wait to live like a widow!"

I mocked silently.

In my previous life, this was exactly what he'd done.

He pretended to ignore me for his career, but in truth, he was plotting revenge.

This time, I was determined to steer clear of trouble.

Just as I turned to walk away, someone grabbed my leg tightly.

Benson's adopted sister, Melisa, knelt on the ground, tears streaming down her face.

"Ms. Kimbere, if you need to vent, hit me or scold me! I'll serve you as a servant, but please don't send people to demolish our village and leave my family homeless...

"I know you resent my brother's kindness to me. I will cut ties with him."

"I won't allow it!" Benson cried out, his voice filled with anguish as he pulled Melisa into an embrace.

She leaned against him, her face marred by tears and looking utterly miserable.

With eyes burning red, Benson seized a wine bottle and threw it in my direction.

"You cruel witch! Kneel and beg Melisa's forgiveness immediately! If not, you'll never be welcomed into the Gaskal family!"

I lifted my arm to shield myself from the impact, but the glass shattered, leaving me with a deep, bleeding wound.

Just like in my previous life, Benson believed Melisa without question and resorted to abuse at the slightest provocation.

His constant indifference had completely extinguished my feelings.

My resentment was about to boil over, and I retorted sharply, "I didn't do it. Why should I apologize?"

Benson glared at me, raising his hand to hit me, but the bodyguards intervened just in time.

When my parents saw my injury, they were enraged and promised to confront the Gaskal family.

Their immediate concern brought tears to my eyes.

This time, I vowed to ensure they would never be harmed again.

I assured them I had a plan and told them not to worry.

The main focus was to prepare for the engagement banquet and address the issue with the mysterious fiancé.

And once again, Oliver amazed everyone.

Five private jets delivered an astounding 999 engagement gifts.

Among them was a peacock coral hairpin, a thousand-year-old national treasure that had caused a stir in the auction world just six months ago.

Even my parents, who had seen it all, were amazed by such lavish generosity.

I felt a mix of happiness and bitterness.

In my previous life, Benson had offered a mere cheap emerald bracelet as gifts, while I naively brought my assets that worth billions.

The difference between Benson's stinginess and Oliver's thoughtfulness was so clear that I was convinced I had made the right choice in this life.

As I gently touched the exquisite hairpin, Oliver's sharply defined features suddenly came to mind.

Inspired, I designed a griffin ruby brooch to complement the color of the hairpin.

I was going over the brooch design with the craftsperson when Benson entered the VIP room, hand in hand with Melisa.

His expression turned sour upon seeing me. "Bailey, are you following me?" he sneered.

Then, noticing the partially completed brooch in my hand, he laughed derisively.

"Such gaudy taste from the nouveau riche. I wouldn't be caught dead wearing that!"

I looked at him, bewildered.

Did Benson actually think this was intended for him?

I sighed, attempting to explain, "This isn't..."

But before I could finish, Melisa interrupted with excitement, "Benson, this dress is stunning!"

She held a white pearl long dress against herself.

Benson looked at her affectionately and said, "If you like it, go ahead and buy it."

The manager entered with a worried expression.

"This is Ms. Kimbere's engagement banquet gown. It's not for sale."

Benson turned, his face livid, and glared.

"I'm already being forced to marry you, Bailey! I have no obligation to take part in this chaotic engagement banquet!

"Your heart is completely dark—how can you even think you deserve purity?"

Melisa gave me a provocative smile before quickly switching to a pitiful sob.

"Never mind... I shouldn't even dream of having something that belongs to a young lady like Ms. Kimbere..."

"Who does she think she is?" Benson growled, barely containing his anger.

"If she wants to be part of the Gaskal family, she'll abide by our rules and from now on, I am her ultimate rule!"

He declared, "I'm buying this dress for Melisa!"

The manager gave me an uneasy look.

Benson didn't know that the Kimbere family was the main shareholder of this boutique.

I gestured for the manager to give him the dress.

Benson sneered, "Since you're sensible enough, I'll give you a thousand dollars monthly allowance from now on."

He looked down with a smug expression, as if he were a master tossing a bone to a dog.

It dawned on me why he had never outright dismissed my admiration over the years, but his attitude shifted as soon as he discovered I was the sole daughter of the wealthiest man.

He started using derogatory phrases like "new money" and "stinking rich," pretending to disdain wealth.

In truth, he hid his sense of inferiority behind a façade of false moral superiority.

After all, the Gaskal family had lost their status, not even making it into the top 100 on the wealth list for years.

I chuckled, sarcasm evident in my gaze, and questioned him, "Benson, are you really sure you're my fiancé?"

He sneered. "Bailey, after a decade of pursuing me, you think you can act elusive now?

"Everyone's aware you spent 320 million dollars on limitless bids just to wed me. There's no point in pretending anymore.

"Let's go, Melisa. We shouldn't waste time with this pathetic fraud. It's a nuisance."

Once the pair departed, the manager turned to me with a question, "Ms. Kimbere, that gown is valued at tens of millions. Are we really handing it over to them? And without the dress, what will you wear to the engagement banquet?"

I offered a slight smile. "The engagement banquet is Victorian-themed. I've already arranged for a custom-made gown. That dress isn't necessary for me."

I added, "Moreover, Benson mentioned he would purchase it. Send him the invoice—make sure he pays every cent."

That night, Melisa became a sensation on social media, donning a gown worth tens of millions and earning the title of "genius beauty painter."

Her Twitter caption was the most talked-about aspect, though it had little to do with her art. Instead, it was filled with personal photos of her and Benson.

"Today, the love of my life made my dreams come true," she captioned.

The images showed the pair in rumpled clothing, adorned with numerous suggestive red marks, revealing that their relationship was clearly deeper than it appeared.

Netizens quickly uncovered Benson's identity and revealed his adoptive sibling relationship with Melisa.

At the same time, the topic "Benson was forced to use unlimited bidding at the auction to marry me" surged in popularity.

Benson seized the chance to unleash online trolls to tarnish my reputation.

Overnight, my Twitter comments were inundated with "Bailey the Clinger."

Infuriated and worried, I immediately directed my PR team to remove all negative news about me.

Just then, Benson asked to meet me alone. As soon as I arrived at the designated spot, someone covered my mouth and nose and dragged me away.

When I regained consciousness after being doused with water, I found myself in the Gaskal's place.

Benson struck me with such force that I saw stars.

"You bitch! Melisa just gained popularity for her art exhibition, and you had her blacklisted in the entire art community! She's dedicated years to preparing for this show. How could you ruin her career?"

Blood dripped from my lip, but my tied hands couldn't wipe it away.

"What blacklisting? I only erased negative topics about me!"

Another hit sent me sprawling to the ground.

"How dare you deny it? Who else would be so envious of Melisa that they'd misuse their power to push her to despair?"

As I attempted to get up and explain, a high-heeled shoe pressed against my shoulder, pushing me back down.

Benson's mother, Maria Gaskal, who used to adore me, threw the gown bill at my feet and snarled with a fierce glare, "Shameless wretch—no respect for your future in-laws, and now you dare to ask for payment?

"Today, you'll learn the rules of the Gaskal family once and for all!"

An elderly woman, clad in black robes and with white hair, approached silently, tearing at my clothes.

"What are you doing? Let me go!" I shouted, struggling to push her away.

Maria sneered, "Every bride in the Gaskal family must pass Kelly's test.

"First, she'll inspect you to see your value."

Enraged, I laughed wildly. "Bitch! I'm not..."

Kelly interrupted by slapping me across the mouth. "Vulgar language. Punishment is necessary!"

My face swelled up immediately, and my vision became blurry.

"She's family. Go easy on her!"

Henry said, waving his hand as he approached, pretending to stop Kelly.

He turned to me with a fake smile.

"If she passes the virginity check, the financial aid of one billion dollar is fine.

"If there's a problem. We'll have to renegotiate the financial aid..."

"You'll get nothing!" I retorted, spitting at him.

His face darkened instantly. "Ungrateful woman. Bring out the family torture instruments!"

Upon hearing this, Kelly pulled out a thick needle and stabbed it into my nail bed.

I cried out in pain.

Thick needles were inserted into each of my ten fingers, one by one. Although there was no bleeding, the pain was unbearable.

I shook uncontrollably, drenched in cold sweat.

"Bailey, are you okay?" Melisa asked with feigned concern, using her sleeve to cover the motion as she pushed the needle deeper into my finger.

"Get away from me!" I shouted hoarsely.

"You bitch! Melisa is trying to help you, and you have the nerve to be rude?"

Benson's jaw tightened as he stomped on my fingers, grinding them into the floor.

Melisa clung to Benson's arm, pretending to plead with him.

"Benson, just let it go. Bailey already dislikes me. If this keeps up, she'll never accept me once she's part of our family."

Benson's eyes showed sympathy. "I won't let her mistreat you."

He pressed his foot down harder and, with a cold tone, said, "Bailey, since you're so desperate to marry me, I'll reluctantly make you my wife.

"But from now on, Melisa will hold a higher status, and you a lower one. If you so much as harm a single hair on her head, you'll face immediate punishment according to family rules!"

My eyes were blood-red, with veins like threads of crimson spreading at the corners of my vision.

"You're crazy! My fiancé isn't you!" I shouted.

Kelly, with a chilling demeanor, jabbed a needle into my tongue, declaring, "Disrespecting your husband deserves punishment for the tongue!"

I fainted from the agony, only to be revived by a splash of water, subjected to endless more torments.

Eventually, I was cast out of the Gaskal's place after losing my mind and pleading for mercy, kowtowing before them.

***

With just three hours remaining until the engagement banquet, my parents have already left for the airport to fetch Oliver.

After quickly tending to my injuries, I hurried to the hotel.

This event is significant, and I cannot bring shame to the Kimbere family.

The issues with the Gaskal family will have to be resolved later.

Upon arriving at the engagement banquet, I noticed the four members of the Gaskal family seated at the main table.

In previous social gatherings, Henry and Maria were always humble and kept to themselves, but today they were being eagerly pursued by others.

Maria tapped my nose and chided, "Do you have any manners? Not only did you fail to send someone to welcome us, but you also left us to find our own seats!"

I took a deep breath to calm myself and courteously requested them to leave. "This is not the designated seating area for the Gaskal family."

Henry looked displeased and said, "There are private room available, yet you don't let us in."

Benson sneered, took Melisa's hand, and stood up.

"Such lack of manners. These in-laws are a real embarrassment to the Gaskal family."

He added, "Melisa, come with me to the reception area to greet the guests."

Melisa, in her off-white gown, stood next to Benson in his black suit, resembling a newly married couple.

I extended my arm to stop them and smiled, saying, "The exit corridor is this way.

"I don't remember the Gaskal family being invited to the engagement banquet. If I'm wrong, show me the invitation."

Benson pushed me aside angrily. "What's your problem now, Bailey? Haven't you had enough of the family's discipline?"

Melisa mocked, "Shall I remind you of how you were on your knees begging me yesterday?"

She then played a video on her phone showing me being tormented and pleading for mercy.

The media rushed in, pelting me with questions. "Ms. Kimbere, are you okay with this? Was the unlimited bidding your plan to push for a marriage?"

"Is it true that even your adopted sister-in-law is undermining you. Are you going to give up the entire Kimbere family fortune?"

I angrily shouted at Benson, "Make Melisa stop!"

He responded calmly, "This is about teaching you the Gaskal family rules.

"How dare someone as desperate as you try to command Melisa?"

Fuming with rage, I grabbed a glass of red wine from the table and poured it over him.

Suddenly, someone steadied my shoulder and took the wine glass from me.

I turned to see Oliver, his expression icy, as he slammed the glass—wine included—into Benson's face.

"Mr. Gaskal, just how bold is your adopted sister to dare force my fiancée to kneel?"