Chad, the hottest guy in school, had snared Olivia, the heiress to the Calloway fortune. He’d plastered their engagement announcement all over the school group chat, but made a point of explicitly banning me from the celebration. "Tomorrow, at the engagement party, I'll be formally introduced to Olivia's Grand-Uncle. So, anyone with ill intentions should just stay home, save themselves the envy." The words felt like a match dropped into a pool of gasoline. My blood boiled. A while back, someone had snapped a pic of me kissing Olivia's forehead, calling her "sweetheart." Chad twisted it, labeled me a homewrecker, and led a two-year bullying campaign against me. I clenched my jaw, typing back: "Even if you invited me, I’d be tied up. One of my own juniors is getting engaged, and I need to be there to give my blessing." The next day, I was at the party, digging into a plate, when they swarmed me, beating me senseless. "You got a death wish? Crashing an engagement party to steal the bride?" They brutally murdered Muffin, my beloved cat, then shattered my hands. What followed was a torment of unspeakable degradation, as they bound me and shoved me into a dog cage. Later, Dustin knelt for hours, holding the traditional blessing tea, until his knees gave out. But the Patriarch’s seat remained conspicuously empty. He stubbornly refused to get up, sobbing and begging for the Patriarch to appear and accept his offering. Oh, sorry. My hands are broken. This tea, I won't be drinking. … Outside, Olivia Calloway was a formidable heiress, cool and commanding. But here, kneeling before me, she was a docile kitten. "My fiancé, Dustin, is truly dutiful and respectful. I’ve brought him today for you to meet, Grand-Uncle, so he can pay his respects. Once he officially joins the Calloway family, he and I will honor you together." Dutiful and respectful? The image of Dustin’s ugly face in the group chat flashed in my mind, and I couldn't help but frown. Mr. Calloway, Olivia’s grandfather, his hair streaked with grey, mistook my expression for displeasure at his presumption. He immediately dropped to his knees, frantic. "While the younger generation is quite pleased with the prospective groom, if you, Uncle Ethan, don't give your blessing, he won’t be worthy of joining the Calloway name." The Calloway dynasty, a multi-generational legacy, upheld strict traditions. Though young, I held the highest lineage, automatically overseeing all family resources and power. Outside, Mr. Calloway was a revered figure, but within these walls, he knelt to me, never daring to overstep. I gave a cold smile, gesturing for him to rise. "It’s fine. Proceed as planned." He wouldn't let me attend the engagement party? I was curious to see how Dustin would walk through the Calloway gates. After everyone respectfully withdrew, my phone pinged with a message. The contact name read: “Victoria Vance, The Iron Lady.” "Handsome, when are we going public? If you don't give me a title soon, I might just have to crash the party myself." The Big Four families governed the East Coast elite, and Victoria Vance was the formidable President overseeing all of them, including the Calloways. She was known as the 'Ice Queen' to most, feared by all, but when she teased, she was nauseatingly sweet. I couldn’t resist. "Then come on over." It wasn't until I’d finished up that my stomach rumbled. I scooped up Muffin and wandered through the mansion. The banquet was set in the side hall, with servants already arranging the engagement gifts. The evening reception hadn't begun, guests hadn't arrived, and everyone was busy in the side hall. When I reached the main dining room, I noticed it was well past lunchtime, yet the dishes hadn't been cleared. Then I remembered – no one dared touch the food before me. I sat down and began to feast. I’d barely had two bites when a sharp blow landed on the back of my head, nearly sending me face-first into my bowl. A man’s shrill, angry voice exploded in my ear simultaneously: "You filthy freeloader! Grandpa hasn't even touched his chopsticks, and you dare to steal food?" I clutched my throbbing head and looked up, meeting Dustin's eyes. He wore a custom-tailored suit I had picked out, looking like a gentleman, but his eyes held nothing but contempt for me. "Ethan Calloway, are you that desperate? I told you not to come, and you still brazenly snuck in to freeload?" His three cronies, seeing me, were equally scornful. "Do you even know where you are? The Calloway mansion! You’re a country bumpkin, what makes you think you belong here?" "Look at him, dressed like a… a kept boy. He’s definitely here to seduce Ms. Calloway and ruin the engagement!" "Exactly! This lowlife even dared to call Ms. Calloway 'sweetheart'! Ms. Calloway is the Calloway Patriarch's most valued future leader, and you're nothing!" I gritted my teeth, retorting, "Me calling her 'sweetheart' was an honor. She must have woken up laughing every night." To gain my approval, Olivia had gone to great lengths to win me over. Once, pleased with her efforts, I'd kissed her forehead. She'd been so thrilled she posted it online to show off, which Dustin then twisted into me seducing her, triggering two years of relentless bullying. They'd put thumbtacks in my sneakers, slipped explicit cards into my desk, and glued my chair with superglue. They even spread vicious rumors online that I was seducing forty or fifty-year-old female teachers and doing unspeakable things for money. For two years, my reputation at school was in tatters. I called the police repeatedly, but the school always let him off with a simple apology. I never imagined he’d escalate to assaulting me in my own home. "I am Olivia Calloway's Grand-..." My words were cut short as Dustin grabbed the soup pot from my table and emptied it over my head. "Ah!" Scalding liquid streamed down, my scalp instantly sizzling with pain, making me shake violently. Before I could react, Dustin seized my hair and slammed my head onto the table. Thud, thud, thud. My face bounced repeatedly off the hard surface. The metallic tang of blood filled my mouth, mixing with the desperate, gurgling cries clawing their way from my throat. Dustin laughed, a harsh, triumphant sound. "Hahaha, look at this scumbag! You must scream just as loud when you're servicing those old ladies, huh?" His rage flared. He ordered the three others to hold me down. "Since you dared to steal food, we’ll just break your hands." "Dustin, you wouldn't dare!" I screamed in alarm. No sooner had the words left my lips than he picked up the soup pot and slammed it down on my hands. Thump, thump, thump. Excruciating pain shot through my fingers, but I was held immobile. I watched in horror as my perfectly good fingers were crushed and twisted at grotesque angles. Just then, Muffin, who had been bristling, arched her back and lunged at Dustin, scratching his hand in a flash. "Ah! You damn animal!" Dustin shrieked, kicking Muffin hard, sending her flying across the room. "Muffin!" Taking advantage of their momentary shock, I gritted through the agony and broke free, shielding Muffin with my body. "Don't you dare touch my cat. Olivia will never forgive you if she finds out." Muffin was a gift from my grandmother, her significance beyond measure. The previous head of the family had accidentally stepped on Muffin once; I merely frowned, and he was expelled from the Family Council for disrespecting an elder, now reduced to begging for scraps. Olivia, keen to earn my approval, had seized the opportunity, taking care of Muffin, even scooping up her droppings with her bare hands when the cat had an upset stomach. That’s how she earned my trust. "He's right. I've seen the Calloway family's pet cat in the news several times. It looks exactly like this one." One of the cronies realized the gravity of the situation. But Dustin, hearing this, became even more enraged. "A pathetic loser like you dares to threaten me?" "There are plenty of animals that look alike. Your cat is as low-class as you are." "Even if it is the Calloway family's cat, Olivia wouldn't blame me over a damn animal, would she?" A cold sneer twisted his lips as he exchanged glances with the others. "Kill this animal. I’ll take full responsibility." Amidst their wild laughter, I was stomped on again by several feet, my face contorted from the blows. I watched in despair as Dustin raised his foot, ending Muffin’s life in a single stomp. "No!" My desperate cry was met with Dustin’s sinister grin. "The small runt's taken care of. Now for the big one." Without another word, Dustin uncoiled his belt and began lashing at my face, counting cruelly as he struck. "One hit, two hits, three hits... Hahaha, look at him, his face is swollen like a pig's head." "Let's give him a 'pretty boy' makeover!" one of the cronies cackled, and then several more slaps rained down on my face. My lips were split and swollen, numb to the point where I couldn’t feel them anymore. My teeth, mixed with blood, came loose. The pain echoed in my skull, a buzzing void that made their words indistinct. With tremendous effort, I pulled at my sausage-like lips, forcing out a final, raw whisper. "I am Olivia Calloway's Grand-Uncle. If you do this to me, the Calloway family will not let you walk out that door alive." Dustin roared with laughter. "You're named Calloway, so you're the family Patriarch? Then I'm the Calloway family's ancient ancestor! I'm gonna shut your rat mouth for good!" "Who's making that racket?" Everyone spun around. The newcomer wore the Calloway butler's uniform, an imposing figure. Hope surged within me. "Mr. Hayes, it's me! It's Ethan Calloway!" The cronies looked uncertain, releasing their grip on me. "Could he really be the Calloway Patriarch?" The butler eyed me from head to toe, then let out a dismissive scoff. "Who’s this filthy beggar? I don't know him." "Don’t be ridiculous. The Patriarch is at least eighty or ninety years old. You really believe this brat, who’s barely old enough to shave, when he claims to be him?" Normally, only core family members were allowed to see me. How could this new, low-ranking butler possibly know me? My heart plummeted. My last sliver of hope shattered. Dustin, his face full of disdain, spat a thick wad of phlegm onto my face, then gave the butler a thumbs-up. "Still, my dad’s smart." Complete despair washed over me. No wonder Dustin was so arrogant – he was riding on the coattails of the new butler. A furious rage ignited in my gut, and my eyes burned red as I glared at him. "You let strangers into the Calloway mansion without the owner's permission. You have a lot of nerve." Slap! Dustin’s hand cracked across my face, dislodging more teeth. "I am the future owner of the Calloway family! I come and go as I please." "Shut your filthy mouth, you're deafening." The group collectively bound me, and Dustin wrapped my mouth with layers of duct tape. I was helpless, my head forced towards their crotches, occasionally bumped and shoved, as they guffawed. When they’d had their fill, Dustin noticed my phone lying on the floor. He picked it up and unlocked it with my fingerprint. When he scrolled to the photo album, his eyes widened, then he exploded in fury. "You’re really delusional, aren't you? You dared to secretly Photoshop photos of you and Olivia! I don't even have photos that intimate with Olivia, and you're this desperate for a woman?" "Oh, look! The Calloway family's official group photo! You even dared to Photoshop yourself right in the center! Living out your rich-boy fantasies, huh?" "Who knows how many perverted things you’ve Photoshopped behind everyone's backs? We need to teach this creep a lesson." The others exchanged glances, huddled together, whispering and chuckling. At that moment, I was like meat on a chopping block, utterly at their mercy. They rushed forward and ripped my pants off. Meanwhile, Mr. Hayes stood by the door, nonchalantly blowing smoke rings, acting as their lookout. I was lifted upside down, humiliated. Dustin scanned the food on the table, a cruel smile twisting his lips as he scooped up a spoonful of something from a bowl. "Let Big Bro here perform a little… procedure for you." "Ah!" A burning sensation erupted between my legs, spreading like wildfire through my entire body, making me convulse uncontrollably. "Ooh, he must be loving this!" "Don't get him addicted, he'll be asking us to do this every day!" "Well, what can we do? Gotta satisfy him!" Mr. Hayes, who’d been watching with sick amusement, flicked his cigarette and pressed the glowing tip onto a sensitive spot. My body, already limp with exhaustion, convulsed again from the fresh agony, and three seconds later, my head fell heavily. Dustin, meanwhile, gleefully snapped photos with my phone, then uploaded them to all my family group chats and social media feeds. Every single one. The caption read: "I'm a desperate little male dog in heat, begging my owner to come and give me some love. The older, the better." A group of people scrambled to see the photos, asking Dustin to send them. Powerless, I shed my last tears of dignity. Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, I'm so sorry. I’ve brought shame to the Calloway name. "You're so eager to sell yourself, everyone will see your photos and come to you for business. You'll get rich, no need to thank me!" Dustin laughed, doubling over, quite pleased with his masterpiece. His lackeys even started singing a crude song. My hands were tied behind my back, and I lay prone on the ground. I seized the opportunity, kicking Dustin’s calf. He lost his balance, falling backward with a loud thud as his head hit the floor. Dustin shrieked in pain, clutching the back of his head. "You dare kick me? I could kill you today, and no one would care!" He struggled to his feet, picking up a dining fork and lunging for my carotid artery. Just as the tines pricked my skin, drawing a bead of blood, Mr. Hayes frantically shouted to Dustin. "Trouble! Ms. Calloway is here! She says she's looking for the Patriarch!" They had no idea the Patriarch they sought was being tortured by them, still dreaming of marrying into the Calloway fortune. "Quick, clean up! We can't ruin your 'dutiful' image in front of them! If the Patriarch gets upset, our dream of joining the family will be shattered!" Dustin snapped back to reality, dropping the fork, nodding furiously. "Right, right! Getting the Patriarch's approval is crucial. We can deal with him later." The butler pointed to the backyard. "There's a dog kennel in the shed out back. Put him in there." I was dragged to the backyard, while the others frantically cleaned up the scene. Muffin’s lifeless body was tossed into the trash. Olivia entered, holding a bag of cat treats. When she saw Dustin, she seemed surprised. "What are you doing here? I wasn't supposed to pick you up yet?" Dustin inclined his head slightly, his eyes full of feigned affection. "I just missed you, darling. Couldn't wait to see you and the Patriarch." Olivia fell for it every time. She playfully tapped his nose. "Oh, you. Always so thoughtful." She glanced around, a flicker of confusion in her eyes. "Why isn't the Patriarch here yet?" Dustin, eager to impress, grabbed a cup of tea and knelt before the main seat. "I’ll just wait here. The moment the Patriarch arrives, he can accept my tea." Everyone waited respectfully. As dusk fell, the crowd grew anxious. Dustin’s forehead was slick with sweat, his legs trembling from prolonged kneeling. But the Patriarch’s seat remained stubbornly empty. A servant rushed in, breathless. "We’ve searched the entire mansion! The Patriarch is nowhere to be found! Could he be… missing?" Marcus Calloway, Olivia’s father, was drenched in sweat. "Search! Turn this place upside down if you have to! We must find the Patriarch!" "Without him, my daughter's engagement party can't continue, and the family head position will be jeopardized!" Everyone was like ants on a hot skillet. Olivia, seeing Dustin’s distress, quickly went to help him up. "Maybe you should get up for a bit." Dustin’s eyes were red-rimmed, but he stubbornly shook his head. "Is there something I’ve done wrong? Has Grand-Uncle disapproved? Then I'll stay here on my knees, begging for his forgiveness." Olivia sighed. As she lifted her hand, she noticed it was covered in white fur. Her face drained of color. She’d cared for Muffin for so long; she recognized that fur instantly. Her gaze snapped to the remaining bloodstains on the floor, following them to the trash can. She flipped it over like a madwoman. A headless cat’s body tumbled out. Olivia’s shoulders trembled uncontrollably, her face contorted in horror as she cradled Muffin. "What the hell is this?" Dustin had never seen Olivia so distraught. He looked bewildered. "What's wrong, darling?" The next second, Olivia buried her face in Muffin’s lifeless body, sobbing as if her own parents had died. Dustin’s expression turned to panic. He shakily stood up. "It’s just an animal. Why are you so worked up?" Olivia’s head snapped up, two lines of tears streaking her face, her eyes wide with terror. "An animal? This was more important than my own life!" Her furious roar made Dustin flinch. His eyes darted around, completely flustered. He couldn't grasp why this cat held such importance for Olivia, so he instinctively blamed me. "It was my classmate!" Dustin dropped to his knees with a thud, his voice choked with tears. "I’m so sorry! It was my unsophisticated classmate, he didn't know any better and hurt it!" Olivia’s fists clenched, her teeth grinding audibly. "Where is he? I’ll kill him with my own hands!" Dustin, oblivious to his impending doom, only heard Olivia say she’d kill me. A look of perverse joy spread across his face as he pointed to the backyard. "He's locked in the shed out back! I’ll bring him in right now!"
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