Forsaken Daughter Pampered by Top Hier

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Standing in front of the mirror, Stephanie Giovanni studied her reflection, her lips curling into a soft smile.

“Stunning,” she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

The gown hugged her slender waist, flowing into a skirt that reminded her of something straight out of a fairytale.

Her face, still free of makeup, looked just as delicate and enchanting in the natural light.

The shop manager was adjusting the pleats on the gown.

She couldn’t resist commenting, “Why isn’t Mr. Ashford here with you? Men and women, they’ve got different tastes, you

know.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Stephanie’s lips. She glanced at the manager with a shrug. “You know men. Busy with work. Can’t get away.”

Just then, her phone vibrated on the nearby counter. Stephanie glanced at the caller ID before answering, “Ella”

On the other end, Ella Turner’s voice came through quickly, almost breathless. “Stefi, I saw Olivia and Christ

The moment she heard those names, Stephanie’s fingers tightened around the phone, her knuckles going white.

The smile that had lingered on her face slowly faded, replaced by a chill in her eyes.

Chris Ashford–her fiancé–was just a week away from marrying her.

And Olivia Hart, just hearing her name disgusted Stephanie.

Stephanie looked over at the shop manager, who immediately nodded in understanding.

With a silent gesture, the manager ushered the staff out of the room.

Once the room was empty, Stephanie lowered her gaze to her perfectly manicured nails. “Where did you see them?” she asked casually.

Ella’s voice cracked with urgency. “At the hospital. In the obstetrics and gynecology department

Stephanie raised an eyebrow, a quiet laugh escaping her lips. “Quite a special place,” she muttered, her expression turning to one of thinly veiled sarcasm.

man and a woman in the obstetrics and gynecology department? Stephanie

bitch, and Chris is an

seemed calm, Ella was

the water cup on the table, unfazed. “Every time she calculates, the trouble’s on

Olivia

and threw herself on Chris,

pushover? Or just too kind?‘ Stephanie thought

the perfect time–just before you and Chris are about to get married. She’s

something.”

sharpened, her grip on the phone tightening. I’m hanging up

was frantic. “What are

a thin smile. “Someone’s made a bad calculation. I’m going to teach

call, the silence that followed settling in like

reflection in the mirror, Stephanie reached up to

sudden, sharp rip, she tore the gown in half, throwing

echoed through

when they saw the cold fury in

own clothes, her phone vibrated

the

through immediately, firm and clipped. “Once you’re done with the fitting, come

years, Chris had

Olivia is back, he

shift in tone made the already cold room feel even colder.

flicker of sarcasm flashed in Stephanie’s eyes. She couldn’t

hour

into Chris’s office. He was standing by the floor–to–ceiling windows, speaking on the

and gentleness. His perfectly sculpted profile was hard to ignore, the kind of

appearance was so rare and flawless, it seemed like something most people in Long Harbor City could only dream of.

Chris quickly muttered into the phone, “Can’t join you for lunch

the nearby leather couch, settling into it with a soft creak of the cushions.

call seemed to vanish in an instant, replaced by an icy

eyes locked onto Stephanie, and his voice became clipped as he ordered, “Come

inch. The tension between them was thick, hanging heavy

to sit across from him, maintaining a distance

and the coldness