A hotel suite.
Hot, she was going crazy from the heat!
Melinda Sharp's hands frantically tore at her clothes, her body driven by some unknown drug, her fingertips accidentally brushing against the man beside her.
She clung to him like a lifeline, her arms suddenly wrapping around his neck, pulling him close.
"Ah!"
The moment their lips touched, a strange coolness seemed to pierce through her heat. Melinda greedily sought this coolness, deepening the kiss.
The rich taste of alcohol mingled between their lips, and the man, drunk as a skunk, couldn't resist the wild temptation, flipping over to press her beneath him.
When she opened her eyes again, Melinda found herself lying alone, with no one beside her, only a suit jacket and a watch left on the carpet, silently telling the tale of last night's madness.
Three days later, at the Lowe Villa.
"You went to celebrate your friend's birthday and ended up like this? I told you not to hang out with those lowlifes, but you wouldn't listen!"
Connie Moore's face was stern, her eyes filled with raging anger. "I've never stopped you from wanting anything or doing anything since you were a child, thinking you were sensible. But Melinda, you've really disappointed me."
Melinda's mother, Connie, sat on the leather sofa in the living room, a pile of photos spread out on the coffee table in front of her.
Seeing the contents of the photos, Melinda almost fainted.
The photos showed a naked woman, and it was her.
And the background was that hotel room.
"How..."
Melinda's face turned pale, her mind blank.
"Mom, I... I didn't..."
"Melinda, do you have any shame? Our family isn't so poor that you need to go to such places and mess around with men! Don't bring back any diseases to harm us!"
A man in a suit slowly walked out, curling his lips in disdain.
"Mom, I really didn't mean to, I..."
Melinda's eyes filled with tears as she tried to explain.
Connie, furious, interrupted her, "The evidence is right here, and you're still arguing? Get out! Melinda, I, Connie, don't have such a shameless daughter!"
Upstairs, Emily Lowe watched the scene with amusement, propping her chin on her hand.
The plan succeeded, and Melinda was about to become homeless, just as she wanted.
Melinda looked at Connie's resolute back, her heart aching.
She silently stood up, said no more, and walked upstairs to pack her things.
Tears silently fell.
As she reached the corner of the second floor, Emily blocked her way, arms crossed, a playful look on her face. "Oh, Melinda, come on, tell me, how do you feel right now?"
Melinda froze, instantly realizing that the trap that night was all set up by Emily, the sister she had called for over ten years. Her innocence was gone in one night.
"You! Why did you do this to me?" Melinda was furious, her eyes wide, questioning.
Emily's lips curled into a cold smile, a hint of malice flashing in her eyes. "Why? Did you really think I considered you my sister?"
She laughed, a laugh filled with hidden thorns, slowly approaching Melinda, speaking in a voice only the two of them could hear. "Ever since your shameless mother Connie and you came to our house over ten years ago, you've been prettier and better at school, and all the boys and teachers liked you. I became your shadow. I hate you, and I hate your face even more!"
"These are all things you owe me." Emily's voice was sharp, jealousy twisting her face like a venomous snake.
"But, God doesn't disappoint those with ambition and perseverance. I might as well tell you, I had someone take those photos, and I arranged for you to be sent to that man's bed. How's that, surprised?"
"You."
Melinda was trembling with anger, her fists clenched, staring at Emily's smug face, the fury inside her almost consuming her.
"You want to hit me? Come on then!"
Emily tilted her face provocatively, a smirk on her lips.
Melinda's eyes narrowed, and she slapped Emily without hesitation.
"Ouch! You actually hit me."
Emily clutched her face, screaming as she ran downstairs, crying and shouting, "Dad, help! She hit me!"
Downstairs, Bobby Lowe heard the commotion and was furious, shouting upstairs, "Melinda, how dare you! How dare you hit Emily, you ungrateful person."
Bobby looked at the red mark on Emily's face, his feelings complicated and deeply disappointed.
"Dad, it hurts."
Emily threw herself into Bobby's arms, playing the victim.
Bobby glared at Melinda, cursing, "Get out! Never come back! Seeing you brings bad luck!"
Melinda's eyes reddened, looking at her mother Connie, trying to explain, "Mom, actually..."
Before she could finish, a sharp slap landed on her face, the burning pain spreading instantly.
"Get out! Immediately, take your things and disappear!" Bobby's roar was like thunder.
Melinda clutched her face, her eyes red, staring blankly at the scene before her.
Her mother Connie was tightly holding Emily, speaking softly to comfort her, as if Emily was the daughter she needed to protect.
Her heart sank bit by bit, cold to the bone.
"Mom, don't you want to ask me what happened that night?"
Her voice was small but carried an undeniable stubbornness.
Since she followed Connie into this family, she had always been an outsider. In Connie's eyes, there was only Bobby and Bobby's daughter Emily.
At this moment, Melinda finally understood that this family never belonged to her.
She was just a passerby.
"Dad, where are you?" The gentle shadow of her father quietly emerged in her mind. When she was three, her father mysteriously disappeared during a mission, and there had been no news since.
Her childhood lacked her father's protection.
Her mother Connie quickly remarried.
Taking a deep breath, Melinda turned around and walked out the door, lost and dejected.
Emily watched Melinda's back, a sinister smile on her lips. She had finally driven out the eyesore that was Melinda.
Five years later, at Shadow City Airport.
Melinda was pushing a luggage cart when she bumped into someone with a "thud."
"Ouch, how do you walk? Are you blind?" A sharp female voice exploded in her ear.
Melinda quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice."
"Melinda?" A familiar voice called out. She turned to see Elsie Perez.
"Is it really you?" Elsie looked surprised.
Melinda's eyes reddened, and the tears she had been holding back started to flow again. "Elsie."
"Where have you been all these years?" Elsie hugged her, feeling heartbroken.
Melinda gave a bitter smile. Elsie paused, then said thoughtfully, "I know about what happened to you. That bitch Emily! I have to settle the score with her!"
Melinda quickly grabbed her, "Elsie, it's all in the past. This is my family matter, don't get involved."
"But now, don't tell anyone you've seen me. Also, do you still have the documents you helped me get from the safe back then?" Melinda asked, her brow furrowed.
Elsie paused, wondering if Melinda was still looking for those research documents.
She thought for a moment and nodded, "I have something to do, I have to go." Before she finished speaking, Elsie hurried away.
Melinda watched Elsie's back, feeling that something was off but couldn't pinpoint why.
"Ms. Sharp, is it?"
Melinda looked puzzled, "You're looking for me? Who are you?"
The man in front of her looked sincere. "Mr. Thomas sent me to pick you up!"
"Mr. Thomas is a big name in Shadow City, everyone knows him!" The man's voice carried a hint of reverence.
Melinda raised an eyebrow, wondering why someone as ordinary as her would have any connection with Larry Thomas, the richest man in Shadow City.
"Sorry, I'm not available to see him today." Melinda smiled politely but distantly.
The man, however, was persistent, blocking her way and pulling out a photo from his pocket, his expression serious. "Ms. Sharp, you should recognize this person, right?"
Melinda's heart tightened, her hand reacting faster than her mind, taking the photo for a closer look. The familiar face was her father, Scott Sharp, who had been missing for years. She had searched many places over the years, hoping to find a clue about him.
"Okay, I'll go see him." Her voice trembled slightly.
"Mommy, wait for me!" At that moment, a cute little figure came running, it was Melinda's son, Sam Sharp.
She quickly knelt down, gently wiping the sweat from Sam's forehead. "Look at you, all sweaty."
Then, she looked firmly at the man and said, "I really can't go today. Please leave an address, and I'll visit another day."
Sam curiously peeked, blinking his big eyes. "Mommy, who is he?"
Melinda smiled gently, not answering directly, just patting Sam's head, and continued pushing the cart, her mind made up.