No More Doormat: Dump The Fiancé, Snag The Underworld Emperor

Clara walked into Class One and immediately caught the sound of Emily's affected concern. "Robert, when Clara gets here, you should try to cheer her up. She told our dad last night that she wants to break off your engagement..." Even though Emily made an effort to speak softly, her voice still carried just enough for their classmates to catch every word. The students crowded around Robert fell silent for a moment, then broke into laughter. "Can you believe Clara actually wants to end things herself?" "I bet she's faking it. She probably just wants Robert to chase after her!" "That's right! It's no secret that Clara's been shamelessly chasing after Robert. He's turned her down 99 times. Just one more and it'll hit a hundred. She won't give up now." "Yeah, that's right!" A chorus of laughter filled the air. For a split second, satisfaction flickered in Emily's eyes, but she quickly masked it with a worried expression. "Please don't talk about Clara like that. She must be upset. She used to do everything for Robert, even bringing him breakfast and making handmade gifts. It's honestly a little sad." Though she sounded like she was defending Clara, Emily was really dragging up Clara's old embarrassments for everyone to see, admitting how unattractive Clara supposedly was. Clara's eyebrows lifted in amusement. She recalled the first day Emily met her after she was brought into the Jones family. That day, Emily wore flashy clothes and sparkling jewelry, trying her hardest to look better than Clara. But when she finally saw Clara's face, she was left speechless by how beautiful Clara actually was. And now, Emily had the nerve to slander her like this. Clearly, Clara's bad makeup-all a trick by Emily-worked way too well. So well that even Emily had forgotten her earlier jealousy. At the center of it all, Robert sat with a bored look, his voice sharp and uninterested. "Don't mention her again. She just puts me in a bad mood." That single comment seemed to fuel the crowd, and their taunts only grew louder. Emily watched, unable to hide the pleasure on her face. She wanted the whole class to believe that Clara was just a clingy, unattractive nobody. By doing so, Robert would never bother to look at Clara again. "There's nothing pitiful about Clara!" "She only chases after Robert because he's the best guy she's ever met!" "Gross!" People all around them exchanged looks of disgust and disbelief. Hearing these cruel lies about Clara made Emily feel a sick kind of satisfaction. This was exactly how things should be. A girl like Clara deserved nothing but contempt and exclusion. If everyone hated Clara, then society would only see Emily as the true, elegant heiress of the Jones family. Just as the rumors hit their most vicious point, a slim figure suddenly stepped in and grabbed Adair Rooker, the student spreading the worst lies. The entire class instantly fell silent. Every head turned, eyes wide in shock, as they stared at the girl who had suddenly lashed out. In that moment, no one moved. Awe and disbelief flickered in their gazes. Bathed in sunlight, the girl stood out in a bold red dress, its vivid color tracing her graceful curves and making her look like a living flame, fierce, impossible to ignore. Her hair flowed over her shoulders in glossy waves, drawing even more attention to her striking, almost dazzling features. Light danced in her expressive eyes, while her crimson lips were as vivid as freshly bloomed roses. She was so beautiful that it hardly seemed real. Yet it wasn't just her looks that caught everyone's attention; it was the effortless poise and commanding presence that seemed to radiate from her. Her sheer confidence and regal air made every so-called "noble" girl in the room feel utterly insignificant.