Shadow Bride

Hot…

So hot…

The surrounding light was scorching, creating a hazy mist. She couldn't tell where she was.

An ice-cold camera equipment surrounded her as she clutched onto a transparent veil in an attempt to cover her naked body. Like a demoness who had fallen into a trap, she staggered backward.

A man in a black suit walked towards her. His tall, straight body and cold face made him look like a demon from the depths of hell. He approached her step by step and then pressed her to the ground. With one hand, he roughly tore the thin veil from her body—she felt a sudden burst of pain…

She cried and screamed, trying desperately to push him away. Her dying struggles were useless.

That kind of pain was like purgatory. It was overwhelming that it made her feel as if her body was being torn into countless pieces. Her consciousness gradually faded, and everything turned black in front of her…

Before she had lost consciousness, she only remembered that man's terrifyingly cold eyes and a soft 'click.'

That was the sound of a camera shutter.

...

Su Xingyu let out a shriek and woke up from her nightmare, drenched in a cold sweat.

Around her was a quiet hospital room with warm sunlight from the late spring afternoon spilling in and spreading over the snow-white bedding. She gasped in shock, barely able to calm herself. One hand trembled slightly at her side, clenched into a fist.

It was that nightmare again.

She had lost count of the number of times she had dreamed of that man and the terrifying past.

Two years ago, on her eighteenth birthday, an unknown man violated her and had her virginity stripped away. Until now, she still did not know who that man was or how he had found her. She only knew that the man was terrifying. He looked at her as if he wanted to devour everything.

Demon.

It was her only impression of him.

She no longer wanted to investigate what had happened back then, or rather, she did not dare to. Intuitively, she understood that she absolutely couldn't afford to provoke that man. Even if he had cruelly forced himself on her, there was no way she could pursue the matter, let alone seek justice. She could only treat it as an accident. For the past two years, she had been plagued with nightmares and had faced the pain alone.

Suddenly, the phone beside her pillow rang, startling her.

She picked it up, and a series of sharp curses came from the other end of the phone. "Su Xingyu, where are you?! Didn't you know that today is your sister's coming-of-age ceremony?! Hurry up and get over here! If you can't make it in time, I'll pull out your tendons and skin you alive!"

It was her stepmother's voice, Liu Meizhi.

Su Xingyu was stunned for a moment. It was only then that she remembered it was her half-sister Su Xingqi's eighteenth birthday that day. Her family had prepared a grand coming-of-age ceremony and invited all the wealthy families and media reporters in the city. It was extremely lively.

Since she had been feeling unwell for the past few days and was hospitalized for inflammation due to a cold, she forgot about this matter.

She hurriedly said, "Got it, Auntie Liu. I'll be right there."

On the other end of the phone, Liu Meizhi was still cursing. "Hurry up! The media reporters are all here. If they don't see you, they might think that our Su family has some conflict. If word of this gets out, it will be bad for your sister's reputation! Where are you? How long will it take for you to arrive? Have you prepared your clothes? Wear something nice, and don't embarrass your sister!"

Her stepmother had always treated her this way. After so many years, she didn't even bother to rebuke her. She only said, "I'm hospitalized at Cining Hospital. I'll call a cab right away. It'll take about forty minutes."

Liu Meizhi did not care why she was hospitalized at all. She scolded again, "Forty minutes? Are you looking for death?! The coming-of-age ceremony will start in half an hour! You wretched girl. Are you going to let outsiders say that our Su family has no upbringing?! Why am I so unlucky to have a jinx like you? You just wait at the hospital. I'll send a chauffeur to pick you up and bring you a set of clothes! If you dare wear those dirty clothes from the hospital, I'll make you pay the price!"

After saying this, she hung up while cursing.

Su Xingyu looked at the phone in her palm; a mocking smile appeared on her lips.

No upbringing? Wasn't that the case for her?

Her biological mother died when she was only five years old. After her stepmother, Liu Meizhi, married into the family, her treatment of her was dreadful. She had very little food and clothing. Not to mention that she was hospitalized this time. But even if she were not hospitalized, she could not find a decent set of clothes at home. Compared to Liu Meizhi's biological daughter, Su Xingqi, she, the eldest daughter of the Su family, was like an inconspicuous servant.

She waited in the ward for a while. Sure enough, the chauffeur arrived shortly after and brought her a set of clothes and accessories.

The middle-aged driver told her, "Eldest Miss, Madam said that she'd lend you this set of gown and accessories. She told you to be careful when you wear them and not damage them. Once Second Miss's coming-of-age ceremony is over, you have to take them off and return them to Madam."

"Got it," Su Xingyu replied.

Ever since she was young, she had already gotten used to it. Every time she encountered a significant event, Liu Meizhi would find a presentable dress that she could lend to her. After using it, she would immediately take it back. This way, not only would she be able to restore the Su family's reputation, but she would also save money.

When she was young, she would be so sad and aggrieved that she would cry. On what basis was it that her sister had beautiful clothes, yet she had to borrow clothes just to attend banquets? But now, she no longer cared. She was already twenty years old this year. Once she graduated from university, she would be able to find a job and live independently. When that time comes, she will earn whatever she ate and wore with her own two hands.

She took the dress from the chauffeur and went to the washroom to change.

It was a smoky gray gown with a basic design, and the size did not match her figure. Coupled with the plain necklace, it looked very low-profile. In other words, it was not eye-catching even when she walked into the banquet.

All these years, the dresses that Liu Meizhi lent her were all of the same styles. They did not lose their status, but they were also extremely plain and simple. There was no need to worry that they would steal Su Xingqi's limelight. She, with her simple style, could show off Su Xingqi's beauty. Everyone said that the Second Miss of the Su family was the true beauty and far surpassed the Eldest Miss.

Su Xingyu followed the chauffeur to the coming-of-age ceremony.

It was a five-star hotel, where the Su Family had reserved the entire floor of the banquet hall. At the entrance is where the receptionists were, and they all were polite and courteous. The guests were all in formal attire, and a few media personnel shuttled through the crowd making everything extremely lively.

Su Xingyu looked at the bustling scene and felt slightly sad.

No one in the family remembered her eighteenth birthday back then, not to mention holding a coming-of-age ceremony. Otherwise, she wouldn't have sneaked out that day to celebrate on her own, only to encounter such an incident.

That pair of eyes in her nightmare appeared again unexpectedly. It was cold and cruel, making her shiver.

Su Xingyu shook her head to get rid of those unpleasant memories and walked into the banquet hall.