Seeing the names printed on the card, Shen Anran's eyes narrowed. Unpleasant memories of the past quickly flashed through her eyes, and she almost couldn't keep her emotions in check.
The pain of her nails digging into her palm distracted her and instantly brought her back to the present.
Four years ago, Shen Anran had been the perfect daughter from a wealthy family. Excellent abilities. A stunning appearance. And a great family background. She always came first in class and has been talented, getting praises and compliments from everyone.
However, she was also willful back then.
Suffocated in a house where she felt she didn't belong, she sought what she couldn't have from Han Beichen, her childhood friend. The two of them had been inseparable and playful. When they got into high school, Han Beichen asked her to be his girlfriend. Shen Anran agreed, not knowing that Han Beichen had only wanted her because of her well-to-do family, hoping to get opportunities for his family to rise to her status.
At that time, Shen Anran heard a lot of warnings from her friends. They told her that she was too young to be playing around with the opposite gender. But Shen Anran didn't back down and told them she wasn't messing around with Han Beichen, that she really loves him, and he loved her back.
Who knew this would slap her in the face on that one winter night during a class field trip?
Shen Yulan came, and she told her that Han Beichen wanted her to wait in his room because he had something important to tell her. Shen Anran thought that it was perfect timing as she wanted to give him the birthday present that she prepared for him. But what happened ruined her entire life.
Han Beichen did not come to his room. Instead, Shen Yulan came and told her that he was still playing with his classmates. Shen Anran didn't think anything was wrong then.
But who knew that while she wasn't looking, Shen Yulan would put a drug in her drink!
The night turned into a nightmare she didn't want to happen.
One moment, she was heating up. Like a ghost in the desert, she became desperate to quench the thirst inside her. Though it wasn't water she was looking for.
Then, she heard Shen Yulan laughing as she completely lost herself.
"Shen Anran, you can only blame yourself for what will happen to you."
"You should have died with your mother. Why did you have to survive and live?"
"You took what should have been mine, so it's only right that I take it back, right?"
"As for Han Beichen… he's a good man. I'll fill myself and make him mine, too."
Shen Anran wanted to resist, but her body was too weak. She could only watch as Shen Yulan walked away, locking her inside that room.
The entire night, Shen Anran couldn't remember what happened after.
But a few months after that incident, she found out she was pregnant.
How could a member of the Shen family be so disgraceful? Naturally, she received harsh reprimands and was almost thrown out.
Shen Anran had tried to tell everyone the truth. But when she mentioned Shen Yulan, she received a slap from her father and was accused of lying. There was no evidence. And Shen Yulan refused to tell them the truth.
Since then, everything she had was taken from her. She was removed as her father's successor. The academic award she was supposed to get was taken from her and given to someone else. Her father's already cold temperament turned even colder, completely ignoring her. Her name and reputation were stained with dirt.
Shen Anran had even approached Han Beichen, telling him to help her clear her name. At least, if he told people something, she might still be saved.
"You sicken me."
"Help you? Shen Anran, can you even look at yourself in the mirror?"
"What's done is done. You're already pregnant with a bastard. Accept your reality!"
"Don't ever come looking for me."
But what he said that day completely opened his eyes.
The man she thought loved her shed his mask and showed her his true nature.
Ha!
She had been blind. Yet even a blind person couldn't have been as stupid as she was, not even being able to tell a person's nature.
But who could have told her this would happen to her?
Right after what happened to her, Shen Anran accepted what happened to her. Even with everything that was thrown at her, dirty rumors of how promiscuous she was and the title of a bastard had been given to her unborn child; she didn't dare say a word.
She strived to graduate from high school with stellar grades. Shen Anran thought that if she could get the scholarship, she could leave everything behind and move elsewhere where she could start a new life.
But she was denied that privilege. They told her that because of her ruined image, it wouldn't be good if other students followed her actions, so they took her scholarship to a big university. They gave it to Shen Yulan and Han Beichen instead.
In the end, she could only graduate with a diploma.
Because Shen Yulan got a scholarship to a prestigious university, the Shen family wanted to celebrate it. They went to one of their vacation houses in the middle of winter and threw a huge party.
But it was also on that same day that Shen Anran lost her child.
"We've arrived."
Shen Anran woke up in a start as she felt the car stop. She actually fell asleep.
She took a breath and raised a trembling hand to wipe away the tears that slid from the corners of her eyes.
Looking outside, she couldn't help but frown.
It was the back door of the mansion. She remembered it was commonly used by the servants and housekeepers of the house. Yet, she was actually brought here.
Shen Anran opened the door, stepped out, and looked wordlessly at the woman.
The woman stared back at her disdainfully after stepping out of the car. "Don't look at me. This was the madam's orders. She especially told me not to let any of the guests see you lest you end up ruining their mood."
At the same time, the woman did not know that a man had been standing in front of the wall, hearing all of this.