If Tonight

A City, in the Luo family's estate.

In the elegant hall, men and women dressed in expensive garb danced shoulder to shoulder, their bodies swaying to the music.

The pianist's slender fingers moved across the piano keys with grace and precision, captivating those who had the privilege of hearing her play.

A girl sat in her room, reading a book. She tried to focus but the music and chatter distracted her.

She had a feeling that the party would not die down any time soon, so she decided to leave the room to find a quiet place to read.

The girl pushed open the carved, red, wood door to sneak out to the back garden.

"Isn't she the illegitimate daughter of the Luo family? Why did she bother to show her face? Isn't she afraid of embarrassing her family?"

As soon as Christine Luo came out of the room, she heard a woman make snide remarks at her.

"Yes, yes!" She was surrounded by other women who were laughing with her. They looked upon Christine Luo with a hateful expression.

However, Christine Luo turned a deaf ear to them. After all, they were merely guests in her home.

She drew a breath and steeled her nerves. All she wanted to do was keep reading her book.

Christine Luo looked around the house. Her late mother had designed it. She had decorated it in her favorite furniture. How dare these people consider her illegitimate?

Stella, who these people were trying to curry favor with, was merely a mistress. When her mother passed away, Stella took over and used her power to get what she wanted.

Christine Luo pitied the other women. When her mother was still alive, these people were like dogs, following her every move.

Now that a new woman had taken her place, they bowed to her instead. How fickle was their loyalty!

"Tut, tut. Look at her, acting all high and mighty! Why, she's just as bad as her dead mother!"

That was the final straw. Christine Luo was willing to let it go, but they began to berate her mother. That crossed the line.

Some people needed to learn their place.

Slap! A loud slap suddenly sounded in the hall. The pianist's fingers froze on the keys, and the men and women who were putting their hands on their shoulders also stopped and looked in the direction of Christine Luo.

"Insulting me is one thing. However, if you speak ill of my mother, you are worse than scum."

She then withdrew her hand and glared at the woman. The woman she slapped stood stunned, touching her face.

With one last withering look, Christine Luo turned around and walked away. She found a small nook in the garden where she could enjoy her book, and she sat down to finally read in peace.

"Christine Luo, how dare you?! Do you think you can attract Mr. Darren's attention by doing that? That's ridiculous!"

Just as Christine settled in, she heard an irate voice scolding her. She rolled her eyes.

It was Amanda Luo. The mistress's daughter.

Christine pretended not to hear her and continued to turn the pages of her book.

"Humph! Wake up, Christine! You are nothing but a gnat in this household! If I had not pitied you, you would have been thrown out on the streets ages ago!"

Amanda Luo's mother, Stella, hated Christine to her very core. She thought that Christine was arrogant and deserved to be thrown out. Stella snatched the book out of Christine's hands.