Destiny's POV

I groaned and felt the pain in my entire body as I stretched my limbs. I was still lying on my bed without fluttering my eyes. I wished to go back to sleep, but the aching of my head was killing me. Before I could open my eyes, I cringed when I felt someone moving beside me.

I gradually opened my eyes and was horrified to find Lucas Villantiz lying beside me on the bed naked. My eyes scanned the area, and I realized that I wasn't inside my room. My head was aching terribly, but I was more worried about why this married man was in the same room with me.

"Hi, sweetheart!" He said sweetly, smiling at me as he tried to put his arms around me, but I evaded his arms as I quickly sat up and was mortified to find myself fully naked, too.

"What have you done to me?" I angrily asked as I pulled the blanket, but he yanked it. And before I could cover myself with anything, the bedroom door swung open.

My step-sister, Carmie, who was wearing a fancy mini dress with stilettos accompanied by her friends, barged inside the room, and the next thing I saw was the flashing of the camera.

"Wow! You made a little show, my dearest step-sister." Carmie said, clapping her hands with a sinister smile on her face after everyone had gone, including Lucas.

I was mortified, and I couldn't believe she would do something like this to me. I thought she had a change of heart.

I am just thankful one of her friends pitied me and covered my body with the towel. But it was too late; her friends already captured the most embarrassing scene that ever happened in my entire life.

"How could you do this to me," I hissed as I gripped the towel on my body.

"What? You did that to yourself; how could you blame me for your malicious act? You are the flirt one, not just a flirt, but a slut." She answered.

We attended the same party last night, and I wondered why she acted so differently. She seemed friendly, and I was shocked when she apologized for all the things she had done to me. I was so naive to drink the glass of juice she gave me last night.

"You drugged me, Carmie, and you brought me inside this hotel room," I said.

"Hold your tongue, Destiny. I will sue you for accusing me of such a thing. You cheated on Red, and now, you are accusing me?" She countered.

"Please, Carmie, I beg you, don't show those pictures to my father and Red," I begged.

"I am sorry, my dearest, I have no control over those pics anymore; my friends from the press have them." She answered, wearing the same mocking smile.

I was clenching my fists as she walked closer to me.

"The game is over, Destiny. As I had told you before, I will take everything away from you, including Red." She said, and her mocking smile wanted me to slap her, but I was still in a haze. I could hardly move, and maybe the drug she put in my juice was still inside my system.

"I couldn't believe you would go this far just to have what you want, Carmie. But I am telling you, you will never succeed. My father loves me, and so is Red." I replied with confidence.

"I don't think so; your days as your father's darling and a princess ended today." She responded.

"I will have your life, and you will live in hell," she added, laughing like a madwoman.

"Carmie, you will never get away from this," I said.

"Watch me, Destiny." She responded and left without taking a second look.

I hurriedly looked for my clothes but couldn't find them anywhere, even my bag and cell phone. I searched the entire room but couldn't find my things. I knew my step-sister had them, and never felt so betrayed and humiliated in my entire life.

I couldn't even call Red and not even my friends. I used the telephone in the suite room and dialed our landline, but it was suddenly unavailable. I hadn't memorized the landline numbers of my friends either.

I had no choice but to get out of the hotel room and walk barefoot with a floppy white towel wrapped around my body. I felt glad when I saw one of the Room attendants, and I asked for their Manager. I felt so thankful he had come back immediately with his boss.

The manager was kind enough to let me borrow his phone. I called my best friend, Emma, and I was thankful she quickly answered my call in one ring, even if I was using someone else's phone.

"Where are you, Destiny?" She asked, sounding so worried after I told her it was me.

"I had been calling you forever," she added before I could say anything.

"Thank you so much, Em. I couldn't thank you enough for bringing me decent clothes and sandals and for picking me up." I said after I settled inside her car.

"You are welcome. I couldn't believe the little devil would do something like this; I told you to be alert last night because I could feel she was planning something against you." She responded.

"Carmie and her mother have been harassing you for years, and they have been bullying you ever since they stepped foot in your mansion." My best friend said as she started the engine of her car.

"You kept them from your father and accepted those things even if you haven't done anything bad to anyone," Emma added.

"You are your father's legal heir, yet you allowed them to treat you that way. They are too much." She continued.

"I know I had been lenient with them, but this time, I can't take it anymore, Emma. My father should know the truth. Carmen only got married to my father for his money. I knew that too, but Dad looked so happy when he was with her." I declared.

"All I want is for him to be happy," I added and let out a soft sigh, feeling the pain of losing my mother once again. If she had been only around, I am sure I would never have had this kind of predicament in my life.

"You even tolerated Carmie bringing Red to the gala as her date; how could you do that? Red was devastated, but it was your request, so your boyfriend obeyed." She replied.

"I don't want to fight her. But last night was the last straw, Em. She was out of line; I didn't even know if Lucas did something to me; I just hope he didn't." I mumbled as I fidgeted in my seat.

"I don't think he has the energy. I saw him so wasted last night that he could hardly walk. Carmie used him too, poor Lucas." My best friend responded, and I feel a little better knowing nothing happened between us.

"Don't worry about Red; he won't believe Carmie. He has known you since you were a little girl and has been in love with you ever since I can remember. That boy is crazy about you." Emma stated, and I smiled as I remembered his handsome face.

Red Galvez is my first love and the only boy I want. They call him the luckiest boy on our campus since I am his girlfriend. But I felt the most fortunate to have him in my life. He had been my rock, especially at the lowest point in my life after losing my mother.

"Hey, are you okay?" Emma asked after she pulled over in front of our enormous white mansion with an extensive lawn of well-manicured Bermuda grass. I smiled as I faced her.

"I am fine. I can handle them like in the old times, as long as I have my father's back." I replied, feeling optimistic, but deep inside, I have doubts.

The incident was too much to handle, and I knew my father would be disappointed with me. I want my father to be proud of me and not the other way around.

"Good luck, Destiny; I hope everything will be okay," Emma said.

"I wished the same thing, Ems. Thank you so much for your unwavering support and for always being there for me." I responded.

"You are always welcome; that is what best friends are for, and always remember this: whatever happens, I will always be here for you." She stated.

I only walked towards the main door after I could no longer see Emma's car. She also came from a wealthy family, but I have liked her since we were young, and she never made me feel like her competition.

I got inside through the main door with a heavy heart, and my steps faltered when I heard my father's booming voice.

"Destiny, I want you to proceed to my study right now," he growled. I saw Carmie and her mother standing behind him with victorious smiles.

"Now!" My dad added in the same manner when I didn't move an inch, and I almost jumped on my feet when my stepmother shouted my name.

Smack!

"How dare you ruin my reputation, Destiny?" My father asked after he slapped me hard on my face. This was the first time he had hit me, and I couldn't believe my dad would hurt me like this without hearing my side of the story.

"Dad, you have to believe me, it wasn't true, you raised me well. Do you think I will do something like that?" I asked, caressing my face, the part where his hand landed with such force that I could feel the taste of blood in my mouth.

"No, this time I had enough of your lies; your stepmother was right; you are only a nuisance and only bring shame to our family!" He angrily responded.

"I had warned you. I will disinherit you. You will not receive even a single cent from me, and you must leave this house right now, or else I will ask the guards to drag you out!" He added that before he turned his heels and walked away from his study, with the loud slamming of the door. I was left dumbfounded and hurt that my father sided with them.

"Daddy, please, wait!" I quickly ran after my dad after I recovered from my shock.

"Dad, please, let me explain,"

My father didn't even listen to me, and he turned deaf as he continued walking toward the master's bedroom without slowing down. He closed the door in my face, and the next thing I knew, my stepmother and her daughter were dragging me away from my dad's bedroom.