Surprise Marriage to a Billionaire
Chapter 147: Parasite

Chapter 147: Parasite

Paul had been so busy lately, leaving Dina feeling increasingly frustrated and annoyed. She was left to handle everything for their upcoming engagement party on her own. After wrapping up the final details today, she felt utterly drained from coordinating with everyone involved to make sure the event would be spectacular. She knew she deserved a break.

"Paul should be here with you, at least to check if everything is to his liking," her mother, Sylvia, commented as the organizer left.

Dina forced a reassuring smile. "You know how men are, Mother. He asked me to handle it since he trusts me more with the arrangements. Honestly, he doesn’t know much about this kind of thing anyway. Besides, he’s been very busy, especially with the campaign for his father’s run for congress."

She was lying, of course. Deep down, she was furious. Paul had made it clear that he didn’t have time to join her. Lately, his mood had soured, likely due to issues at the firm. She often overheard phone calls that left him irritable and distant.

After her mother bid farewell, Dina stormed to her car, slumping into the driver’s seat with an exasperated grunt. Her body ached all over, and her bruises were a painful reminder of last night. Paul had been brutal in bed, so much so that she thought she might break under his rough handling.

Rain’s mocking words about her husband echoed in her mind.

"He always makes me scream his name in pleasure. I’m constantly pampered and satisfied because he knows how to treat me right."

Dina clenched her jaw, cursing under her breath. Paul hadn’t been treating her right lately—not like he used to. He wouldn’t even let her finish first before satisfying himself, and now he was hurting her too.

"I need a drink," she muttered, grabbing her phone to call her friends. Tonight, she was going to get wasted. A night out at a nightclub with her friends was exactly what she needed to unwind.

Dina entered Atem Club, an exclusive nightclub reserved for the high-class elite, where only those with membership or a personal recommendation from a member could gain entry. It had been a while since she’d treated herself to a night out like this, and the atmosphere, pulsing with music but never crowded, felt just right.

"Will Paul come?" one of her friends asked as they settled into their seats, subtly swaying to the rhythm of the music.

Dina shook her head and motioned to the waiter to start their round of drinks.

"Are you trying to get wasted before the engagement party? Or did you and Paul have a fight?" another friend prodded.

"Stop asking questions and let’s just enjoy the night. Paul and I never fight," Dina retorted with a forced grin. "My engagement is in two days. Let me enjoy this one last night out with you guys. Once I marry Paul, I’ll have to be the perfect housewife." Her friends laughed and teased her, and Dina played along, smiling to mask the bitterness churning inside her.

’It’s all Rain’s fault!’ Dina fumed inwardly. Ever since they were kids, she had developed a deep resentment toward her half-sister. Rain had always excelled at everything, without even trying. School was the worst—her mother would constantly compare Dina to Rain, always scolding her for not measuring up.

"She’s an illegitimate child, and you’re the rightful heiress of the Clayton family. Prove yourself better than that bastard!" her mother would always snap.

Her father, too, would sigh in disappointment. "How come Rain is the better one? This shouldn’t be happening. Make sure Dina excels beyond her in everything!"

Dina had always been the favored daughter in their household. Her father gave her everything she ever wanted. She tried her best to please her parents as she grew up, but Rain remained a constant thorn in her side.

Even though they attended different schools—Dina in a prestigious private institution, while Rain went to public school—Rain still managed to steal the spotlight. Whenever classmates or her crushes encountered Rain, even by chance, they were instantly drawn to her. It was infuriating!

Now, with her engagement approaching, the familiar feeling of inadequacy stirred within Dina once more. She had managed to win over Paul, steal him even, yet somehow, she still felt overshadowed by Rain. No matter how much she had achieved, it seemed Rain was still happy, living her life with freedom and joy, while Dina remained trapped in her own misery.

The drinks arrived, and Dina downed hers quickly, trying to drown the bitterness that threatened to consume her. She was seething with irritation, especially when she recalled how Rain’s husband treated her the last time they met. He had looked at her as if she were carrying a contagious disease as if she wasn’t worthy of his time.

Rain, a nobody, had managed to snag a husband—a handsome and hot husband at that. And yet, Dina, who had always been part of an elite family, was stuck with Paul, who barely gave her now the attention she craved. It infuriated her.

"How does she always end up on top?" Dina muttered under her breath, her hands gripping her glass tightly.

As Dina stood up, ready to head to the dance floor and lose herself in the music, her eyes caught sight of a familiar figure. Her steps faltered, and her grip on the glass tightened.

It was Sanya.

Dina had always known Sanya as Rain’s loyal friend from the orphanage, and the memory of their teenage years still stung. She especially despised Sanya for the time she had dared to pull her hair after Dina slapped Rain during a heated argument.

Rain had never stopped visiting the orphanage, defying their father’s attempts to keep her away. To Dina, Sanya was nothing more than a persistent pest who clung to Rain, eager to bask in the glow of the elite family she didn’t belong to. Dina had always hated that Rain had someone like Sanya, even if her friend came from nothing.

The woman was swaying, laughing loudly, clearly intoxicated as she danced with abandon. Dina’s eyes narrowed in annoyance. How did *she* even get in here? This was a high-class club, and Sanya had no business being anywhere near it.

Dina’s mind swirled with thoughts of disgust. "Of course," she muttered under her breath, her anger simmering again. "This parasite always finds a way to crawl into places she doesn’t belong."