Not Shameless as Them!!

Rewritten:

Upon nearing the exit of her room, Ashley abruptly halted and redirected her attention towards Isabella's unexpected statement.

"My dear pitiful sister, why do you gaze at me in such a way? Yes, you heard correctly. James and I are becoming engaged, Ash," Isabella declared with a self-satisfied smirk. Witnessing Ashley's speechlessness brought joy to her.

Contrarily, Ashley felt deeply betrayed and wounded. If it weren't for Isabella and James engaging in sexual activity on her birthday, she wouldn't have found herself in a room with a stranger, engaging in intercourse.

All of her misfortune sprung forth from Isabella and her five-year-long relationship with James. The pain was excruciating. However, Ashley would not grant Isabella the pleasure of witnessing her suffering. She let out a sarcastic laugh, much to Isabella's surprise.

"Well then, congratulations to the most repugnant couple in existence. My step-sister and my boyfriend of five years who engaged in sexual relations on my birthday. Utterly disgusting. You know what, Isa..." Ashley stepped closer to Isabella and whispered in her ear. "You are the sole individual who will cherish a discarded piece of toilet tissue."

Ashley left a seething Isabella behind in her room.

Isabella was both shocked and taken aback. It mattered not whether Ashley had witnessed her and James in bed; rather, what troubled her was why Ashley had remained silent about it all this time.

She trailed after Ashley downstairs, knowing that James would soon be arriving to visit her. Isabella did not wish for James and Ashley to have a conversation unbeknownst to her.

Ashley spotted her emotionless father seated in his chair in the hallway upon reaching the bottom of the staircase. Mrs. Green was seated next to him. Ashley felt a pang in her heart as she observed her father treating her as a stranger.

"Ash, my dear, do you have any money? If you require financial assistance, I am willing to provide," Mrs. Green mischievously inquired.

Mrs. Green's pretentiousness made Ashley feel nauseated. She was certain that both Mrs. Green and Isabella could win an Oscar if they were actresses.

"Don't you dare give her any money. She should turn to the father of her unborn child for support," Mr. Miller snapped at his wife.

Ashley wasn't at all surprised by her father's remarks. She knew he was capable of saying even worse things, and it hurt. It pained her that her biological father treated her like refuse.

Nevertheless, she would not allow them the satisfaction of witnessing her breakdown.

"Mrs. Green, in case you are suffering from selective amnesia, allow me to remind you that," she paused, a steely determination in her eyes.

"It was evident by the wicked smirk on Ashley's face as she exclaimed, "All of these luxurious things, the house belonging to the Miller Company, and the money you are enjoying - they are all from MY MOTHER!"

Determined to assert her independence and make everyone aware of their place, Ashley had made the decision to leave the house her mother had built for her and the man claiming to be her father.

Mr. Miller, feeling the urge to strike Ashley once again, was abruptly halted when he heard her words. "Go ahead and slap me, that's the only thing you're capable of. Why are you stopping? Don't you find pleasure in satisfying your mistress and your illegitimate child by slapping me?" Ashley shouted defiantly at her father, finally having reached her limit.

"How can you speak to your father like that, Ashley?" Mrs. Green interjected, hoping to calm the situation.

With a sarcastic laugh, Ashley replied to Mrs. Green, "It seems like you've lost touch with reality, Mrs. Green. Have you forgotten that this man in front of me disowned me not long ago? I'm no longer his daughter, remember? And let me ask, did I say something wrong? Isn't it true that he married my mom when he had nothing and was destitute?"

A lone tear fell from Ashley's eye as she finished speaking.

Unable to control his anger any longer, Mr. Miller slapped Ashley once again. His frustration stemmed from the painful reminder of his past. Ashley started to contemplate getting her ears checked, as she had received numerous slaps in a single day.

However, Ashley refused to back down.

"Wow, Mr. Miller, the truth really stings, doesn't it?" Ashley unleashed her burning rage upon her father. "Are you ashamed of your past? Ashamed that you betrayed the woman who helped you when you were a nobody? Are you even aware that you have an illegitimate child somewhere, conceived behind her back?"

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Mr. Miller shouted.

"I'm already leaving. I hope my mom's ghost haunts all of you until your graves," Ashley spat before turning to make her exit.

As the doorbell rang, Ashley paid no mind to whoever was visiting. However, Isabella, realizing it was James at the door, quickly rushed to open it.

Isabella cursed under her breath, desperately hoping that Ashley and James wouldn't cross paths. Unfortunately, luck wasn't on her side.

Glancing over, Ashley unexpectedly laid her eyes upon her ex-boyfriend of five years and his sister, who used to be her closest friend. Though shocked, she managed to conceal her emotions and walked past them without acknowledging their presence. Having endured enough humiliation from her family, she didn't want to waste anymore time on them.

James inquired of Ashley if she was departing from the residence upon noticing her with bags. In reaction, Ashley was overwhelmed with anger. How dares he?

"For your information, you shall address me as Ashley. Furthermore, it is absolutely none of your concern whether or not I am vacating this household," Ashley retorted sharply.

If only James and her stepsister hadn't betrayed her, none of these unfortunate events would have occurred. She wouldn't have engaged in intimate relations with a stranger, and she wouldn't have conceived at the tender age of eighteen.

"Ashley, please refrain from being discourteous. James simply inquired out of genuine concern for your well-being," Isa defended James, her words laced with hurt.

"Fear not, Isa. Ashley's behavior simply stems from her shame over her actions, which is why she cannot even bear to look at my brother," Cassandra, James' sister and Ashley's closest friend, scoffed.

Ashley couldn't believe her ears; she stood frozen in her tracks. It was undeniably true that one discovers their true foes during times of trouble.

She turned her body to face all those responsible for making her life unbearable, remembering each of their faces one by one. She vowed that one day, she would exact revenge upon them, repaying them tenfold.

"Cassandra, I couldn't care less about your opinion of me. At least I possess the decency to not engage in such shameless acts as your imbecilic brother and my foolish sister, who indulged in their own desires at the hotel on my birthday," Ashley sneered.

Ashley smirked upon hearing gasps from her father and Mrs. Green. Cries of shock emanated from Cassandra, as if Ashley had delivered a physical blow to her face.

"What does she mean by that, Isabella?" Mr. Miller demanded angrily. However, that was Ashley's last concern.

As if the forces of nature themselves were against her, rain began pouring as soon as she departed from the house.

Ashley felt wretched and alone, contemplating her predicament as an eighteen-year-old with a child within her womb, devoid of money and shelter.

She knelt outside the main gate of their house, succumbing to tears.

Her weeping soon escalated into wailing. She had been disowned by her father, the one who was meant to love her unconditionally.

Her heart ached unbearably. Although she maintained a facade of strength in front of her family, only she truly understood the depths of her inner turmoil.

Adjacent to where she wept, a luxurious car was parked, within which sat a man discreetly observing the pitiful girl crying in the rain, unbeknownst to her.