Chapter 2

I coldly spoke, my tone resolute: "Let's end it then. There's no need to continue."

Sensing the tense atmosphere, his friend stood up, plastering a smile on his face, attempting to persuade us to continue.

I slowly removed my white gloves, then pulled off my veil, turning to walk out.

Draven abruptly stood up, shouting angrily: "With all these people here, you think you can just end it like that? Get back here right now!"

Scarlett's eyes welled up with tears, her voice quivering: "Brother Draven, did I upset Meadow? Meadow, you're the star today, how can you leave first?"

Draven gently consoled her, then began yelling at me again.

"You're throwing another one of your princess tantrums. If you don't want to get engaged, then don't."

I stopped in my tracks but didn't turn around: "Fine, if that's how it is, there's no need to force it."

He didn't speak again, just roughly shoved me out of the banquet hall.

As the main door slammed shut, I heard his voice seeping through the crack, tinged with smugness and mockery: "Just watch, within 5 minutes she'll be back begging for my forgiveness."

I halted my steps, turning to face the tightly closed doors of the banquet hall.I can imagine the looks of pity or mockery on his friends' faces, as I know them all too well.

Draven has repeatedly mocked me in front of his friends for throwing myself at him, even saying that after my dad dies, all my assets will be his.

Although he never said it to my face, I've heard about it enough times to know most of what's been said.

Just now, his friends were staring at me like I was some kind of joke, while Scarlett was still snuggling in his arms.

As the supposed star of this engagement party, I had become nothing more than a superfluous bystander.

What should have been a romantic scene left me feeling cold all over, shaking uncontrollably, as if I were standing in a biting winter wind.

My feet felt as heavy as lead, but I still walked away without looking back. Draven didn't come after me.

I sat alone by the river until late into the night, until the cold wind triggered my migraine.

My phone vibrated once, and a message from an unknown number popped up in my notifications.

When I opened it, it was a video of Scarlett in a short skirt being held in Draven's arms.

Like an anxious father, he rubbed her hands to warm them, then covered her face, murmuring, "It's okay, big brother's here with you."

But I clearly saw Scarlett stick out her tongue playfully.Clearly, this was staged with someone else and photographed for my benefit.

In the past, her numerous provocative actions aimed at angering me and making me give up had caused me to break down countless times.

But now I can no longer find that hysterical feeling. I suppose after my heart has died, it's no longer possible to stir up any waves.

My phone lit up again as a series of voice messages from Draven came through.

I tapped on one of them, and his furious voice boomed out by the riverside.

"Where the hell did you go? So many people are waiting, how dare you just leave like that? Are you out of your mind?"

"Scarlett's been crying this whole time. Is this how you act as an elder? Stop with all the drama and get back here to apologize to her right now!"

I gave a self-mocking smile. That's right, as a fiancée who threw herself at him, why would I be worth cherishing? I'd only fuel his arrogance.

Just last month, he threw Scarlett a birthday party with celebrity performances and a drone show. He even forced me to go on stage and sing for her.

When I said I had a headache from my period and didn't want to sing, he told me to leave if I was going to be an eyesore.

Afterwards, he even gave my new Chanel handbag to Scarlett to cheer her up.

I opened my phone contacts and scrolled through them, finally unable to resist dialing my father's number."Dad, are you thinking about retiring? Your daughter's back to take care of you."