Chapter 1

My fiancé slipped my engagement ring onto another woman's finger right in front of me.

And he did it in my own home.

The woman even held her hand up and gave a little wave, flashing a sweet smile. "Beautiful, don't you think?"

I looked at her, not saying a word.

She was sitting in my seat, her arm linked through Andrew's, like she was staking her claim.

I was Emily, head of the Carter Group.

And Andrew was my fiancé.

Tonight was supposed to be a family dinner for both our families.

But he brought his lover, and she took my place at the table.

"Emily, don't make a scene," he said, frowning, his voice dripping with impatience.

I held his gaze for a few seconds and let out a low chuckle. "Get me the engagement agreement. I'm ending this."

The entire dining room went silent instantly.

*****

Every other woman knew the unspoken rule: never confront the official partner, let alone try to supplant her.

But Sophia Bennett, the secret lover my fiancé, Andrew Collins, was keeping, didn't get it.

Not only did she openly take the engagement ring that was supposed to be mine, but she also showed up at my family dinner, hanging onto Andrew's arm.

At that moment, standing by the main seat, I felt like someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over me.

I was Emily Carter, acting CEO of the Carter Group. To everyone else, I was calm and rational, never losing my cool.

Tonight's family dinner was something my father arranged for a joint project between the two families.

Andrew was invited as the Collins family's heir and my fiancé.

Our engagement was set up by our elders. It was mostly about business, with feelings as a side thing.

I'd always understood that, so I never expected love from him. As long as he kept to the rules, that was enough for me.

But he couldn't give me the most basic respect.

The lights were so bright, and the crystal chandelier overhead made it hard to breathe.

Sophia was wearing a pale dress that brushed her ankles, swaying softly as she walked. She really was beautiful, with delicate features and a hint of innocence in her smile.

But right now, she was standing in my spot.

Her hand was looped around Andrew's arm, as if it were second nature to her.

I stared at her hand, or more precisely, at the ring on her middle finger.

It was platinum, with the initials of both our families engraved on the inside.

I recognized it instantly.

That was the engagement ring a Collins family had personally given me three months ago.

I hadn't worn it back then, but kept it in a box.

And now, it was on another woman's hand.

It was like a silent slap in the face.

I tapped the rim of my wine glass with my fingernail. The sound was soft, but it cut through the silence at the table.

My father shot me a look, his eyes deep and unreadable, but he didn't say a word.

He was always like that, leaving the choice to me.

The Collins family elders were already seated, and the tension in the air was thick enough to choke on.

Sophia acted like she didn't notice a thing, flashing a sweet smile as she greeted me, "Ms. Carter, I've heard so much about you."

Her voice was soft, with a slight lilt at the end, like she was deliberately toeing the line.

I looked at her, not saying a word.

My gaze drifted back to the ring on her finger.

She followed my gaze, glanced down, and then, as if something had occurred to her, raised her hand slightly.

It was a small gesture, but it was clearly intentional.

My heart grew colder.

She wasn't clueless about the rules. She was testing me.

Andrew stood beside her, his brow furrowed, looking a bit impatient.

He never liked events like this, but by bringing her here tonight, he'd already picked his side.

I set my wine glass down slowly, my finger sliding along the rim. The chill from the glass spread through my fingertips.

I looked up at him. "The ring looks pretty, doesn't it?" My voice was quiet, totally emotionless.

There was a brief pause at the table.

Andrew shot me a look, his eyes filled with barely hidden annoyance.

"Don't make a scene," he said.

He sounded as if those words meant nothing and he were brushing off someone unreasonable.

I stared at him, and for a second, he felt like a stranger.

I used to think he was cold, not good at showing his feelings.

But now I realized that he never bothered to care about me.

Sophia let out a soft laugh, idly spinning the ring on her finger.

She didn't say a word, but that small move was louder than any insult.

I noticed her fingers were slender, and the ring fit her middle finger like it was made for her.

She knew exactly which finger to pick.

It suddenly hit me. This wasn't some spur-of-the-moment thing.

They'd been in sync for a long time. It was just that they picked today to rub it in my face.

The last bit of warmth in my chest faded away.

There was no outburst of anger, no hysterics.

Instead, I felt this strange, icy calm.

I could even make out the year on the wine label and hear everyone around me holding their breath.

It was like the whole world had slowed down.

My father kept tapping his finger lightly on the table.

I knew he was waiting for me.

The Collins family was watching me, too.

They were waiting to see how I'd react.

Would I let it slide or blow up?

I let out a slow breath.

The chill in my fingers faded away.

I gave a faint smile. "So that's how it is."

Nobody replied. The tension in the air was palpable.