Chapter 2
I sat up straight and slid my wine glass away.
It was a small gesture, but it was final.
At that moment, only one thing was clear in my mind.
This engagement was over.
It wasn't out of spite or a rash decision.
It was the choice I made after finally seeing things for what they were.
I looked at Andrew, my gaze steady.
He seemed to sense something, his brow furrowing deeper.
But he didn't say a word.
He probably thought I was still the kind of person who'd keep up appearances no matter what.
He might believe I'd swallow my pride and pretend nothing had happened.
Too bad. He was wrong.
I tore my gaze away from him, turned to Olivia Smith, my assistant beside me, and murmured something to her.
My voice was so low that only the two of us could hear it.
She blinked in surprise, giving me an instinctive glance.
I nodded.
She quickly regained her composure and turned to leave.
The whole thing looked natural, and nobody really noticed.
But I knew that from this moment on, everything was about to change.
Sophia was still smiling, like she'd won a major victory.
Andrew's face stayed cold, and even a little impatient.
Neither of them realized that I was done playing their game.
I picked up my wine glass again and took a gentle sip.
The wine was strong, but it went down smooth.
If anything, it made me feel soberer.
I stared at the swirling wine in my glass, and suddenly, I couldn't help but laugh to myself.
Figured some things weren't worth the fight.
Letting go counted as winning.
Not long after Olivia left, the awkward tension in the dining room started to thicken.
Some people raised their wine glasses and pretended to make small talk; others buried themselves in their phones. Gone was the easy atmosphere from before.
I slid back into my seat, sitting up straight, fingers resting lightly on the edge of the table.
I was numb inside. All I saw were the steps I needed to take.
A few minutes later, Olivia walked in with a lawyer.
She moved efficiently, set a folder down next to me, and said quietly, "Ms. Carter, everything's ready."
I nodded, not looking at her again.
That was when everyone finally took notice.
Some Collins family members frowned, and my father lifted his coffee cup, saying nothing.
Andrew's eyes landed on the folder, and his face changed.
He seemed to realize something was off.
"What are you trying to do?" he asked, his voice low and impatient.
I flipped through the folder, my fingers skimming the pages until I stopped at the signature line.
The paper felt flimsy, its corners almost cutting.
I replied quietly, "Now that the ring's on someone else, there's no reason for us to stay engaged."
The silence at the table was almost suffocating after I said that. One could hear a pin drop.
Sophia's smile froze for a moment. She obviously never thought I'd say it out loud.
Andrew shot me a glare, his voice strained. "Stop it. You know exactly what kind of night this is."
I looked up at him. "Of course, I know." My tone was steady, carrying no emotion at all.
He was caught off guard, irritation flickering across his face.
He probably figured I was being dramatic, and I'd back down once I calmed down.
But I was already holding the pen.
The metal pen caught the light, glinting coldly.
Without a second thought, I signed my name on the document in one clean, unbroken motion.
As I finished the last stroke, I heard someone nearby take a sharp breath.
I set the pen down and slid the document to the center of the table.
It was a gentle move, but it felt like dropping a bomb.
"From now on, the engagement is off," I said.
This time, nobody said a word.
The expressions on the Collins family elders' faces shifted.
One of them spoke, his voice low and serious, "Emily, this isn't the place for this kind of talk."
I turned to him, my tone still gentle. "Since everyone's here, it saves me the trouble of telling you all separately."
He was left speechless, and the atmosphere was completely frozen.
Sophia instinctively tightened her grip on Andrew's hand, her knuckles turning white.
She finally realized things were no longer under her control.
She opened her mouth, as if she wanted to say something.
But I didn't give her the chance.
"This is the Carter family's place." I looked at her, my voice calm as if stating the fact. "There's no need for you to say anything."
Her face flushed red, her fingers frozen mid-air.
In that instant, all the softness in her eyes vanished, replaced by pure embarrassment and humiliation.
Andrew's face darkened.
He looked at me, his eyes turning cold. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
I didn't bother answering him.
I pushed the document toward him. "Go ahead and sign it."
He stared at the document, not moving an inch.
The silence at the table was suffocating.
A few seconds later, he let out a cold laugh. "You really think this is going to threaten me?"
There was clear contempt in his voice, as if I was some clueless girl who didn't know her place.
I tapped out a light rhythm on the table with my fingertip.
"It's not a threat." I looked up at him. "It's a notice."
As soon as the words left my mouth, his expression changed completely.
For the first time, he seemed to realize I wasn't bluffing. I was really ending it for good.