Chapter 2

Victoria finally couldn't take it anymore. "We wanted you to look after Stella's feelings for now, not turn this into a mess."

"So what exactly do you want me to do?" I asked, genuinely curious. "Should I break down and beg Lucas not to pick her? Or maybe slap her and get shipped off overseas for another year?"

Victoria's face went pale. "Vivian!"

Andrew stepped in front of Victoria. "What's done is done. There are so many guests here today, and all the elders from both the Shea and Sterling families are out there. If you make a scene now, you'll make us all look bad."

I looked at him.

He said the same thing last year.

When Stella cut her wrist, the Shea family couldn't afford to suffer public disgrace. So I was the one they shipped off.

Now Stella was after my fiancé, and the Shea family still couldn't risk suffering public disgrace.

So, once again, I was the one who had to give in.

That was fair. At least it was always that way.

I set my handbag on the table and opened it.

Inside were a new SIM card I'd picked up since I got back, a bunch of keys, and some paperwork I'd already signed.

Andrew stared at the document. "What's that?"

I closed my handbag. "Some work stuff."

He frowned, about to ask more, when the party manager knocked and came in. "Mr. Shea, all the guests have arrived. Should we start the engagement ceremony as planned?"

Everyone fell silent.

I was supposed to be the fiancée.

Now, the ring was in Stella's hand, and the dress was on her.

Andrew looked at me. "Vivian, go get changed. The ceremony's off. We'll tell everyone you're not feeling well."

Stella clutched the ring tightly in her hand.

She was totally blindsided. She had the dress on, the ring in her palm, and yet the ceremony was still getting canceled.

"Andrew," she said, her eyes filling with tears again. "I'm the one making things difficult for everyone. I'll go change out of the dress right now."

She said she'd change, but she didn't move a muscle.

Victoria's heart ached for her. "Stella, this isn't your fault."

Then she turned to me, her voice carrying a hint of blame. "Vivian, Stella's always felt insecure growing up. She's so afraid of losing us. That's why she gets so attached.

"You're the real daughter of the Shea family. Nobody could ever replace you. Why can't you let her have it this once?"

Here we went again.

I was the actual daughter, so I got more.

I was their daughter, so my stuff was always up for grabs.

I was their daughter, so no matter how many times I was shipped off or abandoned, I was supposed to believe they still loved me.

How convenient this bloodline was, like an endless IOU that never expires.

"No need to cancel," I said.

Andrew was taken aback.

I turned to the party manager. "The ceremony goes on as planned. Stella will be the fiancée."

The party manager's professional smile cracked for a moment.

He didn't dare answer, glancing at Andrew for help.

Andrew was barely holding back his anger. "Vivian, that's enough."

"I've already given in. Why are you still not satisfied?" I shot back.

Andrew was speechless.

Lucas suddenly gripped my wrist tightly. "Come outside with me."

I looked down at his hand. "Let go."

He didn't budge. "I need to talk to you."

Stella immediately stepped forward, clutching Lucas's sleeve, her voice trembling. "Lucas, please don't argue with Vivian. This is all my fault. I never should have said anything. I'll give the ring back to Vivian, and I'll go."

But as she said she'd give it back, her hand was clenched tightly around the ring.

The diamond pressed into her palm, leaving a bright red imprint.

Lucas noticed, but he didn't say anything. Neither did I.

I repeated myself. "Let go."

Lucas looked me over, almost like he was trying to see right through me. "You seriously don't care? Not a little?"

I thought for a moment.

A year ago, I guessed I still cared.

In the first month I was sent overseas, I kept waiting for his call, day after day.

In the second month, I heard Stella was in the hospital, and he spent the whole night at her bedside.

In the third month, I was in the warehouse fixing up some damaged jewelry when I cut my hand on a piece of glass. He called and told me not to hold it against Stella.

In the fourth month, he didn't remember my birthday.

In the fifth month, he promised he'd come see me once Stella was feeling better.

But for the next seven months, he never showed up.

A year was a long time. It was long enough for a ring to lose its shine, and long enough for all my hopes to fade away.

"I used to care," I told him the truth.

Lucas's eyes flickered.

Stella's face went paler.

"And now?" he pressed.

"You two really suit each other," I said.

Lucas liked watching people fight over them, while Stella couldn't resist grabbing what I wanted. Seriously, they were a perfect match.

I didn't say the last part out loud.

But Andrew caught the sarcasm in my voice. "Vivian, don't make a scene here. We'll deal with this when we get home. For now, go out and explain to the guests."

I nodded. "Okay."

Andrew visibly relaxed. He probably thought I was finally willing to go along with it.