Chapter 2

I'd been with Ethan for five years.

From grad school to working life, I stuck by him through the toughest days of his startup and endured the Lane family's cold shoulders.

The Lane family used to look down on mine for being regular folks, but once they saw I had patents, a team, and the skills actually to pull off the project, they finally started to warm up to me.

Honestly, this marriage was never about them liking me. It was always about what I could bring to the table.

But even so, back when Ethan was pursuing me, he was genuinely thoughtful.

He'd bring me late-night snacks when I was working overtime, take the drinks for me when clients tried to give me a hard time, and drive all night to be there when my dad was in the hospital.

So when Emily came back six months ago, and I felt something was wrong, I still gave Ethan a chance.

I asked Ethan, "Are you still not over her?"

Ethan replied, "I just need to put the past behind me. You're the one I'm marrying now."

Back then, those words hurt. Now, looking back, it was laughable.

It was supposed to be me he was marrying. But I was never his first choice.

Ethan walked up to me, his voice low. "Claire, don't make a scene. Can we get this over with?"

I looked at him. "You went on a trip with her?"

He frowned. "She was in a bad place, so I kept her company for a bit. Do you really have to pick today to talk about this?"

Emily stood off to the side and said softly, "Ms. Sutton, please don't misunderstand. Ethan was worried something might happen if I was alone."

I shot her a look. "So after your little drama, why did you have to crash my engagement party?"

She bit her lip, as if I'd scared her.

Ethan immediately stepped in front of her. "I brought her here. She just got back to town and didn't have anywhere else to go. What's the harm in letting her stay for a while?"

She didn't have anywhere else to go, so she had to crash my engagement party for a while.

People in the guest seats were already whispering among themselves.

Olivia quickly jumped in to cover things up. "Emily and Ethan grew up together.

"Everyone here knows them, so don't be so sensitive. Claire, hurry up and get on stage. Don't let the guests laugh at us."

Let them laugh at us?

They turned me into the punchline, and now they expected me to play along in their little farce.

I didn't move, just stared at Ethan. "You're forty minutes late, and you didn't even give me a single excuse."

Ethan tried to keep his cool. "I'm here now. What more do you want?"

I stared him down, enunciating every word. "I want to know: do I, your fiancée, come before her, or after her?"

He paused for a moment, then said, "Claire, if you have to put it that way, it's not worth it."

That was his answer. He didn't pick me, but he didn't deny it either.

I nodded. "Let's not get engaged today."

The whole room erupted in an uproar.

Ethan's expression shifted suddenly, and he reached out to grab me. "Are you out of your mind?"

I stepped back, dodging his hand. "I'm not crazy. I refuse to be the one who gets replaced or sidelined whenever you feel like it, right in front of everyone."

Olivia snapped, "Claire, don't forget. The project contract hasn't been signed yet."

Now we were finally talking about what really matters.

I looked at her, my smile icy. "Olivia, don't forget. The core technology authorization is still in my hands."