Chapter 2

The entire atelier went dead silent.

Everyone was staring at me.

Some looked shocked. Some looked sorry for me. More than a few quietly raised their phones, waiting to see whether I would actually submit.

I looked at Callum and laughed.

His expression darkened at once.

"What is so funny?"

"You." I stepped over the train of my discarded wedding gown. "You still think marrying you is some kind of prize."

Brielle immediately pressed herself against his chest, looking wounded.

"Callum, she attacked me before you got here. She called me a thief."

"You are wearing stolen property," I said calmly.

Callum frowned.

"Sloane, I have confirmed who you are. That does not give you the right to arrive in New York, humiliate Brielle in public, and threaten me by canceling the wedding."

I turned to the manager.

"Tell him who owns the tiara."

The manager's face was pale, but he forced himself to speak.

"The tiara is registered to Ms. Mercer. It was delivered by the Mercer family three days ago for cleaning and inspection. Before Ms. Vaughn took it, we warned her twice that it was part of a private collection and could not be tried on."

Brielle went rigid.

"That is a lie!"

The manager lowered his head and refused to look at her.

The facts were clear.

I turned back to Callum.

He had heard the truth, yet he still did not ask Brielle to remove the tiara.

"It is only jewelry," he said impatiently. "If this was a misunderstanding, then now it has been cleared up."

That was when I finally understood.

He did not doubt the truth.

He simply believed Brielle's feelings mattered more than it did.

"She knew it belonged to me and took it anyway. Then, after you learned the truth, you put it back on her yourself. Is that also a misunderstanding?"

Callum's jaw tightened.

"I am not going to argue with you. Apologize to Brielle, and this ends here."

"And if I refuse?"

"Then kneel. Admit you should not have called her a thief in public, and that you should not have used the wedding to threaten me. Once Brielle is satisfied, the ceremony can still happen in three days."

He spoke as if he were giving me one last chance.

He was not trying to solve anything.

He was telling me exactly how I was expected to obey.

No matter how badly he humiliated me, he assumed I would tolerate it for the privilege of becoming his wife.

Slowly, I removed the engagement ring from my left hand.

Callum watched me, his brows drawing together.

"What are you doing?"

I did not answer.

In front of everyone, I dropped the ring into the trash can beside Brielle's feet.

The metal struck the side with a sharp clang.

Callum's face changed.

"Sloane!"

"Return the tiara. The wedding is canceled. As of this moment, you are no longer my fiancé."

Brielle's smug expression froze.

Even she had not expected me to end the engagement for real.

Callum recovered quickly.

He looked at me the way an adult might look at a child throwing a tantrum.

"This engagement affects two families and the Hudson Point project. You cannot cancel it by throwing away a ring. You are angry. Once you calm down, you will understand how stupid this is."

I almost laughed again.

Even now, he believed I was bluffing.

He believed the Mercer land, the Mercer capital, and the Mercer bride were all things he was entitled to receive.

"You are not afraid the wedding is over." I stepped closer. "You are afraid everyone will know you did not reject me. I rejected you."

Callum's face went cold.

I turned to leave.

The two bodyguards at the doors stepped forward at the same time and blocked my path.

The manager's expression changed.

"Mr. Sterling, this is private property."

"Move." Callum never looked away from me. "No one leaves until this is settled."

I stopped.

"Are you trying to detain me?"

"I am making you take responsibility for your behavior."

With Callum backing her, Brielle's smile returned.

She bent down, picked up the engagement ring from beside the trash can, and spun it around one finger.

"Sloane, do not overestimate your importance. If Callum wants, he can have a new bride by tomorrow."

Then she tossed the ring back into the trash.

"But before that, you should get on your knees."

Callum did not stop her.

The guards approached from either side.

One reached for my shoulder.

I moved aside, and his hand brushed my sleeve.

Whatever patience Callum had left disappeared.

"Stop making a scene. Force her down."