Chapter 2

Early the next morning, I was packing my things in the Manhattan penthouse.

Three years of a relationship, and all I had to show for it fit into a single carry-on suitcase.

Just as I zipped it shut, the front door swung open.

Arthur walked in, with Chloe trailing right behind him. The same group of trust-fund kids from last night's party filed in after them, eyeing my suitcase like they were watching a reality TV show.

Chloe covered her mouth and giggled. "If you're going to stage a walkout, you really have to commit to the bit. Love the empty suitcase prop."

"I give it three hours before she's crying and hanging those clothes back up."

The group leaned against the marble kitchen island, laughing among themselves.

I ignored them, crouching down to slip my passport into the front pocket of my luggage.

Arthur stood by the door, his face stormy.

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

"None of your business."

Chloe immediately stepped up. "Listen to her. Keeping the destination a secret just to make you anxious."

"The second you ask her to stay, she wins."

Arthur had taken half a step forward, but at Chloe's words, he stopped dead in his tracks.

I opened a drawer and pulled out a small velvet box. Inside were the penthouse access cards and keys. Sitting on top was a Cartier necklace—a freebie from a brand event that Arthur had casually tossed to me once.

I slid the box across the counter toward him.

"Yours."

Arthur stared at the access cards. A flash of provoked anger crossed his eyes. He had lost whatever little patience he had left.

"Fine. You want to leave? Go. But since you want to play the independent woman, don't spend another dime of my money."

He pulled out his phone and dialed his estate butler, deliberately putting it on speaker for the whole room to hear.

"Freeze every authorized user card and account under Evelyn's name."

He sneered. "I want to see how she plans to even step foot out of Manhattan without my accounts."

The friends in the room exchanged excited, expectant looks. Chloe tilted her chin up triumphantly, waiting for me to panic and beg.

But on the other end of the line, the butler paused. When he spoke, his voice was thick with awkwardness.

"Sir... Miss Evelyn canceled all her authorized user cards the very day they were issued. Three years ago."

"She has absolutely no financial ties to your accounts to freeze."

The entire living room plunged into a suffocating silence.

The mocking smirks on everyone's faces froze, as if they had just been slapped across the mouth.

I looked at Arthur's stunned expression and calmly pushed the drawer shut.

Three years together, and I hadn't spent a single cent of his money.

They always assumed I was poor, that I could never survive without their old money circle. They never realized that from the very beginning, I had never intended to sell myself to them.

Chloe gritted her teeth, desperately trying to save face.

"So what if she canceled the cards?"

"The Plaza engagement party is a three-hundred-thousand-dollar deposit! She's throwing this tantrum so you'll cave and give her the wedding of the century!"

The others quickly chimed in, eager to agree.

"Exactly! If she's really leaving, there's no way she'd cancel the wedding of the century."

I didn't even look at them. I pulled out my phone and dialed the Plaza Hotel's banquet department right in front of them.

"Cancel the reservation."

Arthur's head snapped up, his voice cracking. "What did you just say?"

The manager on the phone sounded distressed. "Miss Evelyn, if you cancel now, the three-hundred-thousand-dollar deposit is completely non-refundable..."

"The groom's family trust paid the deposit. Keep it for his next fiancée."

I hung up.

Arthur stared at me, his eyes wide with disbelief.

"Once it's canceled, you can't get it back," he said, his voice tight.

I looked at him and pulled up the handle of my suitcase.

"Don't worry. I won't try."

Chloe tugged at his sleeve, though her voice lacked its earlier confidence. "Ignore her."

"The harder she pushes, the more it proves she's terrified you'll actually dump her."

Arthur stared at me for a few long seconds. He let out a cold laugh, turned on his heel, and headed for the door.

Without looking back, he threw his final words over his shoulder.

"Let's see how long you can keep this act up."

The heavy wooden door slammed shut.

I took out my phone and dialed my partner's number.

"About the London deployment. Send me the contract immediately."