Chapter 2

I was an orphan. The only reason I finished school and got into the top research lab in the country was all thanks to my mentor’s guidance.

She’d given me so much care, almost like my own mother.

So, when she chose an engagement for me, I was willing to be patient.

If Charlotte Thorne could handle this properly and give me a decent explanation, I was ready to give her another chance.

“Asher Vance? What is it?”

The other end of the line was noisy, with guests seemingly talking around her.

She first responded to her guests, then casually brought the phone to her ear, as if she hadn’t been listening to me at all.

“Come pick me up and let me into the venue, your assistant…”

Before I could finish, she let out a disdainful “Tch,” cutting me off impatiently.

“Do you have some kind of prince syndrome? Can’t walk on your own two legs?”

“I have guests to entertain. How would I have time to pick you up? Just come in yourself.”

A busy signal buzzed in my ear.

Leo Stone clapped a hand over his mouth, letting out a suppressed giggle, his eyes alight with undisguised mockery.

“I’m just following Ms. Thorne’s orders. If you want to go in, go ahead. I definitely won’t stop you now.”

I could calmly complete even the most difficult experiments.

But talking to someone so utterly unreasonable? All I felt was a throbbing in my temples.

“Mr. Stone, do you think your position as an assistant is very secure? Harassing your CEO’s fiancé at the ballroom entrance – is that part of your career plan?”

“Oh, too bad. Compared to a professional elite like me, the CEO despises a useless kept man like you even more.”

I lifted my gaze, staring at him with a cold intensity.

“Professional elite? The kind of elite who harbors inappropriate fantasies about his female boss?”

“Does Charlotte Thorne even know her assistant acts like a lapdog, wagging his tail and begging at her feet every single day?”

Leo Stone instantly flew into a rage.

He raised his hand, lashing out with a sudden swing towards me.

I took two steps back, dodging it.

“Lost your cool and resorted to violence? So when you have a business deal go south, do you just slap your partners too? What an ‘elite’ move.”

“You! Hold him down!”

His thoughts exposed, Leo Stone’s shrill voice cracked.

He gasped, staring intently at me, his finger trembling as he pointed.

The nearby security guards, who had been watching the show, started walking towards me at his command.

“Leo Stone’s being an idiot, but are you all going to follow suit? Do you realize the person you’re about to use force on is Charlotte Thorne’s fiancé?”

I tried to appeal to their reason.

The security guards exchanged glances. The lead guard spoke, feigning apology, but his eyes held clear derision.

“Mr. Vance, we’re just following orders. Please understand.”

“Mr. Stone is the CEO’s right-hand man, while you’re just a pawn in an arranged marriage with no connections.”

“If your dead parents suddenly came back to life with some earth-shshattering background, then we’d definitely apologize to you.”

To attend the engagement, I was dressed in a perfectly fitted suit, with expensive leather shoes on my feet.

After dodging a couple of attempts, I was quickly grabbed by two security guards, my arms pinned, half-pressed and held in front of Leo Stone.

He stared at my face with a dark expression, then suddenly stretched his lips into a smile.

He raised his hand, his designer watch glinting coldly, about to slap me.

I squeezed my eyes shut.

“Stop!”

A clear, cold voice, laced with anger, rang out. Leo Stone’s hand froze in mid-air.