Chapter 1

At our engagement banquet, my fiancé Zachary's assistant, Lily, dropped a half-bitten carrot into his bowl.

Zachary, who had always been obsessive about cleanliness, just smiled — and put that saliva-coated carrot right into his mouth.

I didn't make a scene. I simply clapped my hands and had the servants bring out a large bucket of slop from the kitchen.

I set it down in front of Zachary.

"You love eating other people's leftovers so much? Then eat your fill."

"Leave even one bite, and this engagement is off."

Zachary's fork clattered to the floor. He shot up from his chair like he'd been launched from it.

"Nina, don't be angry — this is on me."

He stared at me, terrified I was about to say something even more final.

The guests around us all turned to look, with that particular gleam in their eyes that said they were enjoying every second of this.

Zachary's face flushed deep red. His throat bobbed as he rushed to explain.

"Lily just started as an intern a few days ago. She doesn't know table manners yet."

"If I'd called her out right then and there, word would've gotten around that we bully newcomers. That would've looked terrible."

He reached for my hand, his voice going soft. "I really didn't mean anything by it. I just didn't want to kill the mood. I'll discipline her from now on — I promise nothing like this will ever happen again."

I watched the panic flickering in his eyes and laughed — silently, coldly.

I pulled my hand back and turned to my assistant, who had been standing nearby, keeping my tone flat.

"Remove the bucket. Clear the rest of the banquet. Cancel all remaining events."

My assistant acknowledged the order. The sound of dishes and silverware being moved filled the banquet hall.

Zachary's face went even whiter. He looked like he wanted to say something, but I cut him off before he could.

"Zachary. Clean up your act."

He froze. His lips moved, but in the end he didn't dare push back. He just gave a small nod.

I didn't look at him again. I stood up and walked straight out of the banquet hall.

The car ride home was completely silent.

Zachary tried to speak several times. Each time, my cool stare stopped him cold.

When we got back, I'd barely sat down before the doorbell rang.

Zachary was standing outside, holding two gift bags, his posture stiff and straight.

I reached over and pressed the door release.

He walked in and set the bags on the entryway shelf — he didn't dare bring them into the living room.

"Nina, I wrote this for you."

He handed me a letter. "It's all in there. I'll cut off all personal contact with Lily going forward. I'll reassign her project responsibilities to someone else entirely."

I didn't take it. I just looked at him.

He immediately set the letter on the coffee table, then fished his phone out of his pocket. He unlocked it and slid it across to me, screen-side up.

"Take it. Go through whatever you want."

He added, "My messages with Lily are strictly work-related. Nothing else. Not a single thing."

I looked at his SnapChat. In the conversation with Lily, every message was business — timestamps scattered, content nothing but project updates.

No casual greetings. No private chat. It was almost suspiciously clean.

I didn't pick up the phone. Zachary saw this and quickly spoke up again.

"I know you're hurt. I really was just trying to avoid making things awkward."

I knew exactly what that spotless message history meant. He'd prepared it in advance.

"You don't need to be so nervous," I said, keeping my voice even.

Zachary's shoulders visibly relaxed. He shifted half a step closer, as if he wanted to reach out — then seemed to think better of it and stayed where he was.

"Nina, can you forgive me?"

He looked at me. "I'll give you a proper explanation for what happened at the engagement party. I'll deal with Lily. I promise."