Chapter 2

I stared at Blake, utterly astonished. My family isn't super rich, but my parents have been in business for years. I'm their only child, their pride and joy, and everything they have will eventually be mine.

My future wedding wouldn't just be for family and friends; there would be many business partners there too. If they found out I was wearing some bargain-bin dress, they’d laugh me out of the room!

Seeing my silence, Blake realized what he’d just said. He stammered, “I just… I just said that offhand. Of course, if my wife likes it, not just $200,000, but $2,000,000, I’d buy it!”

I took a deep breath. “So? Are you going to pay or not?”

Chloe immediately burst into tears again, refusing to say a word. I had zero patience for her crying performance.

“Either I call the police, or you pay up. Your choice!”

Blake immediately got angry.

“Zara, when did you become so petty?”

“Blake, when did you become so blind? Your fiancée is being bullied by your intern, and you’re siding with her. Who exactly is the love of your life?”

“If I let another man wear your custom-made groom’s suit, would *you* be okay with that?”

His face darkened. “Zara, if you’re really going to talk like this, then there’s nothing I can do.”

“Then you can get lost!”

I pointed toward the door. “We’re breaking up. Don’t ever come back. And she *will* pay for that wedding dress!”

With that, I called the police.

Don’t let anyone think I have a good temper and then walk all over me.

Seeing that I was serious, he suddenly slapped my phone out of my hand. I immediately slapped him back!

“Looks like you didn’t learn your lesson last time!”

My family is well-off, and it's perfectly reasonable for me to have a bit of a temper. Blake knew this from the first day we dated.

At the sight of me striking him, Chloe shrieked, “How could you hit someone?!”

I patted my hand. “You treat scum like scum. I don’t mind giving you a couple of slaps, as long as you can take it!”

Blake’s face was livid from my slap. “Zara, you’re nothing but a shrew!”

“*This* is a shrew? You probably don’t even know what I’m capable of yet. I can get even shrewder! Wanna bet?”

He instinctively backed up two steps. He knew I meant what I said.

“You, you’ll regret this!”

“I won’t regret a thing. But if you don’t pay, I’ll post everything online! Then I’ll make sure everyone knows what happens when you mess with me!”

“Go ahead, try it! Let’s see if public opinion will tear *you* apart!”

That’s when Chloe finally showed fear, quickly pleading, “I, I’ll pay. I’ll pay, okay?!”

I called my lawyer and had him witness Chloe compensating me for the damages. This wasn't blackmail; seeing me go through with all this, Blake’s face grew even darker.

“Do you really have to go this far? Why are you so guarded?”

“I’m guarded against petty people, not gentlemen. Don’t worry, this is standard procedure. If you have any objections, feel free to call the police. We can resolve this with them as witnesses.”

“No need!”

Chloe quickly tugged at his hand. “No need, I’ll just pay.”

“Please don’t argue with her because of me. Don’t let me ruin your relationship.”

Her fake sincerity was practically radiating off her.

“Chloe, from now on, when you see me, stay far away!”

Once the money was transferred, I simply told them to leave.

As he left, Blake glared at me, his eyes full of resentment. “I know you’re angry right now. I won’t hold it against you. I’ll come see you again in a couple of days!”