Chapter 6

Ruby's POV

I finally turned back to meet her gaze.

"Whether I'm satisfied doesn't matter." I pulled at the corner of my mouth, no warmth in my eyes. "What matters is, Miss Serena seems quite satisfied with herself tonight."

Serena's smile didn't change. "Sorry about that. I didn't mean to steal everyone's attention with Jace at your birthday banquet. It's just been so long since we played together, I couldn't help myself for a moment. You don't mind, right?"

Watching her disgusting performance, I only found it laughable.

Too lazy to waste words on her, I turned to leave.

"Wait." Serena suddenly stepped forward and grabbed my wrist. "Don't you want to know... who was behind that kidnapping you experienced three years ago?"

I frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

Serena shook her head, her eyes full of pity and schadenfreude. "To still not know anything even now. How pitiful."

My heart plummeted.

Could there be something about that kidnapping three years ago that I didn't know?

Serena enjoyed watching my expression change dramatically and smiled triumphantly. "Seeing you still in the dark like this, I might as well tell you the truth."

She paused, then spoke clearly and cruelly. "Actually, that kidnapping three years ago, Jace deliberately orchestrated it. Including the leaked news that you were filmed in videos. Jace had people deliberately spread that too, just to make your reputation as bad as possible and make the Monroe family detest you even more."

"And that brake failure car accident you had recently? Jace arranged that too. He calculated the timing perfectly, wanting to add fuel to the fire to make the Monroe family lose all patience with you. He wanted to use you to achieve his goal of marrying me."

Boom.

I was thunderstruck, my entire body's blood instantly freezing, as if even my breath was stolen away.

The kidnapping was his design? The car accident was his arrangement?

Even those humiliating rumors were deliberately spread by him?

How could this be possible?

I didn't want to easily believe Serena's words, but recalling what I'd recently heard Jace personally admit about taking revenge... someone like Jace might really be capable of such things.

My heart felt like it was being wrung by an icy hand, the pain making my vision go black.

I struggled to steady myself, looking up at Serena's face written with triumph.

Suddenly, I pulled an extremely cold smile. "Miss Serena so kindly came to tell me all this... is it because even you aren't sure whether Jace's heart still only holds you, like it did three years ago?"

The triumph on Serena's face instantly froze, a flash of panic crossing her eyes at being exposed.

My beauty was enough to make many men overlook my reputation and become infatuated.

Jace and I had lived together for three years, facing my stunningly beautiful face every day, playing the devoted husband in front of me. Acting for so long. Who knew if he might start believing his own performance?

"You're talking nonsense!" But Serena didn't want to admit this. Humiliated and angry, she said, "How could Jace possibly fall in love with a woman like you? Everything he did was for me! Today I'll let you see clearly whose heart he holds!"

With that, before I could react, Serena suddenly grabbed my hand and with all her strength, swung it toward her own face.

Slap!

A crisp, loud slap echoed in the quiet restroom.

I was completely stunned, never expecting her to pull this move.

Almost simultaneously, the triumphant smile on Serena's face vanished instantly, replaced by a look of panic and distress, tears quickly pooling in her eyes.

"Serena, you-" Shocked and angry, I immediately tried to pull my hand back.

But Serena held my hand tightly, refusing to let go. Her body even staggered backward, as if I'd forcefully shoved her.

"Ruby! What are you doing?!"A voice full of fury suddenly exploded at the restroom door.

I turned at the sound.

Jace strode in and swatted my wrist away with such force that I staggered back several steps, my waist slamming hard against the cold edge of the sink.

I frowned, and Jace shielded Serena behind him, reproaching me. "Are you crazy? Why did you hit her?"

"Jace, it's not Miss Ruby's fault." Serena's eyes were moist. She tugged at his sleeve, sobbing softly. "I was too rude today, stealing everyone's attention by performing with you at her birthday party. Miss Ruby had every right to be angry and slap me."

Hearing this, Jace's eyes turned cold as ice. "Serena performed with me to celebrate your birthday, and you were so displeased you hit her?"