Chapter 1

I followed Christian Vance around for ten whole years. Everyone in our circle knew the young Vance heir’s fiancée was a fool.

Because of that, Christian hated me for ten years.

Until one night, over a casual joke, he gave me away like an unwanted toy, smiling with sharp, careless malice.

"We’re both Vances anyway," he said.

"If you don't mind the bad luck, take the idiot. She's your present."

So, I gave him exactly what he wanted. I traded our engagement for one with his older brother.

Yet on the day of my engagement party...

He barged into the ballroom, his eyes rimmed in red, his teeth clenched tight.

"Elena, how dare you marry someone else?"

Midnight came, and Christian still hadn’t come home.

I slowly pushed open the door to the VIP lounge.

The room was loud, hazy with smoke, and chaotic. Christian sprawled across the middle of the plush sofa, looking completely relaxed and detached.

When I spotted him, my eyes lit up. I walked straight up to his table.

"Christian, it’s really late. Grandpa told me to bring you home."

Christian froze.

The rowdy music and chatter cut out for a brief second.

The crowd exchanged glances, and then burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha! Look at that, Christian! Grandpa’s calling you home!"

"Your idiot fiancée is here. Shouldn't you hurry up and go with her?"

The blatant cruelty in the room made me shrink back.

Helpless, I looked down at Christian.

"Chris, it’s time to go home..."

"Shut up!"

Christian jumped to his feet. An empty glass bottle went flying, grazing past my ear with a whistling rush of air.

Irritation flashed across his handsome face. He glared down at me coldly.

"Who let you come here? Get the hell out!"

A sharp, stinging ache throbbed near my temple, but I still stared up at him stubbornly.

"Come home with me."

A girl sitting beside Christian suddenly stood up.

She walked right over and shoved me hard.

"Didn't you hear Mr. Vance tell you to get lost? Are you deaf?"

My footing slipped. I tumbled straight onto the shards of broken glass.

A muffled gasp tore from my throat as warm blood instantly soaked through my skin.

Silence fell over the lounge.

A few people began to look at me with uneasy pity.

Someone murmured, "Hey, Christian... maybe you should just head home."

Christian knit his brows, pure annoyance showing in his eyes.

His gaze swept across my bloody palm.

He let out a derisive scoff. "Serves you right."

Yet, perhaps feeling a twinge of guilt, he turned on his heel and strode out of the club without another word.

Swallowing the burning pain, I quietly hurried behind him.

Back at the Vance estate, I didn't try to hide my wound.

My bloodied palm immediately caught old Mr. Vance's eye.

The grandfather spun around and smacked Christian upside the head.

"You reckless brat! What happened to Elena’s hand?"

Christian’s eyes flickered, but his jaw stayed tight and unyielding.

"She came looking for me on her own. Whatever happened to her is not my fault!"

Grandpa stared at him in utter frustration. "Elena is your future wife!"

Bringing that up set Christian off completely.

He stood up abruptly, shouting with raw fury.

"I never asked to marry her! Who in their right mind would marry an idiot like her?"

"You think you can force some outdated promise down my throat to control me?"

His words hit me like a splash of ice water. I stood frozen in place, unable to take a step forward.

Grandpa clutched his chest, his eyes closing in pain.

"You... you ungrateful little punk!"

"Get outside and kneel in the driveway! You're not stepping foot inside tonight!"

"Fine by me! I’d rather marry a stray dog than marry Elena Miller!"

Christian gritted his teeth and shot me a venomous glare.

I pressed my lips together tightly, my eyes cast down.

Christian slammed the door shut on his way out. Grandpa let out a long sigh and gestured for me to come sit beside him.

He stayed silent for a long moment before speaking softly.

"Elena, don't be mad at Chris."

My gaze dimmed, but I nodded.

I wasn't mad at him.

Christian had saved me once.

I loved him very much, and I wouldn't hold something like this against him.