Chapter 2

The conversation outside sent dizziness rolling through me in waves. My fingers dug into the doorframe of the dressing room, and I clamped a hand over my mouth to keep the sob from spilling out.

So four years ago, when I'd slid that ring onto my finger with my heart full of joy, Quinn had already betrayed me.

Even when he'd said he loved me, it had been a lie.

The most laughable part was that everyone but me had known the truth.

They'd watched me plan ninety-nine weddings, watched me put on the gown again and again, watched Quinn walk out on me again and again.

While I held a smile in place, soothing the guests and cleaning up the wreckage, they'd probably been tucked away in some corner, laughing at how foolish I was, laughing that I'd treasured a mere freebie for four whole years.

I didn't know how long it was before the voices outside finally faded.

I pushed open the dressing room door. The vast banquet hall stood empty.

A mess strewn across the floor, and no one to clean it up.

Just like the ninety-eight times before, Quinn's only job was to leave. The mess left behind always belonged to me.

But this time, I didn't call the hotel, and I didn't offer any explanations to the guests.

I turned and walked out of the hall, and went straight to the Vance residence.

When Mrs. Vance saw me come in alone, in nothing but a thin gown, she seemed to have already guessed something.

"The ninety-ninth time, and it still didn't happen?"

I didn't answer. I only knelt down in front of her.

"Mrs. Vance, I no longer want to marry Quinn. You were right. He truly is no good match for me."

"I'm willing to repay the Vance family's kindness with five percent of the Pratt shares, to dissolve the marriage alliance with Quinn. From this day on, we owe each other nothing."

Her gaze lingered on my face for a long while, and in the end she didn't try to talk me out of it.

"What do you plan to do next?"

"My mother has only half a month left." Even saying the word, my throat tightened past my control.

She'd already held on far too long, just to see me settled into a marriage.

I couldn't let her waste what little time she had left on Quinn breaking his promises, over and over again.

"The one thing she can't rest easy about is my marriage." I drew a deep breath and said each word clearly: "So in three days, I'll be marrying into the Rowe family."

The hand turning her prayer beads went still.

She clearly knew of the Rowe family, and of their only son, a ruthless man with no interest in women.

She'd heard long ago that the Rowe heir had someone he'd loved for years but could never have. Whether this alliance was a blessing or a curse, there was no telling.

After a moment, she let out a low sigh.

"So be it. Butler, bring the box."

Before long, the butler handed over a gift box.

Mrs. Vance passed it to me and said, "This is your family's heirloom. When the two families set the engagement, your father gave it to the Vances. Now that the engagement is broken, it should return to its rightful owner."

"Thank you for granting my wish, Mrs. Vance. I'll return the Vance token in three days."

I took the wooden box in both hands and placed it carefully into my bag.

Before I stepped out of the Vance residence, I paused.

"Please don't tell Quinn just yet."

"Three days from now, once my mother has seen me married with her own eyes, then you can tell him. I don't want any complications."

Mrs. Vance looked at me for a moment, and finally nodded.

"All right."

I got back to the villa, and the instant I opened the door, a heavy odor hit me in the face.

Women's clothes were scattered across the living room, a pair of heels tipped over beside the couch. The coffee table was piled with empty bottles and crumpled tissues, and a few unspeakable garments lay tossed across the rug.

Where a photo of Quinn and me had once hung on the wall, there was now only an empty frame.

The picture of me had been dropped into the trash without a second thought.

I froze in the doorway.

This villa had been my father's gift for my twenty-second birthday.

Quinn said he didn't like living with the older generation, so I'd let him move in.

Later he complained the original decor felt cold and empty, so I drew up the design plans myself and spent a full six months turning the place into what he liked.

And now someone was in my house, brazenly erasing every trace of me.

My stomach lurched.

I rushed into the bathroom and gripped the edge of the sink, gagging.

A soft laugh came from behind me.

"Oh, Miss Pratt is back?"

I lifted my head.

Brooklyn leaned against the doorway, wearing my silk robe.

It was the wedding gift my mother had picked out for me by hand, back when I was planning my first wedding.

Now the sash hung loose around Brooklyn's waist, and there was a glaring lipstick mark on the collar.

She glanced down at the mess on the floor, her smile turning even more smug.

"The house is a little messy."

"Since you're back, you might as well tidy it up. Quinn doesn't like it when the place smells."

I turned the faucet on and rinsed the bitterness from my mouth.

"Take off the robe."

Brooklyn blinked.

"What?"

"I said, take off my robe, then get out."

I straightened, steadying myself, and came face to face with Brooklyn, who wore nothing but defiance.

I twisted my lips into a sneer. "A cheap little mistress, and you think you've got the standing to run your mouth here?"

Brooklyn stared at me, then suddenly laughed.

"Callie, have you still not figured out where you stand?"

"Quinn dropped you today so he could be with me. Your wedding failed ninety-nine times, but he was willing to spend a whole night here, with me."

She stepped up close, and gave the collar of the robe a showy little tug.

"It's not just this robe. He's promised me this house too."

I finally turned to look at her.

"He promised?"

"That's right."

"Pity. It's not his to give."

I picked up my phone and dialed building management.

"This is Callie, the owner of Villa No. 17. Someone has entered my home without permission. Please send someone over to handle it."

The moment I hung up, Brooklyn's expression darkened completely.

"Callie, you dare throw me out?"

"This is my house."

I looked at the robe on her.

"What you're wearing is mine too."

"As for Quinn—"

I paused, suddenly finding that even saying the name left me exhausted.

"If you like him, take him."

The smugness in Brooklyn's eyes was instantly replaced by fury.

She'd wanted to see me lose control, wanted to see me cry and beg her to leave Quinn.

But my reaction clearly hadn't given her what she wanted.

"Why the act, pretending you don't care?"

She let out a cold laugh.

"You'd have married him ninety-nine times over, and now all of a sudden you say you don't want him? Who's going to believe that?"

"Whether you believe it is your problem."

I moved around her, ready to go get the robe my mother had given me.

But Brooklyn suddenly seized my wrist.

"Callie, you've always thought you were nobler than me, hiding behind that pedigree of yours, haven't you?"

"Today I'll make you see clearly who really matters most in Quinn's heart!"

The words had barely left her mouth when she gripped my hand and slammed it hard across her own face.

A sharp crack rang out.

Brooklyn staggered and fell to the floor, half her face flushing red in an instant.

At almost the same moment, Quinn's icy voice came from behind me.

"What are you two doing?"