Chapter 2

The next day, the top-floor ballroom of the Imperial Grand Hotel.

Inside, Christine Pruitt stood in a white strapless gown, her arm looped through a man's, raising a toast with the guests and laughing.

The man was Dean Henson.

Dean wore a custom-tailored suit, his face lit with smug satisfaction, one hand resting at Christine's waist, the pose intimate.

The people around them laughed and teased, "Mr. Henson and Miss Pruitt really are a perfect match. A pair made for each other!"

Christine laughed behind her hand. Then her eyes caught me at the door, and her smile faltered for a second before it snapped back into place. She even leaned in closer to Dean on purpose.

I clenched my fists and walked toward her, one step at a time.

Every gaze in the room landed on me, curious, sizing me up, some openly mocking.

"Who's that? Dressed that shabby, and they let him in?"

"You don't know? That's Miss Pruitt's broke fiancé, Drew Fox. Runs some little company, I think."

"What? How could Miss Pruitt ever go for him? Wasn't she childhood sweethearts with Dean Henson?"

"Come on, she's just passing the time. A poor guy like that can't compare to Dean."

The talk grated in my ears. I ignored it and walked straight up to Christine.

"Christine, Fox Corp's core data. Did you delete it?"

"My mother's still lying in the ICU. Give me a straight answer. Why did you do it?"

Christine put on a wounded look. "Drew, haven't you made enough of a scene?"

"I'm sorry your mother's in the hospital, I really am. But you can't dump the blame on me just because your company can't stay afloat!"

I roared, "The security footage shows it clearly. Yesterday afternoon you went into the CEO's office, and no one but you touched the data drive."

"If it wasn't you, then who?"

Dean stepped forward, putting Christine behind him, looking at me with total contempt. "Drew, I think being broke has driven you out of your mind. You want to use your mother's hospital stay to shake Christine down for a payout, is that it?"

I snapped back, "Dean, you put her up to it, didn't you?"

"You're after this project too. Pull a filthy trick like this and you're not afraid it'll come back on you?"

Dean threw back his head and laughed, arrogant. "In Ashford, the Henson family is God. Even if there's payback coming, it wouldn't dare land on me!"

"Drew, take a good look at yourself. You think you're fit to fight me for a project? You think you're fit to marry Christine?"

The guests around us burst out laughing, pointing at me.

"I said it, didn't I. The poor guy's just here to run a shakedown."

"Right. A man of Dean's standing, why would he ever need to pull tricks?"

"How did Miss Pruitt end up saddled with a fiancé like that? What rotten luck."

Christine looked at me with disgust and gave a cold laugh. "Drew, I was actually trying to save you some face."

"But you had to come make trouble today, so don't blame me for not being kind."

"I got engaged to you because you seemed honest and good to me."

"But your company's about to go under and your mother's in the hospital. What are you going to give me a good life with?"

"I'll be honest with you, I never wanted this engagement anyway. I broke up with you a long time ago!"

My chest was choked tight. Furious, I stepped forward, wanting to grab her and get the truth out of her.

But the moment my hand reached out, Christine screamed and stumbled back several steps, the champagne glass in her hand shattering on the floor.

"Ah! You pushed me!" She clutched her arm, eyes rimmed red, looking terrified.

The whole room went silent in an instant, every gaze nailed on me, full of accusation.

"That's outrageous, he actually got physical!"

"Poor guys really have no class, making trouble at an engagement party and shoving people!"

"Dean, you can't let Christine suffer this!"

Dean's face darkened. He jabbed a finger at me and cursed, "Drew, I've been too generous with you, haven't I?"

"Christine already called off the engagement and you still dare lay a hand on her? I think you're sick of living!"

I stood where I was, watching the flash of triumph in Christine's eyes, and felt cold all over.

So this was how rotten a person's heart could be.