Chapter 2

Scarlett Sanders' POV

Leaving the Sanders estate, I drove back to the hillside villa where Julian and I used to live together.

As I pushed open the door, traces of our shared life still lingered in the house. Our slippers sat side-by-side at the entryway, matching mugs rested on the table, and even the scent of fir, Julian's signature cologne, seemed to drift through the air.

Without lingering, I walked straight into the bedroom, pulled out two massive suitcases, and began packing my things.

Clothes, jewelry, books... I only took what belonged to me. I didn't touch a single thing that bore any trace of Julian.

As night fell, the villa's front door was suddenly kicked open from the outside.

“Julian, slow down...”

A whiny, delicate voice drifted into the living room, accompanied by the heavy stench of alcohol. Chloe stumbled in, half-draped over a completely wasted Julian.

Hearing the noise, I dragged a packed suitcase out of the bedroom, my cold gaze sweeping over the two tangled figures.

When Chloe saw me, a flash of smugness and provocation flared in her eyes. She deliberately helped Julian lie down on the sofa, then stood up, smoothed her messy hair, and swayed her hips as she swaggered over to me.

“Packing up, Ms. Sanders?” Chloe giggled, covering her mouth, though her eyes were dripping with venom. “Actually, you don't have to leave in such a hurry. Even though Julian loves me, he's not heartless. If you're willing to stay and work as a maid, I wouldn't mind having you around.”

I stared at her blankly, as if looking at a clown. Refusing to entertain such low-class baiting, I grabbed my suitcase and made to leave.

“Stop right there!”

Furious at being ignored, Chloe stepped in front of me to block my path. Then, right before my eyes, she slipped her hand down the collar of her low-cut dress.

After a disgusting bit of groping, Chloe pulled a sparkling diamond ring from the lining of her low-cut dress.

It was the exact engagement ring Julian had placed on my finger when he proposed years ago.

Now, coated in Chloe's sweat and cheap perfume, it emitted a nauseating, decadent stench.

“Recognize this, Ms. Sanders?” Chloe shoved the ring in my face, grinning widely. “Julian said it's a waste to have this worthless ring on your hand. He wants to see me melt it down... to make a nipple piercing out of it. Don't you think Julian is so creative?”

Boom—

My stomach churned violently as a wave of intense, physical nausea instantly overwhelmed me. I shoved Chloe aside, rushed into the adjacent bathroom, and leaned over the sink, dry-heaving violently.

I retched so hard it felt like my chest was tearing apart, as if I were throwing up my very organs alongside my ten years of feelings for Julian.

The commotion outside the bathroom woke Julian on the sofa.

“Scarlett Sanders,” Julian's voice was deep and sinister, carrying his typical air of condescending judgment. “What kind of scene are you throwing now?”

I turned on the faucet, splashed cold water onto my face, and grabbed a paper towel to wipe my mouth. Walking out, I looked at the man sitting on the sofa.

“I'm sorry to inform you, Scarlett,” Julian said, looking at my pale face with a cruel smirk. “You failed to pass my 99th test. This engagement is off.”

A test.

Another test.

I stared at him quietly, his past words echoing in my mind.

Having been abandoned by his biological mother as a child, Julian was deeply traumatized. He trusted no one and believed in no genuine affection. Thus, he had created a twisted rule: he would subject me to 1,000 tests.

If I showed any sign of flinching, dissatisfaction, or anger in any single test, I failed. The punishment for failure was calling off the engagement.

To feed off my unconditional love, he tormented me endlessly, even cheating repeatedly to provoke me with other women. He watched me lose my dignity time and again in public, watching my life turn into a wretched mess because of him.

He probably thought that as long as I could endure it, it meant I would never leave him.

Looking at Julian's smug face, so certain that I would cry, beg, and kneel at his feet to plead for the engagement like before, I suddenly found it incredibly absurd.

I took a deep breath, and my clear, cool voice echoed through the empty living room:

“Fine. I agree to call off the engagement.”