Chapter 4

But it wasn't until I saw him shielding Mia just now, looking at me with pure annoyance, that I finally woke up.

"Chloe!"

Julian squeezed my arm harder, making me wince.

"You know this is a merger. You wouldn't dare call it off!"

One by one, I pried his fingers off my arm. My gaze drifted to the pearl necklace on Mia's neck.

"The Vance family is merging with the Carters. I am not marrying you."

Julian's grip tightened again.

He leaned in close, his voice dripping with a low threat, "Chloe, if you call off this engagement, the Carters will immediately cut off your logistics channels."

He stepped closer, his eyes cold and sharp, fully expecting me to fold like I always did.

But I simply turned my head, ignoring the staring onlookers, and looked him dead in the eye.

"Cut off our logistics? Go ahead. The contract is clear. A breach of contract requires a ten-fold penalty. Are you sure the Carter family can afford that kind of cash right now?"

His eyes widened, clearly shocked by my sudden spine.

The Carters' cash flow issues were an open secret in high society.

Without our supply chain backing them up, they'd have gone under months ago.

His father had practically begged my dad for this alliance.

Julian had assumed I would keep playing the submissive fiancé. Too bad for him.

This time, I was done.

Sensing the shift in the room, Mia immediately turned on her waterworks.

"Chloe, please don't fight with Julian because of me."

She reached out to grab my arm, but I stepped back, letting her hand fall into empty air.

Her eyes welled with tears as she looked up at Julian, her voice trembling.

"Julian, this is all my fault. If I hadn't put on this dress, none of this would have happened. I'll take it off right now. I'll tell everyone it was just a silly mistake. Please, go ahead with the wedding. Don't let me ruin your lives, okay?"

Her words sounded apologetic, but her eyes shot me a smug, silent message: Give up. He'll always choose me.

Sure enough, Julian immediately wrapped his arms around her, whispering softly, "It's not your fault, Mia. She's just being difficult."

Watching their pathetic little show, a wave of pure disgust washed over me.

"Mia," I interrupted, my voice perfectly calm. "Are you done acting? If you were actually sorry, you'd take off my dress and get the hell out of here, instead of fishing for sympathy."

The room gasped.

Mia's expression froze. She never expected me to call her out so bluntly.

Julian immediately stepped in front of her, raising his voice, "Chloe Vance! Who do you think you are, talking to Mia like that?"

I looked at him coldly.

"I am the bride who was supposed to try on her wedding dress today! She stole my gown and left me a sweat-stained rag! Is that not enough? Or..." I paused, letting every word sink in. "Do you think she has more of a right to marry into the Carter family than I do?"

Julian's face completely darkened.

He wrapped his hand tightly around Mia's waist, pulling her flush against him, and let out a harsh laugh.

"Fine! You want to call it off? Mia and I are leaving right now. Enjoy your empty venue! And by the way, I already booked two tickets to the Maldives. I guess I'll just take her on the honeymoon instead."

He spat the word "honeymoon" with deliberate malice, his eyes filled with smug satisfaction.

He was testing me.

He was absolutely certain that jealousy would make me beg him to stay.

He was sure that, like every other time, seeing him close to Mia would break my pride.

But he was dead wrong.

This time, I wasn't playing his childish games anymore.