Chapter 3

"Serena posted pictures of you on her Snapchat."

"You looked so sweet in the photos, but you seem pretty cold in person. Are you shy?"

Looking at the knowing, smirking faces in the room, I realized something.

Serena hadn't even told her friends who I was before bringing me here.

I smiled slightly and looked at them. "Nice to meet you."

"I am Julian Vance, Serena's fiancé."

The room fell dead silent. The man who had his arm around my shoulder froze, his smile completely vanishing.

Fortunately, Serena came back after finishing her call, breaking the awkward silence.

A few people shot her desperate looks, but she was too distracted to notice.

Serena looked worried. She bit her lip and said, "Julian, Ethan was so upset by what you said yesterday. He’s been locked in the practice room all night."

I looked at her coldly, giving her one last chance.

"What does that have to do with you?"

The last bit of her guilt seemed to vanish. She frowned at me. "Julian!"

"You are his teacher, and I am his mentor's fiancée. If you don't care about your own student, can't I show some concern?"

"Do you know they said Ethan practiced all night? His fingers are bleeding!"

"He’s working so hard. Can you stop putting so much pressure on him?"

Serena yelled at me, then sighed. "He only listens to me right now. I need to go check on him. Wait for me here."

Without hesitation, she turned and left.

The classmates in the room finally figured out what was going on.

"Oh, my mistake! I can't believe I got the wrong guy!"

"Maestro Julian, let me buy you a drink to apologize. So, when is the big day..."

"Uh, Mr. Vance?"

I had no reason to stay there anymore.

Serena had just used up her very last chance with me.

On my way out, I called my best friend.

"Are you free tonight? Let's get a drink. I’m celebrating being single again."

After getting engaged to Serena, I had taken my role seriously. I never did anything to make her worry.

But my respect only made her take my kindness for weakness.

Since she couldn't respect our relationship, I wasn't going to force it.

I would gladly let her go.

While I was drinking, my phone kept buzzing with messages from Serena.

Julian Vance! You actually left? Do you have any idea how embarrassing that was for me in front of my classmates?

Why aren't you answering my calls? You’re the one who hurt Ethan's pride, and now you’re throwing a tantrum at me?

I’m only nice to Ethan because he reminds me of how you used to be. Just because you’re famous now doesn't mean you can look down on people who are struggling!

If you don't reply to my messages by tonight, I don't think we need to get married.

I smiled, flipped my phone face down on the table, and kept drinking.

For the next few days, Serena didn't send me a single message.

The day before our planned engagement dinner, our parents started making preparations.

I knew she hadn't told her parents about our fight.

That was fine. It would be easier to settle everything tomorrow when both families were present.

I had drank too much over the last couple of days.

Still slightly hungover, I went back to my penthouse to clean up and get ready.

But the moment I opened the door, the sight before me made me instantly sober.

The living room wasn't messy. The cleaning service had obviously been there.

But I could immediately tell someone had been in my apartment.

I held my breath and walked through the rooms.

The towels in the bathroom had been moved. There were fresh fingerprints on the piano in the living room.

And the sheets on my bed had been washed and changed.

There were still a few stray hairs on the carpet.

Serena's long, blonde curls. Ethan's short, brown hair.

It was obvious.

I smiled. One of them had tried to hide it, while the other had desperately left clues for me to find.

How pathetic.

I looked down at the trash can and saw a used condom. I immediately called my assistant.

"Call the police. Someone broke into my apartment."

...

The engagement dinner was intimate, with only close family members invited.

Serena had arrived early.

When she saw me, she forced a smile and tried to take my arm, acting like we were a happy couple.

Watching her pretend made me feel disgusted.

It was like watching a clown.

I stepped aside, brushing off my suit jacket.

Serena stood there, frozen in embarrassment.

My parents immediately noticed something was off. "What's going on with you two? Did you have a fight?"

"If there’s a misunderstanding, clear it up now. You’re getting married soon."

My mother walked over and patted Serena's hand to comfort her.

Serena looked as if she had found her savior. She complained tearfully, "It was just a small misunderstanding, but he hasn't spoken to me in days."

"I thought he would at least try to behave in front of our parents..."

I let out a cold laugh. "Why should I pretend?"

"Didn't you say you wanted to call off the wedding?"

Serena’s eyes turned red. "I was just angry!"

My parents and her parents started lecturing me.

"Julian, you’re the man. You should be more patient with Serena. What could be so bad?"

"Don't fight over little things. You’re both adults now, you need to be responsible..."

I raised my hand, cutting them off.

"I understand all of that."

"So, Serena, why don't you explain to our parents what you and my student, Ethan, were doing in my apartment last night?"

"And what was that used condom doing in my trash can?"