Chapter 3
The guards dragged me onto the stage.
Vanessa looked pleased with herself as she reached out and patted my cheek.
“Ethan’s ex-girlfriend, huh? If you came all the way here, you must love him very much.”
She grinned.
“Come on, Ethan. Let’s kiss in front of your ex.”
Ethan glanced at me with disgust before leaning over and planting an affectionate kiss on Vanessa’s cheek.
Watching them act so intimate, something inside me finally went still.
I swept my cold gaze over the two of them.
“So that’s how it is.”
I smiled faintly.
“Then I wish you both happiness. Goodbye forever.”
Three years of love couldn’t save this relationship.
I wasn’t going to humiliate myself by begging him to stay.
“You little bitch. Did I say you could leave?”
Vanessa grabbed my wrist and laughed mockingly.
“As Ethan’s ex, shouldn’t you give him a proper blessing?”
“Actually, I prepared a special part of the ceremony today.”
She smiled.
“You seem perfect for it. You can hand me the ring, and then Ethan can take the ring from me.”
I laughed.
“What a performance. Are you trying to keep me here?”
Vanessa raised her chin arrogantly.
“You really still don’t understand how powerful I am, do you?”
“I told you, I’m the only one who gets to leave today. You’re staying.”
“Unless I say you can go, you could have all the power in the world and still get nowhere.”
The guards beside her were tall and heavily built.
They stared at me with icy expressions.
The smile on my face grew brighter.
I couldn’t remember the last time someone had dared to threaten me so openly.
I still remembered when a powerful man in the industry had said one disrespectful thing to me in private.
By the next day, he had vanished from the industry.
After that, whenever people discussed me, they instinctively lowered their voices.
Ethan kept hold of Vanessa’s arm.
When he saw me smiling, anger flared in his chest.
He rushed over and swung at me.
“Evelyn, what are you smiling at? Vanessa is talking to you. Don’t you know you’re supposed to look serious?”
I didn’t dodge.
His palm struck my face hard.
“Ethan, consider that slap the final end of everything between us.”
I turned toward Vanessa and smiled.
“I’m willing to leave right now, so don’t make the mistake of pushing me too far.”
“If I decide I don’t want to leave anymore, you could beg everyone in the world and it still wouldn’t help.”
Vanessa’s expression immediately darkened.
“I’ve changed my mind.”
She looked at Ethan.
“Tell me, what punishment does this bitch deserve for disrupting our engagement ceremony?”
Ethan’s gaze became even more disgusted.
“Evelyn, I never thought you could be this shameless.”
“Who do you think you are to talk back to Vanessa? Get on your knees and apologize!”
I didn’t move.
Ethan grabbed Vanessa’s arm and spoke with even greater contempt.
“Evelyn, get down on your knees and do as you’re told.”
“You should be grateful you even got to see Vanessa today. It’s the greatest honor of your life.”
“She’s the law here. Do you really think you can defy her?”
“If you keep resisting, someone like Vanessa only has to snap her fingers, and you’ll be carried out of here.”
Vanessa looked smug.
“Ethan is right. I’m the law here.”
“Even if I had you killed in this building, no one would dare say a word.”
“But I’m not an unreasonable person.”
She pointed at the floor.
“All you have to do is kneel here, bang your head nine hundred and ninety-nine times, and apologize while you do it. Then I might be generous enough to forgive you.”
Ethan clung to her arm and fawned over her.
“Vanessa, you’re so kind. I love you more every day.”
I applauded slowly.
“That’s impressive. One sentence from you, and I’m supposed to kneel and bang my head.”
I tilted my head.
“Are you going to ban me from the entire industry with your next sentence?”
I laughed.
“I’m terrified.”