Theater: NovelMaster | Language: English
Synopsis
Julian’s best friend texted me that Julian was planning to propose to me tonight.
He even told me in secret to dress up and make myself look stunning.
When I showed up in my finest dress at the venue, full of hope, all I found was Julian and his buddies laughing and pointing at me.
"See? I told you she’s desperate! One text and she comes running. You guys didn't believe me!"
"A bet's a bet! Since she showed up, three shots of hard liquor each!"
Julian smirked proudly, tossing back his glass in front of his friends.
"Fiona, I didn't think you’d be this gullible. One little text and you come running like a puppy."
The whole room erupted into roaring laughter.
"Hey Julian, when are you going to marry this loyal little maid of yours?"
Julian shot me a contemptuous look. "Not anytime soon. I haven't had my fun yet."
Much later, when he came over for a family holiday gathering and saw the newlywed husband standing beside me, he froze dead in his tracks.
Tears blurred my vision as I watched Julian cheerfully pour drinks for his so-called brothers. My heart felt like it had been sliced open by a dull blade.
It was torn raw, throbbing with excruciating pain.
Only today did I realize that Julian had never intended to marry me.
To him, I was just a toy to pass the time when he was bored.
Suddenly, one of the guys downed a shot of tequila, wincing at the burn. "Fiona, why are you always so spineless? You’re making all of us suffer through these shots with you!"
"Seriously. Know your place! Did you really think Julian would propose to someone like you? Keep dreaming."
"We thought messing with you a few times would teach you a lesson, but you're still living in a fantasy world."
I wiped the tears from my cheeks, keeping my eyes down, my fingernails digging into my palms.
"Why are you just standing there like a corpse? Come over here and pour our drinks!"
I didn't move. Julian walked up to me, shoving my shoulder. "All my boys are here. Give me some face."
"If you don't behave, you won't like the consequences."
His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried clearly to everyone in the room.
"Come on, Julian, cut your girl some slack! She loves you so much after all! Hahaha..."
The sarcasm dripped from the guy’s voice. Julian kicked him lightly in the shin. "Shut your mouth. She’s not my girl."
In the past, I would have broken down in tears, begging Julian not to treat me like this.
But now, with bloodshot eyes, I walked to the table, picked up an empty shot glass, filled it to the brim, and downed it in one go.
"Since you guys love drinking so much, I'll make sure you drink your fill at my wedding reception."
Julian frowned, then let out a scoff. "Fiona, what kind of nonsense are you spewing? When did I ever say I was marrying you?"
"Don't tell me you actually thought tonight was a real proposal?"
"I already said, it was just a prank. A little fun between the boys."
He snatched the glass from my hand and slammed it onto the floor, shattering it into pieces. "After all these years, have you still not learned your place?"
Even though Julian had said cruel things like this countless times, hearing it again still made my chest tighten until I could barely breathe.
Actually, I had known about his little prank all along.
Three days ago, my mother called, urging me to honor an arranged marriage set up by our grandfathers years ago. I had fought with her fiercely on the phone.
I told her nobody cared about ancient family promises anymore, and that I refused to marry a complete stranger I had never even met.
No matter how much she praised the man, I wouldn't listen.
The call ended terribly.
That night, I walked aimlessly in the freezing wind for hours.
It wasn't until I saw Julian that I snapped back to reality.
He had been hanging out with his friends then, too. "Julian, your old man is dying for a grandson. When are you finally going to settle down with that dirty, desperate woman?"
I knew the "dirty woman" they were talking about was me.
He always did this—letting anyone walk all over me, never defending me, never caring about my feelings.
Julian had frowned. "When did I ever say I was going to marry her?"
"She's just someone to fool around with when I'm bored. Why take it so seriously?"
"You think that way, but Fiona doesn't. Anyone can see she's crazy about you."
"Just because she likes me means I have to lower myself to marry her?"
Hearing those words that night had rooted me to the spot. It felt as if my whole world had been shattered into dust.
In Julian's eyes, marrying me was "lowering himself."
The love I had held onto for five years was nothing more than a pathetic joke.
"What about Rachel, then?" one of his friends asked.
Julian’s face instantly darkened, and he snapped, "Fiona doesn't even deserve to be mentioned in the same breath as Rachel."
Rachel was his childhood sweetheart.
The pure, untouchable girl of his dreams.
In Julian’s heart, no one could ever compare to Rachel.
In that very moment, I finally understood. Love isn't something where loyalty and sacrifice earn you equal devotion in return.
Sometimes, you don't even get basic human respect.
He knew how deeply I loved him, yet he used my love as a weapon to hurt me without mercy.
When I got home that night, I called my mother right back.
"Mom, I agree to the marriage. Set up a date for us to meet."
Five years of devotion. It was time to put an end to it."Julian, I already know my place. I don't want to marry you anymore. My wedding is in three days. Be sure to come for a drink."
With that, I pulled an invitation from my bag and dropped it onto the table.
He chuckled arrogantly. "Fiona, you really will stoop to anything just to force me into marriage, won't you? You think pulling a cheap stunt like this is going to fool me?"
"You're obsessed with me. Do you really expect me to believe this?"
Looking at his smug, confident face—so sure that I would never stop loving him—a wave of bitter cold washed over me.
The Julian who once drove fifty miles in the middle of the night just to light up the city skyline with fireworks for my birthday was gone. He had vanished into thin air along with those fleeting sparks.
I stayed silent.
There was truly nothing left to say between us.
The room fell dead silent.
Suddenly, a sweet, high-pitched voice chimed in from behind him. "Julian! I knew you'd be here!"
Everyone turned around. The moment Julian saw Rachel, his eyes lit up.
Rachel's gaze landed on the invitation on the table. "Were you guys talking about marriage? Julian, are you and Fiona getting married?"
"Rachel, don't be silly. If I were getting married, you'd be the first to know."
Julian took Rachel's hand and patted her head affectionately, completely ignoring me, his actual girlfriend.
"How could that be? Even if you did, Fiona would definitely be the first to know, not me."
"Hey, Rachel, that's not true," one of Julian's friends spoke up, picking up the invitation. "Fiona claims this invitation belongs to her. She says she's getting married in three days, but none of us knew anything about it."
"Fiona, you're getting married?" Rachel put on a delicate, concerned expression. "I mean, as Julian’s friend, I should congratulate you. But you're still Julian's girlfriend. Isn't this totally humiliating for him? If word gets out, how is Julian supposed to show his face?"
In the past, I would have immediately defended myself, terrified Julian would think I betrayed him. But now, all I felt was relief. Relief that I had seen through him before making the mistake of a lifetime.
I looked at Rachel with icy eyes. "Does he even care about his dignity?"
"Everyone in our circle knows he has a girlfriend, yet he’s always flirting and tangled up with another woman. You want me to give him face? Did he ever give himself any?"
Rachel’s expression froze, her face draining of color.
The room became so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
It was an unknown number.
Looking at the last few digits, I recognized it as the number my mother had sent me for my arranged fiancé.
My heart skipped a beat.
Taking a deep breath, I answered. "Okay. I'll head over to City Hall right now."
The moment I hung up, the room burst into mock applause and laughter. "Fiona, wow, you're really committed to the act! Tell us, how much did you pay that fake caller?"
"I'm not joking with you. You have the invitation. Whether it's fake or not, you'll see in three days."
Julian still didn't buy it. He picked up the invitation, inspecting it closely. "Pretty realistic. Looks just like the real deal."
Just then, his buddy pointed at the card. "Julian, look! The venue on the invitation... isn't that your family's property?"
"The Crescent Hotel! It really is!"
"With her background, how could she ever afford to book The Crescent Hotel without you?"
"Julian, she's trying so hard to get us to show up. Don't tell me she's planning to trap you there and force you into a wedding in front of everyone's parents!"
Julian's brows furrowed, his face darkening with disgust. "Fiona, if you're going to fake something, at least use your brain. Booking my family's luxury hotel and dropping a blank invitation to lure me there? Do you think I'm an idiot?"
"Let me tell you, the more desperate you act, the more disgusted I feel. I would never marry someone like you just to make myself sick."
Rachel chimed in softly, playing the innocent victim. "Fiona, you can't rush these things. If I made you feel insecure and pushed you to do something so extreme just to marry Julian, then I apologize. Please don't pressure him. I promise I'll keep my distance from him from now on."
"Rachel, this has nothing to do with you," Julian cut her off firmly. "She's just throwing a tantrum. You don't need to apologize to someone like her.""Rachel, you're just too sweet. You always blame yourself for other people's mistakes."
"I just grew up with Julian. I can't stand by and watch him be forced into something he doesn't want," Rachel said, batting her innocent, wide eyes.
I couldn't even count how many times she had pulled this stunt between Julian and me.
Every single time, she played the supportive, selfless angel, painting me as the unreasonable, crazy girlfriend.
"The venue was chosen by my fiancé," I said calmly. "And as far as I know, that hotel belongs to the Vance family estate, not to you personally, Julian."
"Fiona, stop making excuses!" Julian snapped. "If you really have a fiancé, call him over right now. Let me see him."
"As your official boyfriend, I'd love to see how bold this side piece really is."
I clenched my jaw. "You're not my boyfriend anymore."
"What did you say?"
I dug my nails into my palms and enunciated every single word. "I said, we're over. You are not my boyfriend."
Julian stormed over, gripping my wrist with bruising force.
"Fiona, say that again."
"I said, we are broken up!"
Julian shoved my hand away with a cold, mocking laugh. "Fiona, you're the first person who’s ever had the guts to dump me."
"Do you have any idea what happens to people who cross me? You can't afford the consequences!"
"I heard you moved your parents into the city recently. How about this? Kneel down in front of everyone here, apologize, take back what you just said, and I'll pretend nothing happened. You can stay by my side as my little pet. How does that sound?"
"Hurry up! What are you waiting for? Julian never gives second chances!"
His friends joined in, laughing and egging him on. "Fiona, you really don't know how lucky you are. If I were you, I’d be on my knees begging for Julian’s mercy already. What are you hesitating for? Once Julian loses his temper, you're finished!"
"In this city, where else are you going to find a billionaire heir who treats you this well?"
They cheered and mocked me, while Rachel stood by, her face turning pale and uneasy.
"What? Too scared to make the call? Realized your fake fiancé doesn't exist?"
I lowered my eyes. Their cruel words hit me like a bucket of ice water, chilling me to the bone.
My fiancé was waiting for me at City Hall to sign the marriage license. Calling him over here just to prove to my toxic ex that we were getting married would be utterly absurd.
Besides, we barely knew each other.
Everything I knew about him came from my mother's brief descriptions.
He was supposedly a top corporate executive, insanely busy, his schedule booked down to the second.
I had zero confidence that a man like that would drop everything just for a random phone call.
I stood frozen, trapped in an impossible corner.
"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?"
Julian's smirk grew wider, convinced that my marriage was a lie and that I had no one.
He snapped his fingers.
Two of his friends immediately stepped behind me, slamming their heavy hands onto my shoulders to force me to my knees.
I struggled, refusing to give in.
One of them kicked the back of my leg hard.
A sharp, searing pain shot up my calf, forcing me onto one knee. Tears instantly welled in my eyes.
"Fiona, Julian is being generous! When he tells you to kneel, you kneel! Stop wasting our time!"
His friends shoved me ruthlessly, while Julian stood beside Rachel, his arm casually draped over her shoulder, enjoying the show.
He was waiting for me to break.
After five years together, he was used to my total obedience. A spoiled, arrogant young master like him could never stomach a woman defying his will.
"You've still got one leg up! Are you going to kneel yourself, or do I need to kick you down again?"
I bit my lip and said nothing. Just as I braced myself for another violent kick, my feet suddenly left the floor.
A pair of strong arms scooped me up, and my face crashed into a firm, warm chest.
I let out a startled gasp. A deep, commanding voice rumbled from above. "Sorry I'm late."
Before I could even see his face, Julian froze in absolute terror, his voice trembling violently.
"D-Dominic... Cousin Dominic?" [Paywall Node]Hearing that, I slowly lifted my head. When I saw the sharp, strikingly handsome face that matched the photo my mother had sent me, I froze.
My ex-boyfriend just called my fiancé... cousin?
My cheek, still pressed against the man's chest, suddenly burned with heat.
"Today is the day Fiona and I register our marriage," Dominic said, his voice cold and commanding. "In three days, you're all welcome to join us for a drink at The Crescent Hotel."
Julian stared in sheer disbelief. Just as Dominic turned to carry me away, Julian lunged forward, blocking our path.
"Cousin! When did you decide to get married? My mom never told me about this!"
"Do you have any idea that the woman in your arms is my girlfriend?!"
Julian's voice was frantic and furious. But I could tell that, compared to his usual vindictive arrogance, he was holding back significantly.
"Since when do I need permission from a junior like you to decide when or whom I marry?" Dominic replied coldly.
"Even your mother has no say in my affairs. What, does a branch family think they can dictate the head of the Vance family?"
Dominic's aura was suffocatingly powerful. Two short sentences left Julian too terrified to even breathe properly.
"C-Cousin, that's not what I meant," Julian stammered.
"It's just... do you even know who she is? She's been with me for five years! For five years, she obeyed my every command just because she wanted my money! The second she got her claws into you, she dumped me. A gold digger like her doesn't deserve to step foot into the Vance family!"
Seeing that he couldn't stop Dominic physically, Julian turned to character assassination.
I wasn't angry hearing his accusations. After all, the five years were real, and my past obedience was real.
I was just heartbroken that all the sincere love I gave him had been reduced to the crime of being a gold digger.
"Julian Vance!" Dominic's tone dropped to freezing point.
"From this day on, she is your elder. Watch your mouth and remember your place."
"How are you going to explain this to the family?" Julian yelled angrily. "Even if the family approves, taking your younger cousin's leftovers... won't that ruin your reputation?"
I gripped Dominic's lapel tightly. Julian's endless harassment had drained the last ounce of my patience.
"Put me down, please," I whispered. "I want to handle this myself."
Dominic paused for a moment, then gently set me down, only letting go once he made sure I was steady on my feet.
The very second his hands left my waist, I raised my arm and slapped Julian across the face with all the strength I had left.
Smack!
Julian stared at me, eyes wide with shock. "Fiona, you dare hit me?"
"You would never have done this to me before!"
"Before, I loved you. Now, I don't."
"Say that again!" Julian grabbed my wrist tightly. For the first time in five years, I saw genuine panic in his eyes.
He clearly loved Rachel. Hearing me say I didn't love him and was leaving should have made him happy.
I couldn't fathom why he was acting so furious.
I didn't answer. I reached for Dominic's hand, ready to walk away.
"Fiona, you better think carefully!" Julian yelled behind me. "Don't ruin the rest of your life just because you're throwing a tantrum!"
I let out a bitter laugh. In the past, I would have done anything to stay by Julian's side.
But I had held on for too long—so long that the mere thought of being with him made me sick.
I cleared my throat and looked him dead in the eye. "In the five years I spent with you, my mind has never been clearer than it is right now."
"Julian, we should have ended this a long time ago."
Chapters (4)
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Watch & Promotions
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