Chapter 3
Connor sneered with disdain, as if he’d heard the funniest joke ever.
“You’ve chased after me since you were a kid. Every birthday wish was to
marry me at 20.
“Now that you’re finally 20, are you willing to marry someone else?”
Nina leaned into his arms, a teasing tone in her voice. “Not necessarily. With the Jennings family’s status, every rich heir in the country is dying to marry her.‘
“Even if the whole world lined up to propose, she’d still only want to be my wife.”
Then, they turned and walked away.
Just before walking out the door, Connor turned back and reminded the craftsman, “Have the dress delivered to my place once it’s altered. And those tacky cufflinks, make them square. No engravings.”
The craftsman watched him leave and sighed helplessly.
“Ms. Jennings, look at that…”
“If she wants it, give it to her. I’ll just design a new set from scratch,” I said, sitting down to keep sketching. “Ignore him about the cufflinks. He’s not my fiancé. He doesn’t get a say.”
That evening, I had a friend’s birthday to attend.
Halfway through the birthday party, Nina finally showed up, followed by Connor’s bodyguards.
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Chapter 3
The bodyguard dropped a red plastic bag at my feet.
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“Ms. Jennings, you must’ve been dying to get this back. I was going to return the dress after the concert, but Connor insisted we stay in the car a little longer…”
She smirked. “But Ms. Jennings, you’re known for being gracious, so you won’t mind, right?”
I looked down. The half–million–dollar dress was crumpled like a rag, tossed carelessly inside the plastic bag.
The white, murky liquid stood out starkly against the red fabric.
The people around me had mixed reactions—some were upset on my behalf, others clearly enjoying the drama.
“She’s been provoked right to her face and still stays calm. Guess she’s really head over heels for Connor.”
“So, what if she is? Mr. Wright only loves Nina.”
“The Jennings family’s heiress throwing herself at him like this? At this rate, their whole company might as well belong to the Wright family.”
I turned away, not wanting to look. I simply waved someone over to take it away and throw it out.
“If Ms. Scott’s happy, that’s great.”
My indifferent tone made Nina’s little show fall flat, like a punch landing on cotton. Frustrated, she clenched her fists and stormed off to the last table–her designated seat.
Not long after, her Twitter account with millions of followers shot to the trending list.
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17 253 usher
“A beautiful day is wearing a well–fitting dress, holding your loved one’s hand, and listening to your favorite concert.”
The attached photo showed her and Connor holding hands, locked in a passionate kiss.
In no time, gossip accounts dug up my old post where I confessed to Connor, pairing it side by side with Nina’s, publicly shaming me.
In the most viral comparison video, Connor gave it a like.
That sent the internet into a frenzy. Someone even turned “Stella throwing herself at him” into a meme.
I deleted my account coldly and sent a message to the company’s PR team.
Within ten minutes, every related post was wiped clean.
The day before the engagement party.
I went to the office early to handle some business, only to be forcibly taken to the Wright’s villa by their bodyguards.
As soon as I walked in, I saw Nina sobbing on the couch, tears streaming
down her face.
Connor sat beside her, gently comforting her until he saw me. His expression turned cold in an instant.
“Stella, this is too much. All Nina did was post on Twitter, and you had all her social media accounts blocked? You know her career depends on social media. You’ve basically ruined her!”
I frowned, confused. “I only asked them to remove posts about me. I didn’t do anything else.”
“Still lying? Who else but you could pull that off? You’re just jealous of
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her!”
“It wasn’t me-”
Just as I opened my mouth to argue, a mocking voice drifted down the stairs.
“Already going against your husband before the wedding? Is this how the Jennings family raises their daughters?”
Leah Wright, Connor’s mom, took a seat across from me with an arrogant Jook.
Bob Wright, Connor’s dad, who had once bowed respectfully to me not long ago, now sat with his legs crossed, smug and relaxed.
“Stella, we’ve never been fond of spoiled rich girls like you. But since we heard you’re so determined to marry our son, we’ve decided to respect your choice.
“But we have one condition. Your family’s engagement gift must be more than 50% of your total assets.”
I scoffed and shook my head, ready to refuse.
But suddenly, a bodyguard behind me punched the back of my knee. Pain shot up my leg, and I gasped as I collapsed to the floor.
Leah waved her hand, and a maid brought over a tray of tea.
“You’re going to be my daughter–in–law sooner or later. Having you serve me tea early isn’t too much to ask, is it?”
