Chapter 7

Warren had already cleared his things out of Clearwater Manor and was not planning to go back.

All he wanted was to get through the next few days quietly with Angelica, but even that was too much to ask.

Someone slammed on the door. He opened it to find several bodyguards, and the blood drained from his face.

"What now?" Warren kept his eyes on them as he gritted his teeth. "I moved out. Isn't that what they wanted? Isn't that enough?"

The first guard spoke. "Ms. Chapman has sent us to invite you to Mr. River's birthday party. You're colleagues and you used to work at the same firm, didn't you? Mr. River has also asked for you specifically."

Warren let out a short laugh. "What if I'm not interested?"

The guard waved the others in, and they grabbed Angelica and held her down, gray hair falling across her face. "She said if you won't come, your mother will do as well."

Warren's eyes burned. "Let her go. I'll come, okay? Just let her go!"

Some invitation. In truth, they took him to the party like a prisoner. He saw the two of them before he had even gone inside.

Rose and Joe were surrounded by guests. There was little left of the awkward man in cheap clothes Warren remembered as he wore a tailored suit and sapphire cufflinks.

With Rose there to guide him, he seemed at home among the wealthy guests. Meanwhile, she would keep on looking over at him as she did not bother to hide her affection. She looked proud of him, proud of what she had made of him.

Warren remembered that look.

For two years, that was how she had looked at him when she had loved him most.

Warren, who had not dressed for the party as he simply attended in his casual outfit, stood out among the crowd. The disgusting comments began as soon as he walked in.

Joe suddenly came over. "Come on, give Warren a break. While we haven't always gotten along, it's all behind us now. Besides, he and Rose ended things on good terms, and she's in love with me now."

He could not hide how pleased he was with himself.

Warren looked at Rose before he could stop himself. She said nothing about the breakup—nothing at all. His eyes were getting red again.

He had planned to be polite and leave after saying a few words.

But Joe leaned in, lowering his voice. "Leaving so soon? You haven't seen the surprise I prepared for you yet."

There was something amiss with his smile, and Warren immediately had a bad feeling about all of this.

Then he heard it the next moment. Embarrassing moaning began to echo in the hall.

The largest screen lit up.

It was Mia and Ozzy!

Warren could not move as the cold spread through his hands and feet.

When he realized what was happening, he quickly lunged forward, desperate to shut it off. The bodyguards were already waiting however, and he could not get past them.

People laughed and whispered around Warren as his head pounded.

"That woman looks so familiar…"

"Are you blind? She looks like that lawyer, Warren."

"Don't tell me that's his sister? Didn't somebody assault her?"

"Does that look like assault to you? Look at her. She's loving it. If she's that promiscuous, I doubt he's much better."

Only when the video was almost finished did Joe pretend to notice and have someone turn it off.