Chapter 1

When Declan brought up his wild mushroom food poisoning at the party and turned it into a lighthearted joke, all his friends laughed along.

I couldn’t bring myself to smile.

I sat silently in the corner, keeping my head down as I ate, trying my best to suppress the swell of discomfort inside me.

“Vivian, why aren’t you saying anything?”

Sabrina Hollowell looked at me with a smile, though blatant malice glinted in her eyes.

She was Brielle’s best friend and Tristan Lockwood’s girlfriend.

“You’re not actually having a meltdown, are you?”

Bursts of laughter erupted across the private room.

With Sabrina and Tristan leading the charge, more people chimed in.

“If you ask me, you’re the lucky one.”

“Declan might still have Brielle in his heart, but isn’t he still going to marry you anyway?”

They tossed remarks back and forth, building on each other’s words. Without having said a single word, I had already been put on trial and found guilty.

I turned my head to look at Declan. He was sipping his coffee in silence, his eyes hazy and unfocused as if looking off into nowhere. It was as though the noise and commotion in the room had nothing to do with him.

Seeing him like this, I knew he wouldn’t stand up for me this time either.

“Sabrina, as far as I know, you aren’t Tristan’s first girlfriend either,” I said. “And if Brielle is really as wonderful as you say, why did she run off without a trace the moment Declan hit rock bottom?”

My words clearly struck a raw nerve.

Sabrina leaped to her feet, pointing an accusing finger at me. “Don’t think that tying Declan down makes you better than Brielle! You don’t even compare.

“If Brielle hadn’t gone abroad, a knock-off like you wouldn’t even have stood a chance!”

The sharp, shattering sound of a glass slamming onto the floor echoed through the private dining room.

Declan, who had looked distant and aloof just a moment ago, was now radiating pure hostility.

Seeing his anger, everyone instantly shut their mouths, barely daring to breathe.

Before I could react, Declan’s large hand clamped tightly around my throat.

“Apologize, Vivian. You don’t deserve to speak Brielle’s name.”

I met his gaze, enunciating every word. “I won’t! I did nothing wrong.”

“Fine. Good. Very good,” Declan sneered. “I’ve been way too soft on you.”

His grip tightened violently.

The air in my lungs began to thin out rapidly.

The crowd watched on with amused, mocking expressions.

It was only when I was on the brink of suffocating that someone finally spoke up to persuade him. “Declan, let go. She isn’t worth saving, but going to prison over someone like her isn’t worth it.”

Declan didn’t listen at all. Brielle was his soft spot—touching her name was strictly off-limits.

The force in his hands didn’t weaken in the slightest.

Realizing they couldn’t talk him down, the others stepped forward to pry his fingers off.

“Your baby is calling! Declan, hurry up and answer!”

Brielle’s voice shattered the silence.

It was her custom ringtone. Even though they had been broken up for eight years, he still couldn’t bring himself to change it.

Declan released his grip, letting me collapse onto the floor after losing all support.

He answered the call instantly.

When it came to Brielle, he wouldn’t keep her waiting for a single second.

On the other end of the line, Brielle’s voice rang out as bright and cheerful as summer sunshine. “Declan, I’m back in the country! Come pick me up.”

In an instant, the heavy, suffocating atmosphere transformed into pure excitement.

Everyone in the room was buzzing with energy.

A second later, the crowd filed out of the room one after another, leaving only Sabrina standing over me, looking down arrogantly.

The sensation of suffocating had been unbearable, and I was still greedily gasping for fresh air.

“Weren’t you acting all tough just a moment ago?” Sabrina scoffed, a smug grin plastered across her face. “Now that Brielle is back, just sit back and watch every bit of the happiness you stole slip right out of your hands.”

She laughed triumphantly, her heart full of satisfaction at the sight of my total defeat.