Chapter 3

The others quickly picked up on Tara’s words, mocking me one after another.

“Tara’s right. Everyone in our circle knows Mr. Shaw didn’t marry until he was thirty-five. He was waiting for his true love.

“After finally marrying her, he held a seven-day wedding celebration in France. I heard even a princess from the royal family attended.”

“Too bad Rowan was busy then and couldn’t go abroad.”

“Linette, did five years overseas mess with your head? You’re even pretending to be Mr. Shaw’s wife now?”

They kept talking over one another, rolling their eyes so hard that it looked like they might get stuck.

I said nothing, but the memory of that grand wedding made something in my chest stir.

If it were not for that ceremony, I would not have believed Logan had actually waited seven years for me.

Tara mistook my silence for guilt and grew even more smug.

“See this watch on my wrist?

“Last Valentine’s Day, Rowan’s uncle had a custom diamond watch made in Switzerland. It’s one of a kind in the world.

“The diamonds alone were worth $40 million.

“What I’m wearing is just a replica. It’s not that expensive. It only costs about $3 million!”

Her triumphant smile had just formed when someone suddenly shoved her, pointed at my wrist, and gasped, “Tara, Linette’s watch… Isn’t it the same as yours?”

Everyone suddenly fell silent.

Rowan was the first to step forward. He grabbed my wrist and studied it closely.

Three seconds later, he scoffed in relief.

“The diamonds are too bright. They’re obviously lab-grown and worthless.”

He gave everyone a faint smirk.

“Linette, which security guard gave you this? You’re even showing off trash like this?”

I pulled my hand away and carefully wiped the watch face.

This was the gift Logan gave me the day I found out I was pregnant. I would not let them dirty it.

Rowan noticed how much I cared and suddenly snapped. He grabbed my hand and slammed it against the wall.

The watch face shattered on impact.

Tara clapped a hand over her chest and smiled brightly at the broken glass.

“See? Fake things break so easily.

“Honestly, I almost believed for a second that you were that legendary Mrs. Shaw.

“That scared me to death.”

Watching her exaggerated performance, the crowd finally could not hold it in and burst out laughing.

Even though none of them had ever seen Logan, they all knew one thing for certain.

He was the most powerful man in the Shaw family in the past thirty years—the absolute peak of privilege and power.

Even if he lost his mind, he would never get involved with his nephew’s fiancée, let alone spoil her like he was the apple of her eye.

It was impossible.

Rowan was not laughing. He stared at my ruined watch, and his expression turned cold.

“Linette, be sensible. Don’t wear that anymore. I’ll buy you a better one.

“Just throw it away.”

I found it amusing. Who was he to order me around?

“No way. My husband gave this to me. His name is Lo…”

Slap!

The sound cut through the air.

Pain burned across my face, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

I froze for a moment. Rowan stared at me, trembling with rage.

“Linette, you’re insane!”

…

Rowan locked eyes with me. His emotions jumped between rage and fear.

“Do you even know who Logan is? Yes, he’s my uncle, but I’m nothing in his eyes.

“If rumors like this reach his wife, it won’t just be you. I'll be finished too!

“Linette, are you trying to kill me?”

The others finally caught on and turned to glare at me.

“I knew she had bad intentions! She left in a huff five years ago, and now, she’s back to take revenge on Rowan! Damn! And to think Rowan was out here, looking all over for you. You ungrateful snake!”