Chapter 2

Juliet's expression stiffened. She looked me up and down before letting out a mocking laugh. "You're not a server? Then who are you? And you think you can just cancel the engagement party? What, we're all supposed to listen to you?"

She rolled her eyes at me. Then, as if something had suddenly clicked, she raised her voice. "I get it now! You're here to seduce my brother!"

Her hands curled into fists as she gave me another furious once-over. "Of course. Why else would you get all dressed up if you weren't here to attract a man? Too bad you're late. He's getting engaged to someone else today, not some desperate woman throwing herself at him!"

I glanced down at my black outfit.

Dressed up?

"You might not be a server, but you still snuck into the ballroom. You came here on the day of his engagement because you wanted to make a scene and get him to notice you, didn't you?

"Have you no shame? This is his engagement party, and you actually came here to seduce him? How could you do something like that?"

The more she spoke, the more worked up she became. Then, without warning, she raised her hand.

I stepped back, but her fingernails still caught my cheek, leaving three red marks across my skin.

"I'm telling you, I'm the only woman who belongs by my brother's side! So what if he has to marry that Moretti woman for the sake of the family? I'm the only one he's ever cared about!

"Neither you nor that woman he's supposed to marry is taking him away from me. Someone like you isn't even worthy of trying!"

She was practically screaming now, her expression wild with rage.

The guests watching nearby leaned toward one another, whispering under their breath.

"She actually tried to seduce Dante? Does she have a death wish? Everyone knows how much he dotes on Juliet."

"Exactly. The marriage is obviously just a formality. Juliet is the only woman he really cares about."

"Even Juliet couldn't get him to marry her, and this woman thinks she has a chance? She seriously doesn't know her place."

Hearing the whispers around her only made Juliet more smug.

She glanced around until her eyes landed on the bodyguards nearby. "You! What are you waiting for? Throw this woman out! She came here to seduce my brother, and I'm going to make sure she learns her lesson today!"

At her command, several bodyguards exchanged glances before closing in around me.

My expression changed instantly, and I instinctively stepped back. "What do you think you're doing? I already told you, I'm not a server!"

"Maybe not, but you still came here to seduce my brother!"

Juliet cut me off with a shriek, her expression turning even uglier. "What are you waiting for? Strip her and throw her out!"

My eyes widened. In all my life, no one had ever dared to treat me like this. She had a death wish.

I'd had enough. I clenched my fist and drove it straight into the bodyguard in front of me.

"Ah!" He cried out in pain and went sprawling onto his back.

The others froze in shock. They exchanged uneasy looks, and for a moment, not one of them dared come any closer.

I seized the opportunity and rushed straight toward Juliet, raising my hand and slapping her hard across the face.

Juliet stumbled and fell awkwardly to the floor. She stared up at me with wide eyes, utterly stunned, as if she couldn't believe I'd actually hit her.

I took two steps toward her and looked down at her, my voice ice-cold. "That was for the slap you gave me earlier. Juliet Kane, this engagement party is over. And as for what you and your family have done…"

"What is going on here?" Before I could finish, an angry shout thundered from behind me.