Chapter 1

I silently took a step back and swirled the wine in my glass. I smiled and asked, "I think you're proposing to the wrong person, Ms. Monroe. Shouldn't you be proposing to Matthew instead?"

"I had a feeling you were still jealous because of Matthew," Sabrina Monroe said, her expression twisting slightly. "It's been three years. Don't tell me that you're still angry. I already told you a million times that—"

"That you only treat Matthew as if he were your younger brother, yes? There's nothing going on between the two of you," I said calmly, finishing Sabrina's sentence for her.

I had heard the same excuse from Sabrina hundreds of times. She would tell me this every time she abandoned me, her actual boyfriend, to go to Matthew Dawson's side, the man whom she apparently only saw as her younger brother.

Sabrina was momentarily stunned by my retort. She softened her voice and said, "I admit that it's my fault for standing you up three years ago. But I did send you a message to explain the situation, didn't I?

"Matthew was very ill and needed someone to take care of him. I was worried that he would get too emotional if he found out that we were getting married. I didn't expect you to throw a tantrum and leave the country the next day without so much as a word to me. You made me wait for you for three years.

"Fortunately, you still came back for me. Marry me and stay here. We can spend the rest of our days together."

I nearly burst out laughing when I took in her self-righteous expression.

"When did I ever say that I came back for you?" I asked lightly, making sure to keep my tone distant. "I won't marry you."

Sabrina was once again stunned by my words. She stared at me in disbelief before a hint of certainty flickered in her eyes. It was obvious that she didn't believe me.

"You're still angry, aren't you?" Sabrina asked.

She rose to her feet and tried to take my hand, but I easily dodged out of the way.

Our friends tried to convince me on her behalf.

"Why don't you forgive her, Colin? She had her reasons for standing you up three years ago."

"He's right. Sabrina has been waiting for you for the last three years."

"She specially prepared this proposal for you when she heard that you were coming back."

A confident smile stretched across Sabrina's lips when she realized that our friends were on her side. She grabbed my hand and tried to slip the ring onto my finger.

My lips curled up into a frosty smile before I knocked the ring away.

The ring fell on the floor and rolled away, but my eyes were trained on the red roses that Sabrina was cradling.

"I like white roses, Sabrina," I said, ruthlessly exposing her. "The person who likes red roses has always been Matthew."

The air froze the moment the words left my lips. Silence descended upon the room.

Just then, a familiar voice resounded from behind me.

"I'm begging you, Colin. Please forgive Sabrina!"

Matthew walked over to us and picked up the ring. He turned and looked at Sabrina with teary eyes, saying, "It's all my fault. The two of you wouldn't have been apart for many years if it weren't for me. I should have just died three years ago if I knew I was going to cause so much trouble."

He started coughing violently, his complexion turning pallid.

Sabrina immediately forgot that she was angry with me. She looked utterly heartbroken as she supported Matthew and asked, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to rest at home?"

I sighed as I watched Sabrina dote on Matthew.

If I had known that the welcoming party would end up like this, I would have skipped it altogether.

I nodded at the other guests and said, "I just returned to the country. I'm still suffering from jet lag, so I'll be taking my leave now. Let's meet again another time."

Sabrina tried to stop me when I turned around to leave.

I ignored her and exited the room, leaving the hotel without sparing a single glance at her.