Chapter 2

That evening, as the birthday banquet officially began, Sebastian and Violet were nowhere to be seen. It wasn't until near the end of the event, when only close friends and a few business associates remained, that the two finally made their appearance.

Violet had changed into a different outfit. Her face was flushed and her lips were slightly swollen. Meanwhile, Sebastian looked smugly satisfied, his partially unbuttoned shirt revealing faint red marks beneath.

Everyone could tell at a glance what had transpired between them. Guests exchanged knowing looks as their eyes shifted between the pair and me, while my close friends could only shake their heads in silent disapproval.

In my previous life, I would've charged forward and beaten Sebastian senseless. But now, I simply picked up a cup of tea from the table and took a sip.

Violet protectively stepped in front of Sebastian, bracing herself for my outburst. When she saw me completely ignore them both, she frowned with obvious displeasure.

Sebastian pulled Violet closer and began kissing her openly, as if no one else existed. Violet didn't resist, even settling onto his lap.

If the two of them wanted to degrade themselves, what concern was it of mine?

But one of my friends reached his limit. He yanked Violet and Sebastian apart. "Sebastian, Violet is practically Nathan's fiancee! Do you have no shame at all?"

Before Sebastian could respond, Violet exploded. "What the hell, Henry? I recall your family has several projects funded by Sterling Group, no? What gives you the right to lecture me? Nathan hasn't even said a word, so what makes you think you're in any position to scold me?"

"Violet, watch your tongue." Henry Sinclair had always been a true friend to me, and I would never allow her to insult him.

"Mr. Sterling Senior hasn't retired yet, so what makes you so certain that I'd choose you and that you'd receive that 20% stake?"

At my words, Violet froze, then burst into laughter.

"Are you throwing a tantrum?" she said between laughs. "Setting aside the fact that everyone in our circle knows you're devoted to me and refuse to marry anyone else...

"Just look at the other daughters of the Sterling family. The second married abroad, the third locked herself away to create her so-called art, and the fourth is even more pathetic—she's currently in prison. Unless you want to join her there?"

As if remembering something, Violet continued, "Whatever the reason, Nathan, I hope you understand that the grudges of the previous generation should remain in the past. No matter how petty you are about it, your mother isn't coming back to life.

"It's better for everyone if we just move on. Sebastian is innocent in all this."

Innocent? I laughed.

When Mom was pregnant, Sebastian's mother came to our house with him in tow, causing a scene. She insisted that Dad had forced himself on her and then abandoned her, aggressively accusing Mom of being the other woman.

During the confrontation, she pushed Mom down the stairs, killing both Mom and my unborn sibling. Only later did we discover that Sebastian and his mother weren't even Dad's illegitimate family. Sebastian was the child of my late uncle, a notorious playboy who had died young. Despite the truth, he always posed as my younger brother in public.

The true identity of Sebastian's mother was nothing more than a bar hostess. Mom and my unborn brother were the truly innocent ones.

Lost in these painful memories, I fell silent. Violet, mistaking my silence for agreement, said cheerfully, "Oh, that's right! Today is your birthday."

With that, she casually removed one of her earrings and tossed it at me. "Here, this is your present."

Seeing that, Sebastian immediately chimed in, "Vivi, do you think Nate will actually like it? He won't blame me for taking away his original gift, will he?"

As he spoke, he loosened the brand-new tie around his collar. Violet reassured him, saying, "Don't worry. He doesn't like anything except my hand-me-downs. Besides, what do you mean by 'his original gift'? If I gave it to you, then it's yours."

They both snickered mockingly. The earring struck my face hard, its sharp edge cutting a bloody line across my skin. The whole situation was tiresome.

In my previous life, I had indeed loved collecting Violet's used belongings. I treasured the hair clip she wore when we first met, the necklace from our wedding day, and the watch she wore at the succession announcement. I had asked for them all, storing each piece in elegant boxes as treasured mementos of our relationship.

She had mocked me then too, calling them worthless junk that she would throw away after only wearing them once. She said only I would treat such things like treasures.

Objects became precious when we invested them with emotion. Since she didn't love me, she naturally couldn't understand. I sighed and picked up the earring that had fallen from my face, casually tossing it into a nearby trash can.

"Trash belongs where trash goes."

Seeing that, Violet flew into a rage. "Alright, fine! Nathan, don't expect our engagement to go as planned!"