CHAPTER 3

The screen shows Chloe pushing Violet before she missed her own step and fell.

The crowds who sided with them now turns against Chloe and her parents. "Look at her! She's just a cheap slut, stealing her own sister's lover!" a guest yells out in disgust. Stepmother stammers nervously, "No, you don't understand! Violet must have provoked Chloe first! My daughter is innocent!"

"Are you two completely blind?" Soren asks, his voice cutting through the room like ice. "Or do you need my men to open your eyes so you can see the video clearly?" The parents shiver in fear when they see the bodyguards crack their knuckles, waiting for Soren's order.

Chloe gulps in fright and lies, "It's fake! The footage was tampered with! Violet altered it!"

"Were you born completely foolish?" Soren asks with a devilish smile. "Did you not see that the footage was taken directly from the secure control unit in real-time?" Chloe staggers back in fear on seeing Soren's terrifying gaze.

She then runs over to Derek, holds him innocently. "Derek, please believe me!" Chloe cries, clutching his arm tightly. "Violet provoked me on purpose! She forced me to push her!" She cries, expecting sympathy from him. But Derek is now overwhelmed with shame. "Get away from me!" Derek barks, aggressively shoving her off. Chloe staggers and falls to the ground. Her parents rushes over to help her up, yelling at Derek for his action. "How dare you lay your hands on our daughter, Derek!" the stepmother screams.

Derek turns to look at Violet and meets her cold gaze. Violet recalls the look in his eyes when he left her to die in the water. She wants him to pay. Derek goes on his knees and apologizes to Soren. "Mr. Ashwood, I am so sorry!" He begs, his voice trembling. "Please forgive me for choosing the wrong side! I was deceived!"

Soren scoffs coldly and orders him, "Apologize to the one who actually deserves it." Derek's face turn pale with shame. Violet can see he's too proud and embarrassed to lower his head at her feet. But for the sake of his business, Derek lowers his head at Violet. "Violet... please," Derek stammers, forcing a fake smile as he looks up at her. "Don't take what I said to heart. I know you'll put everything behind you in seconds and forgive me, because I know how deeply you love me."

But Violet shocks Derek by tossing his ring at his face, ending their relationship permanently. "You are pathetic," Violet says coldly as the diamond hits his cheek. Her parents roar at her and refuse to let her end it. "You can't end this engagement, Violet!" her father roars. "Think of our business!" "You already cut ties with me tonight," Violet reminds them firmly. "I am breaking all ties with you permanently. And I am taking everything that belongs to me, including the shares under my name." The shares her late mother placed in her name. The same shares that's been helping her ungrateful family's business for years.

"Those shares belong to me!" Chloe yells out, stamping her foot.

"Repeat those words one more time," Soren dares her coldly, stepping forward, "and see exactly what I do to you." Chloe angrily cries and yells, "Derek! Do something! Don't let her take our shares!"

Derek is afraid of Soren but still speaks to Violet, trying to sound bold. "Violet, you're completely overreacting here."

"Shut up, you greedy bastard!" Violet snaps, shocking Derek. "You just want to steal my mother's wealth from me."

"You know what? Take your stupid shares and bury it for all I care!" Derek laughs loudly, bragging about his success. "I just struck a massive business deal with three of the top companies in this city! You are completely useless to me now, Violet!"

Chloe and her family join in his joy, happily accepting to cut ties with Violet. "Good riddance!" the stepmother sneers.

"You think you struck a deal?" Soren lets out a dark mocking chuckle. "Let me remind you exactly who owns those three top companies, Derek." Before Derek's eyes, he gets calls from all three companies that he has been rejected. "W-What?! No, please!" Derek gasps in horror as his phone rings repeatedly. Derek, Chloe, and the parents gasp in shock.

They lift their eyes to stare at the dangerous Soren.

Then with a deadly look right at Derek... "I am going to utterly ruin you for what you did to her tonight," Soren says directly to his face. Then the dangerous business man takes hold of Violet's hand, and walks out of the party.

Derek cries out, crawling and begging Soren. "Mr. Ashwood, please! Don't wreck my company! Violet, save me!"

Chloe is mad and yells out, "Violet! You bitch, come back here!"

Violet doesn't look back. Her eyes lands warmly on Soren, as she feels his gentle grip around her hand. She's lost by how things turned around tonight. She's curious... Why did Soren help her?