I Found Him Cheating, I Cut Off Our Engagement

"Natha, are you really planning to end the engagement?" Logan Stewart's voice over the phone was thick with incredulity. "Your engagement was a commitment Hunter earned after he spent three relentless days and nights begging in the rain. Only then did I finally concede." Natalie Stewart stood by the expansive window, her gaze absorbing the glittering cityscape of Royalton. The neon reflections danced in her eyes, yet she remained unshaken. "He was unfaithful." Those words brought Logan to an abrupt silence. Following a pause, Logan finally released a deep sigh. "Have you considered all the implications?" "Absolutely," Natalie said with certainty as she headed to her study and powered up her laptop. "I've already set my lawyer to work on annulling the engagement. I need you to manage the situation with the Quinn family." "Grandpa, I believe you're coming back to the country in a week, correct?" She calmly scrolled through her phone's photo backups. "I'll gather all necessary evidence and documents by then. When we meet the Quinns, I want everything to be straightforward, no messy ties." Logan picked up on the unwavering determination in his granddaughter's voice, replying with gravity, "Alright, I'll take charge of the Quinn family. Are you alright?" Natalie's eyes drifted to the calendar app on her phone. Her fingers hesitated above the keys for a heartbeat, then resumed typing. "I'm fine. It was tough when I first stumbled upon it, but now I just want to settle this quickly." After ending the call, Natalie stared at the date on her phone again. In a week's time, she and Hunter Quinn had planned to register their marriage. Now, that seemed entirely superfluous. ***** She opened a newly created folder on her computer. Inside were photos from the birthday bash just three days ago, alongside some anonymous, intimate photos that had landed in her inbox that afternoon. Each image was sharp and unavoidable, yet she kept looking. The revelation of Hunter's betrayal came at her birthday party. It was meant to be the moment he officially entered her world, hinting at an engagement. But Hunter arrived with an unfamiliar woman by his side. Throughout the event, his attention was glued to that woman. He cut her steak, dabbed her lips, peeled her shrimp, and poured her drinks. The care and affection that once belonged to Natalie were now directed toward someone else. Their friends exchanged uneasy glances. Some attempted to lighten the mood, while others remained silent. Natalie's cheeks burned, but she forced a smile throughout the party. She even graciously nodded when Hunter introduced the woman, saying, "This is my chauffeur's daughter, Layla Scott. She just moved to Royalton. I've taken her under my wing." Later, she confronted him. Hunter brushed off her concerns, explaining, "Her dad saved my life and recently passed away. I'm merely helping her out. Don't read too much into it." Natalie took his word for it. That was until three hours ago, when anonymous bed photos surfaced. They featured Hunter and Layla entwined in that all-too-familiar embrace inside a hotel suite. At that moment, Natalie's reality crumbled. Waves of shock, heartbreak, disappointment, and fury overwhelmed her. Tears flowed freely. She fled to the bathroom, dousing her face with cold water repeatedly, willing herself to regain composure. She patted her face dry and left the room, only to find Hunter entering with Layla in his arms. Standing at the top of the stairs, she neither flinched nor advanced. Their eyes locked, and with a nerve that stunned her, Hunter let go of Layla and approached, trying to cradle her face as if nothing had changed. "Natha, up late tonight?" Natalie turned her head away from his hand, her gaze sliding past him to Layla lingering at the door. Layla stared back, a subtle, taunting smile tugging at her lips. Hunter was in the middle of explaining things. "Natha, Layla is my new assistant. It's late. It's not safe for her to head home by herself, so I decided she should crash at my place tonight. There's nothing more to it, honestly." "A new assistant, huh?" Natalie's tone was oddly even. "You really do go the extra mile for your assistants, don't you?" Hunter furrowed his brow. "You're overthinking this. It's really nothing." Natalie didn't bother replying, instead heading toward the kitchen. She had an important modeling audition that night and needed some coffee to stay sharp. Letting emotions get in the way of work was not an option. Just as she turned back, coffee cup in hand, there was Layla waiting silently by the wall. "Ms. Stewart, did the photos meet your expectations?" Taking a composed sip, Natalie appraised her flatly. "The technique was subpar. The angles were awful. If you're trying to rile me up again, at least hire someone who knows what they're doing." Layla's expression shifted in surprise. Natalie wasn't reacting with tears or accusations, just cool detachment. "I earned Hunter's affection with my abilities!" Infuriated and humiliated, Layla swatted the cup from Natalie's grip. The hot liquid splashed across Natalie's hand, and she calmly set the cup aside, barely wincing. "Born into the Stewart family," Layla sneered, "yet you can't even keep a man's heart. It's laughable, really." Slap! Natalie delivered a backhanded slap, her hand tingling from the force. Her voice turned icy. "Ms. Scott, you ought to know your place before you start talking." Layla clutched her cheek, a glint of spite in her eyes. Suddenly, she grabbed the steaming pot of coffee from the table and, without a moment's pause, poured it onto her own arm! "Ow!" Her cries brought Hunter racing into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?" Layla, arm scalded and eyes brimming with tears, crumpled into his arms, her sobs uncontrollable. "It's my fault, Mr. Quinn. I accidentally knocked over the coffee Ms. Stewart was having. She has every right to be mad." Hunter's gaze shifted from Natalie's reddened hand to Layla's severely scalded arm, anger simmering beneath the surface. He shot a piercing look at Natalie, biting out a single word. "Explain." Natalie met his eyes, feeling an odd sense of detachment. Just a few days ago, the sight of him might have broken her heart, but now it seemed almost absurdly laughable. She grabbed a tissue to blot her hand, maintaining an air of calm confidence. "She spilled the coffee on herself. As for the slap, she earned it. If you want an explanation..." She showed her reddened hand to Hunter, letting it do the talking. "This is my explanation." With that, she strode past them, heading straight upstairs to change for the upcoming audition. That was what really mattered now. Hunter didn't. As she left, she overheard Hunter firmly yet tenderly directing the chauffeur to rush Layla to the hospital. "Don't worry, Layla. I've got you." Without glancing back, Natalie entered her dressing room, selecting a sharp business suit and smoothing out any sign of fatigue before the mirror. Her phone buzzed with a message. The private investigator had sent an initial report. Hunter's affair with Layla had been going on for two months, complete with three separate hotel bookings and an apartment in Hunter's name that she had been frequently visiting lately. Quickly scanning the message, she responded. Natalie: Dig deeper. Focus on Layla's history and her financial dealings.