Humiliated by His Fiancée, He Begged Me to Stay

Chapter 2

When the Graves family came after me, I was trapped—powerless to fight or flee. The business was collapsing, my parents wept every day, and there were nights I nearly gave up entirely.

But I had no choice. My family needed me. I had to keep going.

So after one last act of courage, I walked away.

Chloe giggled, batting her lashes at me before fluttering over to Adrian with a coy smile. She looped her arm through his and whispered something in his ear, looking for all the world like the perfect girlfriend.

Their voices were too low to hear, but I couldn't miss the way he tenderly ruffled her hair, his gaze dripping with adoration.

I stood there smiling, my mask flawless while my heart splintered behind it.

Five years ago, the man who had vowed to love me forever had snarled in my face. "Iris, you make me sick now."

He mocked my weight. Sneered at my lack of charm. Discarded me like yesterday's trash.

Back then, I agonized over what kind of heartless monster throws away five years without a second thought.

Hadn't I given enough?

Now, watching them together, the answer punched through me. He simply loved her more.

From the moment she appeared, I became invisible.

Chloe never had to waste five years supporting his dreams. Never dragged him to watch sunsets when he was depressed. She just had to exist, and suddenly, she was his entire world.

Why would he settle for someone like me when perfection stood right before him?

"Didn’t expect to see you here, Ms. Bennet." Ethan Brooks's voice yanked me back to reality. He was Adrian's high school buddy, I never expected to see him still hanging around.

"Wrong person," I said, forcing lightness into my voice. "Ms. Bennet. is over there."

Ethan rubbed his neck, looking sheepish. "Ms. Cole, I'm the CEO's assistant now. I drive him around and travel with him for work. Honestly, he's still the same, especially when it comes to you."

"Ethan."

Adrian's voice sliced through the air like a blade. "Can't follow simple instructions? Where's that drink?"

He picked up his glass, drained the last of his wine, and swept his gaze over me with icy disdain.

The bleach-blond troublemaker called Dylan immediately snickered. "Mixing drinks to suck up to people, isn't that how your kind entertains? Who are you trying to fool now?"

I stood rooted to the spot, my cheeks flushing. The liquor I'd just downed was pounding in my skull, making it hard to even stay upright.

After all these years, Adrian was no longer the one shielding me. Now he joined in on mocking me too.

No matter how badly someone he didn't care about was humiliated, it wouldn't flicker his emotions. Worse he seemed to enjoy seeing me like this.

Vanessa, standing nearby, tried to intervene until a single icy glare from Adrian shut her up.

Just as I was about to refuse, Chloe piped up.

"Iris, didn’t you have a video called Convenience Store Cocktails?" She sounded a little excited as she spoke. "Adrian can really hold his liquor. Last time, I even tried mixing drinks your way, beer with flavored soju."

Now there was really no way out.

Every pair of eyes in the room locked onto me. A few even started jeering that what I'd mixed was barely enough to get a buzz. They preferred classy, high-proof drinks.

They called over the staff, who brought out twenty or thirty different bottles and a dozen mixers. The crowd circled like vultures, eager to watch me perform.

The girl who once just loved cooking and sharing her life? To them, she was now just a glorified cocktail waitress.

Clenching my jaw, I pasted on a smile aimed at Chloe and Adrian. "If Mr. Graves and Ms. Bennett are interested, of course I'll mix something."

Adrian turned away, refusing to even acknowledge me.

When the cocktail was done, they shoved the glass into my hands and made me down it.

Adrian snorted, his laugh dripping with scorn. "You said you couldn't handle alcohol, but look at you now. Just being dramatic. Seems like you're doing just fine."

The room exploded with laughter the second he spoke.

My eyes burned instantly.

Back in the day, one sip and I'd be swaying on my feet.

Every time a situation like this came up, Adrian would just grin and take the glass from me.

Those days were gone now.

I forced myself upright, mustering a shaky smile.

Adrian had already lost interest in me.

Grateful for the escape, I bolted for the bathroom.

One of my new teammates hurried toward me, eyes wide with concern. "Iris, are you okay?"

I shook my head. "I brought gifts from Germland. I'll hand them out tomorrow when you start work."

Her face lit up like a kid on Christmas. "Thanks, Iris!"

I wobbled past them, my steps unsteady.

The moment I entered the bathroom, I doubled over the sink and retched violently.

Tears streamed down my face between heaves.

Time had turned the girl who couldn't handle a sip of beer into a hardened drinker.

How else could I have clawed my way through those negotiations? Paid off all that debt?

I stared at my reflection in the mirror and forced my lips into something resembling a smile.

"Come on, Iris. Keep going."

The naive girl from five years ago was gone. I had a family to support. A life to live.

My hands moved on autopilot, touching up my makeup, rebuilding the flawless mask of a polished food blogger.

I snapped my compact shut with satisfaction—and nearly walked straight into Adrian, his face dark with fury.

"Iris." His voice dripped venom. "You've got some nerve, crawling back here."