Reforging My Broken Heart

Chapter 3 Identities Exposed

Jacob had had his eye on me for a long time. He had asked my father for my hand in marriage many times in the past, on behalf of the Reed family. But my father saw that I had no feelings for Jacob, so he declined for me.

But now, the Payne family was in a precarious situation. As someone who had been sheltered and grown up with love, it was time for me to contribute to the family.

I proposed marriage to Jacob on the condition that the Reed Group would invest a sum of money in the Payne Group's project.

When William received this news, he immediately found me to confirm it.

Looking at his earnest eyes, I decided to be ruthless and cut off his thoughts.

I returned the engagement ring to him. "Jacob and I have long been engaged. We agreed to get married and I would be the young mistress of the Reed family as soon as I graduated. I was just bored in college and played around with you. Don't take it too seriously. You're just a poor student."

William's face was pale at that time. He stared at me in disbelief, until he saw Jacob coming to pick me up. When I left intimately arm-in-arm with Jacob, the light in his eyes disappeared.

It was good to break it off like this. He would be able to find a girl who was more suitable for him in the future. I sighed as I got into Jacob's luxury car, thinking that this would be the end of the matter.

But now, he had reappeared, and he still seemed to be brooding over what had happened. I gave a wry smile, hoping that when I went to provide my service a month later, everything would go smoothly and nothing unexpected would happen.

*****

A month later, I took the shoes that Emma had custom-made and went to her house to try them on. When I arrived at the Brown's mansion, the servant at the door said that he would go and announce my arrival, but there was no further response.

I stood at the gate of the mansion, carrying the heavy box and waiting for a long time. The fierce sunlight shone down, and the sweat on my back kept flowing down. I felt a little dizzy. I bit my lower lip tightly. 'Vivian, hold on! I must not faint!'

At this moment, several honks came from behind me. I looked back and saw that it was William's car. The people at the Brown's mansion hurriedly opened the door for him. He glanced at me indifferently and went straight inside.

Not long after, a servant called me in and asked me to wait in the side hall on the first floor.

Emma's giggling came from behind me. She walked down the stairs arm in arm with William. She caught sight of me waiting in the side hall and said nonchalantly, "I forgot the time while I was dressing up just now. Don't worry, I'll still count the time you waited into your service time."

William looked at his watch and reminded her, "It's time to go to the hotel venue."

Emma gave him a sweet smile and then pointed at me. "I'll try on the shoes when I get to the hotel! You can just follow me!"

William's luxury car sped away with Emma. I wiped the sweat from my forehead and hurried to the hotel.

When I got to the hotel, it was smooth sailing this time. The hotel staff led me to Emma's dressing room.

She had already changed into her dress and was chatting and laughing with several other wealthy ladies.

Seeing me walk in, Emma looked impatient. "Why are you so late? You'll delay my entrance if I'm late. Can you take responsibility for that?"

I just hoped that today would go smoothly, so I quickly put on a fawning smile. "I'm sorry, Miss Brown. I'll try on your new custom-made shoes right away."

The shoes she had custom-made were extremely luxurious. They were studded with diamonds and sparkled brilliantly under the light. The laces were also extremely complicated.

I knelt down beside Emma and carefully put the shoes on her feet. The wealthy ladies sitting next to her all gathered around and exclaimed in admiration at the shoes.

Emma proudly accepted their compliments. I saw that she looked satisfied, and I secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

But one of the girls standing beside her looked at me for a long time and said to Emma, "Why do I feel that this shopping guide looks so much like Vivian, the only daughter of the Payne family who went bankrupt and liquidated?"

With that, everyone's eyes fell on me.

Emma curled her lips and pulled me in front of everyone. "You're right. She is the real Payne family's daughter! It's just a pity..."

She looked at me maliciously and sneered, "Now she's been reduced to such a state, reduced to a shopping guide who serves us by putting on our shoes."

The women around her all laughed along with her, their mocking gazes on me as they whispered.

"I didn't expect her to be so miserable now..."

"Yeah, the Payne family is down and out, and she still has the face to hang around New York..."

"I heard that she was a gold digger back then and dumped her fiancé whom she had been in love with for many years for the embrace of Jacob..."

"I don't know if she's jinxed, but after the Payne family fell, the Reed family, which she had clung to, was also inexplicably targeted. They were once one of the top wealthy families in New York, but now they've disappeared."

Listening to these comments, I stood there expressionlessly, unmoved.

After all these years, I had heard lots of these rumors.

My only goal now was to make money.

A few idle words were not worth mentioning compared to earning this high-priced door-to-door service fee.

Seeing that I didn't react, everyone felt that it was boring and was about to change the subject when the door to the dressing room opened.

William walked in wearing a smart suit. He walked gently to Emma and whispered, "The guests are all here. Let's go out."

When Emma saw him, she immediately transformed into a tender and obedient little wife. She nodded her head obediently and walked out arm in arm with William.

They walked up to me, and William's footsteps paused. He glanced at me. "Speaking of which, I still have to thank Miss Payne..."

He sneered. "If you hadn't disliked me for being poor back then, how could I have such a good fiancée today?"