ENGAGEMENT CANCELED ？I MARRIED HIS RIVAL

Neon lights flashed wildly over the bar’s crowded dance floor, the bass pounding so hard it seemed to shake the air itself. In the center of the chaos, a young woman swayed to the music, her curves moving with reckless abandon. Her slender arms draped around a man’s neck as if she had every right to be there. Her delicate features were flushed a deep rose, her beautiful eyes hazy and unfocused as they lingered on the man in front of her. The color in her cheeks and the softness in her expression made one thing clear—she was drunk. “Marry me...” Even through the deafening music, he understood her lips perfectly. The man’s features were sharp and refined, his lips pressed into a thin line. In the flickering lights, the emotion in his eyes shifted between shadow and clarity, unreadable and dangerous. “You’ve got the wrong ！” He reached up to remove her arms from around his neck, clearly intending to leave. But Yuna wobbled on her heels, nearly collapsing. With a faint curse under his breath, the man caught her pale arm and pulled her out of the crowd instead. In the dim hallway outside the dance floor, Nash supported her unsteady body. His tall, broad frame shielded her almost completely. They looked intimate—close enough to whisper secrets—yet there remained a careful half-meter of distance between them. Yuna’s steps were weightless, floating and unstable. The next second, she stumbled. Her soft body fell against his, and before he could react, she lifted her arms and pinned him against the wall. “No… I didn’t mistake you.” She tilted her head back, the corners of her eyes red as if she had been crying. “You’re…” And then her damp lips pressed against his. The large hand resting at her waist tightened instantly, fingers locking around her slender frame. The clarity in his gaze darkened, blurred… until it surrendered. In a darkened suite, he laid her gently on the bed. Then he followed. His lips traced a slow path downward, unhurried, deliberate. “Say it again… my name.” Nash’s low, magnetic voice brushed against her ear. In the end, only their mingled breaths filled the room. The next morning. Yuna’s body clock woke her first. Still half-asleep, she tried to turn over—only to find a possessive arm locked firmly around her waist. She couldn’t move. And why did her entire body ache like this? Fragments of last night flashed through her mind. Her eyes snapped open. Pale morning light filtered through the curtains. When she turned her head, a strikingly handsome face came into view beside her. Oh God—why him? Sensing her movement, he stirred as if about to wake. Yuna reacted instantly. She slipped out of bed, gathered her scattered clothes, and rushed into the bathroom. In the mirror, she scooped up a handful of cold water and splashed it hard across her face. The chill shocked her fully awake. Last night, her fiancé, Geroge, had told her their engagement ceremony might be canceled. He needed to rush to another city to visit his “sister,” Sandy. A sister with no blood relation—yet an intimacy that far exceeded ordinary boundaries. If she were just a sister, Yuna might not have been hurt. But what lay between them was far beyond childhood friendship. So she had been upset and angry. She’d gone to the bar to drown herself in alcohol, trying to numb the sting. And in her drunken haze, she had spotted someone familiar. Without thinking, she had clung to him. But why did it have to be Nash—Geroge’s sworn rival? Back in high school, Geroge had always been overshadowed by Nash. Later, in business, Nash’s company thrived, snatching away deal after deal from Geroge. Over the years, Yuna had helped manage parts of Geroge’s company. She knew exactly what kind of man Nash was. Knock. Knock. The bathroom door sounded. Yuna’s heart leapt into her throat. She had no idea how she was supposed to walk out there and face Nash—let alone deal with the disaster of her broken engagement. “Awake?” Nash’s voice came through the door, slightly hoarse, as if he’d just woken up himself. “If you are, come out.” Yuna took a deep breath, staring at her reflection. Running away wouldn’t fix anything. Especially not the matter of canceling her engagement to Gergo. The door opened. Yuna stepped out, her gaze steady now, movements composed. She was fully awake. Nash was already dressed, standing by the window with his arms crossed. The sunlight outlined his tall figure. His expression was relaxed, almost lazy. “So,” he said calmly, “How do you plan to handle this?”