Chapter 1
On Valentine's Day, my rich boyfriend, who I’d been dating for two years, proposed to me.
When she saw the diamond ring on my finger, Margot Whitmore, my best friend in the same department, was over the moon with excitement.
Knowing full well the true colors of those gossipy female colleagues at work, I repeatedly urged her to keep the matter strictly confidential.
Unexpectedly, in a restaurant, at the department dinner, Audrey, who has always been unable to stand others' good fortune, deliberately mocked me as an old maid.
Unable to hold back her anger, Margot spilled the whole story of the proposal.
The female colleagues, Audrey, Natalie and Georgia, were stunned for a moment, then immediately started jeering and taunting all at once, "You’re making that up, right? Why would a wealthy man fall for you? You’re probably just his mistress!"
"Exactly! Rich men only want a bit of novelty and are just playing with you. Better watch out you don't get knocked up and he bails on you!"
"You look all prim and proper on the surface, but you’re actually trying to take shortcuts by selling your body. You have no shame at all!"
Audrey was even more sarcastic. "If you ask me, you'll get kicked to the curb in a few days. You're not even as good as my daughter, who scored herself a hardworking, reliable contractor boyfriend!"
I let out a cold sneer and downed the red wine in my glass in one gulp.
"Audrey, that contractor who got locked up for soliciting prostitutes last month, should be getting out any day now, right?
"And Georgia, your husband beat you black and blue and dragged you to the emergency room last week. Have your injuries healed that quickly already?"
The moment my words fell, the private room fell completely silent.
*****
I set down my wine glass and swept a cold glare over the few female colleagues across the table who had been the loudest just now.
"Natalie, the day before yesterday you were borrowing money from someone in the break room, saying your boyfriend had taken your salary card to gamble again, right?
"Vivian, you post about your happy marriage on Moments every single day, but that female college student your husband is keeping as a mistress lives in my neighborhood. What, your own lives are total train wrecks, so you have to drag other people down to feel good about yourselves?"
The few people who had been so arrogant and cocky just now instantly flushed bright red.
Natalie bit her lip and lowered her head.
Vivian stood up, her lips trembling as she couldn’t force out a single word for a long while.
Audrey clenched the utensil in her hand and pointed at me furiously. "Daphne Caldwell! Don't spout slander! You think you can show off just because you know a few trivial dirty secrets? Let me tell you, that so-called rich boyfriend of yours is definitely fake! As if a real rich family would ever look twice at you? Name one thing you wear or own that costs more than 500 dollars, I'll wait.
"You definitely made that whole story up just to get a rise out of us, admit it!"
I didn't bother to pay her any mind, picked up my bag and walked out.
"Whether it's fake or not is none of your business. I have never stolen or robbed. I've got nothing to hide, I'm as clean as they come. Way better than the lot of you who only dare to gossip behind people's backs." I pushed open the door of the private room, shutting all those voices behind me.
I walked out of the restaurant lobby.
The night breeze outside blew over, and I let out a long breath.
Hanging around these people is such a chore, honestly.
After a while, these colleagues also came out in twos and threes.
Audrey was leading the group, still yakking loudly at Margot.
"Margot, you're just too naive to actually take her as your best friend. She's full of nonsense. That whole rich guy proposal story? I bet that fake diamond ring of hers was rented off some random website! Gold diggers have so many tricks these days. Don't let her lead you astray."
Margot kept her head down, not knowing how to defend me.
I frowned, just about to go over and pull her away.
At that moment, a black luxury car drove over from the end of the street and stopped at the entrance of the restaurant.
The car door opened.
Wesley Beaumont got out of the car.
The streetlight hit the side of his face, and even his jawline looked so refined and out of reach.
The female colleagues who had been sneering and jeering just a moment ago all fell silent.
Audrey's mouth gaped open as she murmured in a small voice, "He's… he's really a rich..."
The frustration in my heart eased a little.
Wesley knew I was having a work dinner today, so he came specifically to pick me up and take me home.
The fact that he was standing right there was all the proof anyone could need.
I was just about to walk over to him when a figure suddenly darted out from beside me.
Margot stepped past me and threw herself at Wesley.
She took his arm in one smooth, natural motion, pressing half her body tightly against his.
I froze on the spot, a loud buzz went off in my head.
All my colleagues were also stunned, exchanging glances with each other.
Audrey's eyes looked like they were about to pop right out of her head.
"Margot, what are you doing?"
Margot leaned against Wesley's shoulder and slowly lifted her right hand.
On her ring finger, a diamond ring the size of a pigeon egg glinted under the streetlight.
It was more than twice the size of the one on my finger.
"Hey everyone, let me make an introduction." Margot's voice was cloyingly sweet, brimming with smugness. "This is my boyfriend, Wesley Beaumont. We're getting married soon."
It was even quieter out here than it had been in the private room a few minutes earlier.
I stared at Wesley's face. His eyes darted evasively, not daring to meet my gaze at all. His body was stiff, and he was trying to pull his arm out of Margot's hold.
Margot noticed his movement. She clung tighter to his arm, not letting go, and pressed her lips to his ear. "Try pushing me away, I dare you."
Wesley's body went rigid, and he stopped struggling.
He just let Margot hold him like that, right in front of me.
