I Left My Engagement, Now I’m His Boss

Chapter 3

When we got home from the reunion, the bridal shop had just delivered the outfit I'd picked out days ago.

I glanced around the living room and noticed several unfamiliar dresses mixed in with my order.

Corbin took Julia by the arm. "Everyone at the engagement party will be a Ferraro business associate. I picked out a few dresses for you too. Want to take a look?"

I thought back to the day before, when I'd been browsing outfits on my laptop and asked Corbin to help me choose. His expression had been completely disinterested.

"It's not like it's the wedding. Why make such a big deal out of it? Just pick something. I don't have time to help you decide."

No time. What he'd actually done with that time was help Julia pick out her dress.

I watched Julia beam as she headed upstairs with an armful of clothes to try on. Then I spoke.

"Corbin, if you had time to help Julia choose a dress, why didn't you have time to help me?

"Do I always have to wait until you're done with everything for her before I'm allowed to have you to myself?"

Corbin frowned. "My schedule is what it is. You've always known that."

Mom and Dad, who had been standing nearby, shot me an impatient look.

"Julia hasn't found a partner yet. Of course she should look her best at the engagement party. You're a grown woman. How can you not tell which matters more?"

I fell silent. I stood there holding the outfit the shop had sent for me, watching Julia run up and down the stairs, trying on nearly every dress.

Finally, she held up a white gown, looking conflicted.

"I've gone through all of them, and honestly, this one suits me the best. But what do I do?"

Corbin didn't miss a beat. "If you like it, wear it. I'll just have Federica pick a different color."

His eyes flicked to the champagne-colored dress in my hands.

"Actually, that one she's holding looks fine. Here's what we'll do. Julia, you wear the white gown to the engagement party, and Federica can wear the cocktail dress."

He made the decision without asking anyone and began ushering the bridal shop staff out.

Through the entire process, not a single person asked what I thought.

I stood quietly to the side and watched my parents wrap their arms around Julia, beaming.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. At the party tomorrow, Mom and Dad will make sure to find you a nice young man.

"Corbin, you put together presentations at work every day. You must know how to make Julia the star of the show tomorrow. Why don't you design a special entrance just for her?"

Corbin agreed without a second thought.

"Sure! It's just an engagement party, not a wedding. Whatever makes Julia happy.

"I'll build all the interactive moments around Julia so every guest has their eyes on her."

Julia shot me a triumphant glance, then put on a show of hesitation.

"Won't that be a little... inappropriate? It is your and Federica's engagement party, after all."

My parents didn't even look my way before answering for me.

"What's inappropriate about it? Your needs come first. That settles it."

I watched the three of them settle onto the sofa and launch into an animated discussion about every detail of the party.

Julia's entrance.

How many outfits she would change into.

Which foods to prepare because she liked them.

It was my engagement party. But somehow, the star of the show had become someone else.

At least I had already made up my mind to cut ties with all of this.

I went to my room, juggled a few work handoffs with colleagues online, and started packing.

Lying in bed, I read the message from the CEO.

Lorenzo: What do you know about the Ferraro company in your area?

I wasn't sure what to make of the question.

I lay there thinking about the state of my family's company, and before I knew it, I drifted off.

Some time later, a scream from outside my door jolted me awake.