I Left My Engagement, Now I’m His Boss

Chapter 4

The sound of something shattering followed. I rushed to the living room.

Julia's right hand was dripping blood. Beside her, diamonds from a bracelet were scattered across the floor.

One glance was all it took. The broken bracelet was the one Corbin had made for me by hand on one of our dates.

I stepped in front of Julia, just as Corbin was scooping her up to rush her to the hospital.

"Apologize."

Julia froze, as if she couldn't believe her own ears.

"What?"

"You broke something of mine. Apologize."

Corbin's expression darkened.

"Federica, you left your things lying around and Julia got hurt because of it, and you have the nerve to ask her to apologize?" He moved toward the door. "Out of my way. I'm taking her to the hospital."

The housekeeper glanced cautiously at Julia's hand and spoke up.

"It's... really not that serious of a cut, sir. We can take Miss Julia to the hospital. Mr. Hale, the engagement party is in a few hours. You're the guest of honor. You should be here with Miss Ferraro to greet the guests."

Before the words had fully left her mouth, a sharp voice cut in from behind.

"Nonsense! Is the engagement party more important than Julia's hand?"

My parents came down the stairs in their robes. They took one look at the broken pieces on the floor, shot me a glare, then grabbed their coats and headed for the door.

"We're going to the hospital right now. Julia's hand must not be harmed."

I looked at Corbin. He sighed, as though he were the one being put in an impossible position, then turned to me with a voice that was gentle and certain at the same time.

"Julia got hurt because of you, after all. I need to go with them. I won't feel right otherwise."

"Besides, the first item on tomorrow's schedule was helping Julia with her makeup. Taking her to the hospital now is just giving her the time that was already hers."

I said nothing.

But my mind went back to the day Corbin and I had made that bracelet together.

I had asked him out a full month in advance before he finally agreed. On that rare day, Corbin had spent five whole hours with me. When he fastened the bracelet around my wrist, he'd said, "Our love will be like these diamonds. Brilliant and forever."

But nothing in this world lasts forever.

The bracelet was broken.

And I finally saw it clearly. The so-called love had only ever been my own wishful thinking.

"Corbin, do you truly love me? Are you truly looking forward to marrying me?"

I gathered every ounce of courage I had and asked, a bitter smile on my face.

The only answer I got was his retreating back, Julia in his arms, my parents at his side, walking away without a word.

My vision blurred. I lowered my head. Even the tears stung.

I stood rooted to the spot for what felt like an eternity before Corbin's assistant showed up at the door with Corbin's dog on a leash.

"Mr. Hale says that if the engagement party starts before he's back, you can greet the guests with the dog and go through the ceremony with it."

"Everyone who's coming knows the dog, so there shouldn't be any misunderstanding."

My hand trembled.

I opened my phone and saw that Julia had posted a new photo. Her hand intertwined with someone else's.

*The greatest blessing is always having someone who puts you first.*

I stared at Corbin's hand in the picture for a long time.

Then I blocked her, locked my phone, went upstairs, grabbed my suitcase, and walked out of that oversized villa without looking back.

*****

Two hours later, at the hospital, the bandaging was finally done.

Corbin rubbed the bridge of his nose, exhausted, and reached for his phone to check in with his assistant about the party. Before he could dial, a call came in from a friend.

"Corbin, it's your engagement party. Why is there nothing here except a dog? Not a single one of you showed up. Is this how you treat your guests?"

Corbin went still.

From beside him, Margaret Ferraro's voice rose sharply. She had just picked up a call of her own.

"Everyone's already at the party, and now you're telling me Federica is missing? What do you mean, missing?!"