"Do you really have to keep throwing yourself at me?"

I froze.

Then it clicked. He'd gotten the wrong idea.

"What I meant was, I'm not getting married because my career is still taking off."

Patrick stared at me for a long moment.

Then he laughed.

"You don't think that excuse is a little pathetic?"

I blinked.

"The CEO of Ascend Group is a woman about your age. Even she still thinks about settling down. So what exactly are you pretending to be?"

I couldn't argue with that.

Everyone knew I used to be hopelessly lovesick. So now that I'd actually wised up, nobody believed it. Not even my business partner.

"Let me make this crystal clear, Celeste."

He leaned in.

"I didn't like you before, and now that I'm engaged, there's even less chance of that happening. The more you cling, the more I despise you. Unless..."

His eyes narrowed. "You think you can be my side piece?"

In that moment, I couldn't understand my former self more than ever.

This man standing in front of me.

Shallow. Arrogant. Utterly classless.

Why had I ever fought with Effie over him?

A cold laugh escaped my throat.

I shoved him aside and walked away.

My partner came to apologize.

I stood at the banquet, quietly sipping my orange juice.

A sharp whistle.

Seven or eight men settled into the seats around me, boxing me in.

"Well, well. If it isn't the princess herself. Patrick's engagement party, and you actually showed up."

"We were taking bets on whether you'd be too heartbroken to come."

"Looks like the princess is still carrying a torch."

A hand reached over and pinched my dress strap.

I scowled and slapped his hand away. Hard.

"Ooh, a few years studying abroad and she's got a temper now!"

"This isn't like the old days when you were begging us to put in a good word for you, is it?"

Back when I was desperately in love with Patrick, I hadn't just fawned over him. I'd fawned over his entire crew too. Effie was talented in every way imaginable, and I couldn't compete, so my only hope was getting these guys to say something nice about me to Patrick.

I'd memorized all of Patrick's hobbies. But I'd memorized theirs even better. Every holiday, I'd send expensive gifts, just to get them to help me leave a good impression.

Looking back now, I truly couldn't fathom who I used to be.

I simply hadn't known any better.

"Look, Patrick's engaged now. You've lost your shot. You just can't measure up to your sister in his eyes. That's a fact."

"But... it's not completely hopeless."

The man leaned closer. The stench of cigarettes and liquor filled my nostrils.

"Spend one night with us, and we'll put in a good word. Maybe we can get you a spot in Patrick's bed too. How's that sound?"

I tried to pull away.

But fingers clamped down on my chin. "Don't be shy. We'll keep it our little secret."

"Oh? Patrick?"

Someone spotted Patrick walking past.

"Patrick!" I scrambled to my feet, but one of the men yanked me back down onto the couch.

Patrick had heard everything.

"Patrick! Tell your friends to back off!"

A flicker of nervousness crossed their faces. They glanced at each other.

But Patrick just slid his arm around Effie's waist.

His expression was completely blank.

He turned and walked away.

"Patr—"

"Hey, princess." The man pulled me into his arms, gripping my chin. "How are you still not getting it? In Patrick's world, your little sister ranks above us, above a dog, and above you."

My expression went cold.

"So be a good girl. Keep us happy, and we'll put in a word with Patrick. Maybe he'll let you stick around as his little lapdog."

"Yeah, relax. We'll keep your secret, princess."

The champagne flute tightened in my grip.

Crack.

It shattered in my hand.

They stared at the broken glass between my fingers.

Stunned.

"Who exactly do you think you're messing with?"

Bam.

My fist connected with the temple of the man holding me. Hard.

I hadn't just outworked Effie in academics and credentials over the years.

I'd outworked her in athletics, too.

Boxing was one of my skills.

Blood sprayed from his nose.

"You crazy b—"

A bottle smashed against the back of my head.

My vision swam.

But years of disciplined training kept my legs under me. I gritted my teeth and stayed standing.

I grabbed the throat of the one who'd blindsided me and slammed his head into the table.

"You wanted to ruin me?"

I looked down at him. "You're not even close."

Slap.

A hand struck my face out of nowhere.

I stumbled two steps and caught myself on the back of a sofa.

Patrick stood there, brow furrowed.

"All I did was propose to Effie. What the hell is wrong with you?"

My parents came rushing out at the commotion.

My mother took one look at the men groaning on the floor and shoved me, furious.

"What do you think you're doing? Just because your sister got engaged to Patrick, you're going to destroy the party?"

"It's your grandfather's birthday! Can't you show some basic decency?"

The guests hadn't heard what those men said to me.

They frowned in my direction.

"You're twenty-five years old. Can you act like it? Patrick doesn't want you. Throwing punches and breaking things isn't going to change that."

Effie's eyes glistened with tears.

"Celeste, if you really can't handle this, here. Take the ring. Just please stop making things harder for us."

She actually started pulling the engagement ring off her finger.

Patrick grabbed her hand and stopped her.

"Celeste, are you really this pathetic? I'm engaged, and you're still causing a scene?"

"You want to be with me that badly?"

He pulled Effie close.

"Make Effie happy first. Then maybe I'll consider it."

"Patrick?" Effie turned to look at him.

Patrick gave a low laugh.

"She won't leave me alone, so we might as well use that."

"But if she wants me to accept her, she'd better keep my wife satisfied first."

A flash of delight crossed Effie's eyes.

Patrick looked at me.

"Can you understand that? Or do I need to spell it out?"

I touched the cheek where Patrick had slapped me.

Said nothing.

Just stepped forward.

Slap.

And gave it right back.

My mother grabbed my arm.

"What are you doing!"

Effie let out a gasp.

"Celeste! If you want to hit someone, hit me! Don't touch him!"

"Hit you?"

I laughed. "You're not worth the effort."

"You—"

"Patrick."

I looked him dead in the eye. "As the CEO of Ascend Group, I'm terminating your appointment. Don't bother showing up."

"Ascend?"

He blinked.

Then a cold smirk spread across his face. "A desperate little nobody who throws herself at men has a position at a Fortune 500 company?"

Effie's expression melted into pity.

"Celeste, have you lost your mind? This is my fault. I should have kept the engagement a secret. I'm sorry I pushed you over the edge."

My mother glared at me.

"Ascend is a Fortune 500 company. If you're going to lie, at least make it believable!"

The guests were practically doubled over with laughter.

"The moment those words left her mouth, I knew for sure she'd lost her mind."

"She must be so obsessed she's actually fantasizing about working at the same company as him! Ascend has insanely strict hiring standards. I applied three times and never got in."

Patrick's phone buzzed.

I caught the name on the screen. It was my business partner.

Patrick froze for a second, then answered.

"You're nearby?"

"Sure, I'll come get you."

He hung up and shot me a look, brow furrowed. "Get her out of here. The last thing I need is her making a scene in front of the VP."

Someone grabbed me immediately.

A few eyes lit up around the room.

"Ascend's VP is coming here? Oh my God, I might actually meet someone like that?"

"All thanks to Patrick! We get to rub shoulders with a Fortune 500 executive!"

"Would someone please drag this lunatic away before she ruins the whole evening?"

Servants were urged forward.

But the very next second, a voice cut through the noise.

"Celeste!"

Patrick thought he'd heard wrong.

"Ms. Grant, who are you calling for?"

Vivienne walked right past him, heading straight for me.

"Celeste! This was all a huge misunderstanding!"