I spoke coldly, “Alright then, leave. Now.”

Carson cried even harder, his shoulders trembling like a wounded rabbit, barely holding himself together.

Just as he turned to go, Jenna reached out and grabbed his arm.

“Carson, there’s no need for you to leave. I agreed to this arrangement today. I said we’d combine Aunt Symonne’s third death anniversary with the birthday banquet, and I always keep my word.”

Then she turned to me with a look of growing impatience.

“Bryce, that’s enough. Stop making a scene.”

I glanced at the funeral wreath and memorial display behind me, and fury surged like wildfire through my chest. My voice turned sharp with disbelief.

“You said your assistant would handle the birthday preparations. This is what you call a celebration?”

“Jenna, whether it’s superstitious or not, I’m not sick enough to celebrate my birthday in a damn memorial hall. Get rid of all this, now.”

Seeing that my tone left no room for argument, her frown deepened, and her expression hardened.

“Bryce.”

She stepped forward and gently pressed down on my hand, her brows furrowed as she tried to coax me with a soft tone.

“So many guests came today, all here to celebrate your birthday. Carson is just a young man, alone in this city. He’s sensitive. Can you not make this a scene? Just give me some face.”

I sneered and shook her hand off. “Give you face? And where’s mine?”

“Jenna, you do know today’s my birthday. All the influential uncles and elders from the capital are attending.”

“Now, guess what happens if this gets out? That I, Bryce, spent my twenty-fifth birthday at a memorial alongside someone’s death anniversary. Do you think the Reeves family would still have any standing in the capital?”

As soon as the words left my mouth, Jenna’s face darkened, bit by bit.

She knew I wasn’t wrong.

Even if our family wasn’t the most powerful, we still held weight. My father’s network stretched across the entire capital, and most of the guests today were prominent figures who came here just for me.

But Jenna’s next words turned everything on its head.

“Bryce, don’t go too far.”

“That’s Carson’s mother. Aunt Symonne raised him all on her own. She’s a respected elder, not some ‘dead person’ like you called her. Show a little respect.”

My eyes turned red in an instant, brimming with cold ridicule.

So that was it. I thought her silence earlier meant she was seeing things from my side. Turns out, after all that hesitation, she was simply offended I didn’t show enough respect to Carson’s mother.

“Fine. I misspoke. I apologize. But now, please leave. Bodyguards, get rid of all this.”

The moment I gave the command, the bodyguards behind me stepped forward. But Jenna frowned and rushed to block them.

“Bryce, Carson spent the entire night preparing this. I won’t let you destroy it.”

“I told you already, it’s just symbolic. It’s not like I’m cutting off anyone’s limb. Can’t you show a little empathy?”

“And if you tear this down now, what do you think people will say? The entire company will talk. They’ll think Carson messed up badly. Are you really going to sit back and watch him lose everything?”

“Bryce, you’re being unbelievably cruel.”

I almost laughed, furious beyond words. To her, even black could be twisted into white.

Whatever surprise or fondness I once held for Jenna had long evaporated.

“You remember you’re his boss, but did you forget, you’re also my fiancée?”

Carson dropped to his knees, his shoulders shaking, tears falling one by one.

“Brother Bryce, I know I didn’t think this through. But the banquet’s already set, and my mom’s portrait is already here.”

“It won’t take long. Please, just let her memorial last for half an hour. That’s all I’m asking.”

I pushed him away coldly.

“No.”

“This is my home. Today is my birthday. What right do you have to hang a funeral wreath here and bring bad luck to me?”

It was just a light shove, but Carson lost his footing and staggered back, falling straight into Jenna’s arms.

“Bryce, haven’t you made enough of a scene?”

Jenna finally snapped. She shoved me hard, her voice low but seething with anger.

“Carson’s already been through so much. He’s only asking for a little, for Aunt Symonne’s memorial to last just half an hour. Can’t you even grant that?”

“You’re usually the understanding one. What’s with the pettiness today?”

I slammed into the sharp edge of the table behind me. Pain shot through my body, and a dark bruise bloomed instantly on my arm.

I almost laughed. Me? Petty?

So what, was I supposed to smile and bow while someone trampled all over me? Only then would I be seen as understanding.

"Jenna, stop being generous at my expense."

"If you’re so thoughtful toward your male assistant and want to hold a grand third death anniversary for his mother, find another venue. Why drag it into my birthday just to make me sick?"

I hadn’t meant to disrespect anyone. But respect should go both ways.

If others stepped over my boundaries first, I had every right to defend myself. I refused to be shackled by their moral blackmail.

I shot back with a cold smile, "If you’re so desperate to hold Carson’s third death anniversary, why not use your place? Your living room sounds just about right."

Jenna’s face twisted, her expression turning sour.

Before she could speak, Carson slumped to the floor in despair.

His shoulders trembled violently, tears dripping onto the black-and-white portrait in his hands.

“Mom, I’m sorry. It’s all my fault for being so useless.”

“My mom raised me alone since I was a kid. I once swore that when I made enough money, I’d throw her a grand birthday party. But before I could do that, she was gone. I just wanted to share Brother Bryce’s joy, and maybe bring a little happiness to my mom in the afterlife.”

“If Brother Bryce finds this inappropriate, then we’re the ones who disturbed him. I’ll take my mom and leave right away…”

Carson wiped his tears, lifted the portrait with both hands, and stumbled toward the door.

At the threshold, he paused and looked back, his eyes red and wet with sorrow.

“Brother Bryce, I’m sorry. I hope I didn’t ruin your lucky hour. Please, go ahead and continue your birthday banquet.”

Before I could utter a word, Jenna rushed over, grabbed his hand, and pulled him tightly into her arms.

“Carson, you and Aunt Symonne don’t need to leave.”

“I already promised you. I will give Aunt Symonne a dignified, grand third death anniversary. I’ll keep my word.”

The tenderness in her eyes pierced through me like a blade. That gaze, it used to belong only to me, back when her love was still pure.

I remembered how my friends warned me over and over.

“You better watch that new male assistant at your fiancée’s office. Total bastard type, definitely not simple. He’s getting way too close to Jenna.”

I had laughed. “No chance. Jenna and I have been together for eight years. She’s not interested in other men.”

But now, watching her shield Carson without hesitation, completely turning her back on me, it felt like a piece of my heart had been ripped clean out.

When Jenna finally looked at me, her eyes were nothing but ice.

She actually gave the order for the bodyguards to escort me out.

“Bryce, since you’re being so petty and won’t share your birthday with Aunt Symonne, I’ll have someone take you to a hotel and redecorate for your party.”

“Once I’m done helping Carson with the memorial, I’ll head over and celebrate your birthday there.”

I was so furious I almost laughed. The bodyguards blocked my way, and I struggled wildly.

“Jenna, have you lost your mind? This is my house! If anyone should leave, it’s you. Why should I be the one sent to a hotel?!”

My voice grew sharper with every word. I didn’t care that guests were arriving one after another; my image was already beyond saving.

I deeply regretted letting Jenna’s assistant take charge of the banquet. That’s why even my own bodyguards weren’t here.

Since childhood, every one of my birthday banquets had been arranged by my parents. Every public event had been tightly secured.

But now, I was being dragged out by outsiders.

I snapped, my voice cold and steady.

“Jenna, I want to call off the engagement.”

“You are no longer my fiancée. You have no right to be here. Take your guests and get out of my birthday party.”

This villa, where the banquet was held, had been part of the premarital assets left to me by my parents. I had once dreamed of turning it into our marital home after the wedding, never imagining it would end up as the backdrop to our breakup.

Jenna stared at me, eyes wide in disbelief. “What did you just say? Call off the engagement?”

“You’re ending it over something this petty?” Her voice trembled. “Bryce, don’t forget, our families arranged our marriage.”

A flicker of panic flashed across her face, and for a moment, her mind seemed to clear.

This union had always been a one-sided climb, Jenna marrying up into the Reeves family.

For years, she had worked tirelessly to win over my father, waking up at dawn to bring me breakfast, shuttling me to and from work without fail, repeating this routine for three relentless years just to prove her devotion.

Only then had my father reluctantly given his blessing.

She had sacrificed too much to let this engagement crumble over one incident.

Carson gritted his teeth and stepped forward, hastily wiping his tears with trembling hands.

“Jenna, this is all my fault. Please, don’t fight with Bryce because of me. I’m just an assistant, I’m not worth it. I don’t want to be the reason your engagement falls apart.”

“I’m just a small-town nobody. Maybe I was never meant to celebrate birthdays. Even in death, my mom still has to carry regrets…”

He took two steps toward the door, but stumbled over something on the floor. The portrait of his mother slipped from his grasp, crashing to the ground and shattering into pieces.

“Ah! I’m sorry, Mom…”

He let out a guttural cry and lunged toward the fragments. But before his hands could reach them, shards of glass sliced his fingers. Blood welled up instantly.

“Carson!”

Jenna’s face went pale. She rushed forward in a panic, trying to lift him up.

But Carson only cried harder, clinging to her like a lost child, his bloodied fingers forgotten as he buried his face in her shoulder.

“I’m sorry, Jenna… maybe this is karma. Even Mom’s memorial is gone now. The only thing she left me is gone…”

Jenna lifted her head coldly, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared at me.

“Bryce, are you satisfied now?”

“I already told you how pitiful Carson is. He never tried to take anything from you; he just wanted a little grace, a chance to honor his mother’s third death anniversary. Now even her portrait is gone. You must be thrilled.”

Without waiting for a response, she rose to her feet, her voice cutting through the air like a blade.

“Wreck this birthday party.”

“If Carson can’t properly mourn Aunt Symonne, then Bryce doesn’t deserve a celebration either.”

On her command, the bodyguards began swinging their clubs recklessly, destroying everything in sight. Glass shattered, wood splintered, and chaos erupted.

My heart dropped when I saw the porcelain vase, my mother’s gift, worth two hundred million, teetering on the edge of a table.

I lunged forward in panic.

“No!!”

But I was too late.

The vase hit the floor and shattered into pieces, fragments scattering like a cruel farewell.

Stunned, I turned to find Jenna. She was already walking away, holding Carson tightly in her arms, never once looking back.