Miles lifted his hand to slap himself.

Elena quickly grabbed his wrist and snapped at me. "Rowan, Miles didn't do it on purpose. Do you have to throw your weight around every time?"

Grandma got even angrier. "What a piece of work! Rowan hasn't said a single word, and that punk is already crying. How is Rowan the bully? I'm so furious! Rowan, chin up! Give them something to think about!"

I raised my hand and slapped Miles across the face. Then, I looked at Elena and asked, "See that? That's what throwing my weight around looks like."

Miles froze. Elena did too, her eyes turning icy. "Rowan, you're out of line..."

I lifted my hand again and slapped her just as hard. "That is out of line."

I'd spent years spoiling her, never once losing it. My slap left her completely stunned.

Elena glared at me and said through gritted teeth, "Fine. Great! You laid hands on me, so don't you dare regret it! Come on, Miles. I'll take you to have that looked at."

Grandma scoffed. "You ignore Rowan as he bleeds and rush to coddle another man. You'll only regret sticking with that scumbag! Oh, my poor Rowan, that must hurt."

I looked down at the scrape on my arm, blood pooling bright red. The dull ache I'd been holding back surged in a wave.

Back in school, if I so much as scraped my knee, Elena would panic as if the sky was falling, ready to take the pain for me if she could. Perhaps her love was a lie, but the closeness we shared back then was genuine.

But now, she didn't even glance at my injury. She scolded me instead, desperate to shield the man she really cared about.

Grandma's words sounded true. If I were to marry Elena, it would only end badly.

I pushed the thought aside and went to find a nurse to clean and bandage my arm.

Just then, a cluster of nurses was peering toward the corridor, so I glanced over too.

Through the glass partition, I saw Miles and Elena wrapped in each other's arms, their body language anything but innocent.

I heard Miles murmur, "Elena, if Rowan ever finds out you faked amnesia just to be with me out in the open, he'll flip."

Elena pinched his cheek. "So what if he does? Everyone knows he loves me. Whether I have amnesia or not, he'll still be begging me to marry him."

Grandma gave a cold snort in my head. "Keep dreaming! Rowan didn't choose you this time. He won't be begging you for anything. In a couple of days, when the engagement news drops, we'll see how cocky you are!"

I let out a humorless breath, my face as pale as paper, and decided I'd heard enough. Holding my bandaged hand, I headed for the exit.

That was when the hallway erupted. Someone yelled, "Those guys have knives! Run!"

Panic rippled through the crowd.

Instinct took over, and I moved with the crowd, but one of the agitated patients lunged at me, grabbing hold and raising a knife to strike.

I was already banged up, and fighting back head-on wasn't going to end well.

I spotted Elena looking in the direction of the commotion. She had trained in martial arts and was skilled in fighting. I didn't have the luxury of pride. "Elena, help me!" I shouted.

She started toward me on instinct, but Miles clamped onto her arm and wouldn't let go. "Elena, I'm scared! Don't leave me, please!"

She faltered. In that heartbeat of hesitation, the blade pierced my forearm. Pain shot through me, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

Grandma was beside herself. "That medical dispute was bad enough last time. How did Rowan end up caught in the middle of it today? Elena doesn't really have amnesia. She knows how he went to hell and back for her, yet she won't lift a finger! This is too much!"

My strength was draining away with the cut. I gritted my teeth and yelled, "Elena, I'm begging you! If you don't help me, I'm going to die!"

Right then, a patient rushed at them. Elena moved in a flash, threw herself in front of Miles to shield him, and pulled him to safety.

My mind went blank as I watched Elena shield Miles and run.

Even if she felt nothing for me, I had loved her for years and treated her well. With life and death on the line, she still couldn't spare a hand for me?

Suddenly, the weight on my chest was gone. Piper kicked the man off me, grabbed my wrist, and yanked me through the chaos.

"Move!" she shouted.

The corridor was in chaos, but security rushed in and quickly subdued the patients with knives.

I stood there dazed, still catching up to what had happened.

Piper pressed a cup of warm water into my hand. Something unreadable flickered in her eyes.

I didn't notice it, and I didn't ask why she was there. I just murmured a thank-you.

Word of the attack reached Grandpa within the hour. He blew up and demanded that both the Reed and Ashcroft families answer for it.

The Ashcrofts put Miles on lockdown and sent gifts as an apology. The Reeds were livid and forced Elena to come over and apologize in person.

That night, Elena walked in and dropped a bag of supplements on the table, her expression sour. "Rowan, what happened today had nothing to do with Miles. I'm the one who didn't help you. Why make him suffer for it? Are you settling a score?"

I lifted my arm. Fresh bandages wrapped it thickly. "Do you see this, Elena?"

She faltered for a beat, then pushed back. "You're not dead, are you? Everyone knows you're the scion of the Becker family. All you have to do is shout, and people will line up to protect you.

"Miles only has me. You saw it. He nearly got hurt, too. Stop going after him. Talk to Edmund and get Miles' confinement lifted, or I'll call off our engagement."

She said it as if she were sure I would cave.

But I was past disappointment. I didn't even have the energy to argue. "Security, walk her out."

The guards then escorted her out of my house.

At the door, she spun and snapped, "Rowan, you'll regret this!"

She didn't show her face the next day.

Grandpa took my engagement seriously and hosted the grandest banquet the Becker family had ever held.

All four of the great families were in attendance. I walked in wearing a tux.

Elena stood at the center of the banquet hall. Miles was next to her, grinning like he'd won.

I was briefly taken aback. How was Miles here if he was supposed to be grounded?

Grandma gave a cold laugh. "Elena must have pressured the Ashcrofts until they caved. She bends over backward for Miles, but she never once did that for Rowan. What a heartless woman!"

Elena glanced my way and looked off like I wasn't there, while Miles flashed me a cocky smirk.

Whispers ran across the crowd.

"Why is Elena so cold to Rowan? And why is she glued to Miles? I heard that Piper is into Rowan. Maybe this engagement banquet isn't as simple as it seems."

"No way! Elena has amnesia and only remembers Miles as her boyfriend, but Rowan loves her deeply. His fiancee has to be Elena."

Piper's cold gaze slid over the group. They flinched and drifted away.

Grandpa waved me to the stage and handed me the microphone. "Rowan, this is your engagement banquet. You should be the one to make the announcement."

"Alright." I took the microphone and felt a burning gaze on me.

Elena was staring straight at me. I gave her a mocking smile, and I saw her tense up.

"Thank you for coming," I said, my voice carrying across the hall. "I'd like to formally introduce my fiancee..."