My gaze drifted over Sloane, a cold smile touching my lips. "You're just an assistant. Who gave you the right to speak to me like that?"

Before Sloane could respond, a group of Trevor Group executives strode in, laughing amongst themselves. They bypassed me completely, flocking to Sloane's side. Seeing the brooch in my hand, they gasped dramatically.

"How dare you take Sloane's brooch! If she's too upset to attend the engagement party, you'll be banned from the Trevor Group for life!"

Sloane pointed at the brooch triumphantly. "Did you hear that? Hurry up and give it to me!"

"Someone with your background should feel lucky to marry into the Trevor family. As long as you don't make a scene, we'll find some cushy, do-nothing job for you in the company. Just stop wanting things that aren't yours."

I glanced at the brooch, my expression impassive. "If you want to be the lady of the house, be my guest. But this brooch is mine. You're not having it."

My words sent Sloane into a rage. The executives around her squared up to me, clearly ready to get physical.

Their aggressive postures were laughable. What they thought were intimidating moves were nothing but amateur posturing to me.

I used the room to my advantage, effortlessly evading their clumsy attempts to corner me. In the chaos, Sloane lunged at me.

The next second, the door was thrown open violently. An authoritative voice cut through the chaos.

"All of you, stop!"

At his command, several bodyguards in suits flooded the room. The man standing behind them adjusted his expensive, custom-made suit and spoke in a deep, stern voice.

"What is all this? Sloane, as my assistant, this chaos reflects on me. I don't want to see it again."

I watched the man approach, forcing a cool, polite smile. "Patrick Trevor. Hello."

I had to admit, he was the very picture of what most women fantasized about: handsome, well-built, and radiating a commanding presence that filled any room he entered.

Meeting Patrick's scrutinizing gaze, I began, "I'm Ingrid Davenport, and I'm your..."

Before I could finish, Patrick looked me up and down with contempt. He raised a hand, signaling a bodyguard. "I don't waste my breath on nobodies."

The next moment, the towering bodyguards blocked my view.

I was stunned. When had I become a nobody? I was Patrick's intended fiancée, the woman who was supposed to become his wife.

Rage burned in my chest, but I forced myself to take a deep breath. "Patrick, the entire business world is watching our engagement party. I am your fiancée. How could I possibly be a nobody?"

A mocking expression twisted Patrick's handsome face. "So, you do know this party has everyone's attention. A social climber who thinks her pretty face is a ticket to the top? You must have been planning this for a long time."

He looked me up and down with disgust. "But let me tell you, you are not worthy of being my wife. If it weren't for the resources your family provided, what makes you think you'd even be standing here? Stop making a fool of yourself."

His eyes were filled with endless disdain. "It's a shame your family is so insignificant. The resources they offered are barely worth mentioning."

The look of disgust in his eyes deepened. "And since we're on the subject, let me make things clear. Even if you become my wife, you will have no right to interfere in the Group's affairs."

"You need to remember your place and what you traded to get here. If you displease me, I can have you blacklisted in an instant."

His words were a bucket of ice water dumped over my head. "If you're so unwilling, Patrick, then let's call off the engagement."

I thought Patrick would agree. To my surprise, he let out a cold laugh.

"What's wrong? Did I hit a nerve? Since you had the guts to come to the Trevor Group, you should be prepared for the ridicule. This isn't a place you can just come and go as you please."

I took a step forward, meeting his gaze with an icy stare. "I'm sorry, but this is precisely a place I can come and go as I please. The Trevor Group means nothing to me."

As soon as I spoke, murmurs erupted from the executives around us. They glared at me, looking as if they were about to throw me out at any moment.

"Don't try to hide how out of your depth you are with that tough act," Patrick said with a mocking smile. "Still making such grand claims with that cheap dress on your back?"

I paused. After years of covert work, keeping a low profile had become second nature. I never imagined it would be mistaken for weakness.

Looking at Patrick, I felt a laugh bubbling up. The Trevor Group was merely a large, moderately successful corporation. Its core technology was nothing special; most of its breakthroughs came from collaborations with top consulting firms.

And the firm the Trevor Group collaborated with most frequently was none other than "Aegis," led by Cyrus.

Patrick requested ace agents from Cyrus for support at least ten times a year. But he would never know that the mysterious ace, codenamed 'Aquila,' who always stood by Cyrus's side, was me.

I let out a cold laugh. I couldn't wait to see the look on Patrick's face when he realized what he'd just thrown away. These fawning executives would lose their minds.

I gave him a cool nod. "Since I am so unworthy of you, Patrick Trevor, let's call off the engagement. After all, a man of your... noble stature... deserves better."

I let the last two words hang in the air, dripping with sarcasm.

A flicker of disbelief crossed Patrick's eyes. He clearly couldn't believe that someone he saw as a nobody would give up an opportunity others only dreamed of. "That's the best decision you could make. I hope you're serious."

I nodded. "Since the engagement is off, you'll be returning all the resources my family invested. After all, our deal is void."