The next day, I attended the class reunion as promised. The moment I stepped into the venue, I was met with hostile looks from every direction.

They were all from former classmates who used to flatter me because of my status.

"Tristan, you've got some nerve showing up. If Jasmine and Marcus hadn't told us about you, we wouldn't even know you're a fraud!" one of them said, reaching out to shove me. Before he could touch me, June stepped forward and slapped his hand away.

The moment Marcus saw June, he immediately put on a pitiful expression. "Jasmine, look at how arrogant he still is. He doesn't take me seriously at all…"

Jasmine and June had always been rivals, and Jasmine clearly disliked her. She shot me a furious glare.

"You brought her along, Tristan? All these years, and all you've got is this bodyguard to prop yourself up. Make her leave right now, or forget about our promise!"

By "promise", she meant marrying me through the drawing.

I smiled. For the first time, I didn't bend to her will.

"You say I'm a fraud, but do you have any proof? I'm the eldest son of the York family—one of the Yorks. Marcus is just a nobody."

"Ridiculous!" Jasmine exploded. "All Marcus did was keep his father's surname. Are you trying to twist the truth?"

The crowd jeered, "Marcus, the impostor's getting way too arrogant! Show him your family heirloom! That can't be faked!"

I turned to Marcus. He slowly raised his hand. On his middle finger was my mother's diamond ring.

I had been waiting for this moment.

In my previous life, Jasmine helped Marcus steal my mother's ring and twisted the truth using it. She threatened me with the marriage, and I compromised out of love.

I stepped forward and slapped Marcus. "Marcus, you stole from us?"

That ring was my father's token of love for my mother. It was also a York family heirloom. It was custom-made and priceless.

I had to take it back.

Marcus' head snapped sideways at the strength of the slap. Tears immediately streamed down his face.

Jasmine raised her hand to hit me back, but June blocked her.

"What?" she growled but couldn't get past June. She turned her anger on me instead.

"Calm your dog down. It's Marcus' time to shine today. If you ruin his moment, forget about marrying me," she threatened near my ear.

Those words stopped me from saying anything back to them. I let those snobbish classmates crown Marcus and humiliate me.

To make things worse, I had listened to her and didn't bring June along. I was defenseless when the crowd took advantage of the chaos to lay their hands on me. I begged Jasmine for help, but all she did was look at me coldly.

"You've never served a woman before. Let them teach you. Make sure to study up."

Later on, private videos of me spread everywhere. I became the subject of ridicule and abuse. I hadn't been able to lift my head ever since.

My parents were old. Jasmine used those videos to threaten me. I became her puppet and her tool in bed.

But now, Jasmine is nothing.

"June, get the ring."

June carried out my order. In just a few moves, she subdued the drunken fools and took the ring from Marcus. Then, she held it out to me respectfully.

I didn't take it and simply extended my hand. "Put it on."

She froze for a second, then quickly recovered and slid the ring onto my ring finger.

It amused me, but before I could smile, Jasmine rushed over with red eyes and grabbed my wrist. "Tristan, what are you doing?"

It was the first time I had seen her lose control. Her eyes were rimmed red, her gaze flickering between June and me.

But she quickly regained her composure.

"What? Had you realized clinging to me doesn't work, so now you're playing hard to get? You're really putting on a show, Tristan. Take the ring off and give it back to Marcus right now. You know the consequences for not doing so."

"I understand you, Tristan. It's priceless jewelry. Maybe you've never seen something like this before," Marcus said, letting tears fall as he lowered his head. "This is a token of love from my parents. If you like other jewelry, I can get it for you. Just not this one. I can't do it…"

Jasmine snorted beside him. "You hear that, Tristan? Marcus is being so kind to you, yet you're still just standing there? Kneel and apologize to him!"

The two of them played off each other. It was as if I were the villain.

June flexed her wrist lightly. "Mr. York."

She was ready to handle it for me, but I shook my head.

"Not yet."

Jasmine still believed I couldn't live without her. It was a great opportunity to let her witness my wedding. After that, I could deal with them properly.

My two-word answer sparked a misunderstanding as Jasmine barked, "What are you waiting for, Tristan? Are you waiting for me to marry you?

"I'm warning you. If you don't kneel and apologize to Marcus, don't even think about bringing me into your house!"

What a joke!

In my last life, how did I not see that she demanded everything while giving nothing?

"Forget it. If Tristan likes the ring, I'll give it to him. My parents' anniversary is coming up anyway. I'll just get something new for them," Marcus said in a wounded tone.

The classmates still lying on the ground were wary of June, but they continued to flatter him.

"Marcus, you're too kind. That ungrateful bodyguard of his will get what's coming."

"Exactly! You're the real heir, yet she doesn't even know that. Isn't she just some lapdog?"

Jasmine seemed tired of arguing. She wrapped her arm around Marcus and brushed past me, waving as she spoke. "Let's go. Since Tristan has the talent to charm Marcus' bodyguard into losing her mind over him, tonight's bill is on Marcus. Eat and drink your fill!"

Even as she left, she couldn't resist smearing my name. I didn't argue and just smiled faintly.

Then, I made a call and froze the card I had given Jasmine.

That afternoon, she sent me an angry voice message.

"Tristan, why did you freeze my card? You took Marcus' ring, so I'm at an auction house buying him a new one! I'll even get you a watch as compensation. Wire the money now!"

I glanced at June, who was trying on a custom gown. "What watch? I can get one myself."

Since June needed to stay behind for dress alterations, I didn't bring her along and went with a group of regular bodyguards instead.

She looked a little upset with her lips pressed thinly together. There was a hint of grievance in her eyes as she nervously rubbed the edge of her sleeve.

"Mr. York, they're—"

I patted her shoulder gently, treating her reaction as concern. "Wait for me. When I come back, we'll get married. This dress is my design. It suits you perfectly… Though, I didn't expect your figure to be this good."

I kept part of the truth to myself. The dress was actually tailored to Jasmine's measurements.

I thought June would fit it, but I didn't think she would have a great figure of her own.

The mention of marriage made June blush. She stumbled on her words. I teased her lightly before heading for the auction house.

The moment I arrived at the auction house, I spotted Jasmine in a second-floor private box with Marcus in her arms. She made a gesture. "Raise a bid."

I glanced at the stage. The auction was indeed for a pink diamond. She wanted him to raise the bid for it. It was expensive for sure. Could she afford it?

Just then, Jasmine's gaze caught mine. A triumphant smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Tristan, it's been 40 minutes since I messaged you. You're getting more disobedient by the day.

"Since I'm a generous soul, I'll give you a chance to redeem yourself. Help Marcus buy this ring, and I'll forgive you."

Marcus looked at the ring with a flicker of greed in his eyes. His voice remained gentle. "So many bidders want that ring. What if he doesn't buy it for me because it's too expensive?"

"He won't. My word is law."

Everyone knew me in this hall. I was still the heir to the York family here.

Marcus could do nothing but nestle in Jasmine's arms.

Jasmine casually tossed me a watch. "Here's your compensation. White suits you."

I glanced at it. It was clearly a random gift. Marcus seized the moment to sweet-talk me.

"Tristan, Jasmine chose this watch with care. She says it matched your status perfectly. I'll help you try it on."

He stepped forward, holding the watch as if to put it around my wrist.

I tilted my body to dodge him. Before I moved, Marcus stumbled backward, and he fell onto the floor.

"Tristan… if you don't like me, just say so," he said, upset. "Why did you have to push me? My leg hurts so much…"

Jasmine, who had been lounging lazily in her seat, shot up in panic. She shoved me hard. My lower back slammed into the sharp corner of the table. Blood immediately spread through my white shirt.

"Tristan! Why would you push Marcus? If anything happens to him, I won't let you get away with it!"

She cradled Marcus's leg and blew on it as if she were soothing a child. His leg didn't show the slightest swell. When her eyes shifted to the blood at my waist, they filled with disgust. "Don't you know that Marcus faints at the sight of blood? Were you trying to make him uncomfortable on purpose?

"Don't think you get to harass him just because you bid on a ring for him!"

I pressed a hand against my side. Before I could respond, Marcus added fuel to the fire.

"Jasmine, there are so many people here. He has to be doing this on purpose to humiliate me," he continued the act, looking pitiful to melt her resolve. When she turned back to look at me, there was no warmth left in her eyes.

"Tristan insulted Marcus. I'm going to punish him for it right here," she declared. "I'm adding a new item to the auction—Tristan's intimate video. The starting bid is one dollar. Everyone's welcome to participate."

Her words struck like a thunderclap. My mind went blank for several seconds. By the time I came back to myself, the bodyguards I brought with me were already inching closer to me.

"What are you doing? I'm the heir to the Yorks. You answer to me, not Jasmine."