"I've told you a hundred times that Cassidy and I grew up together. She's like a sister to me and a son—well, a daughter—to my parents!" Felix argued.

It was the same old tune again. In the past, whenever we got into a fight because of Cassidy, Felix would insist that I try to understand his relationship with her or to put up with it and not make a fuss.

I tolerated their relationship until now, but instead of showing remorse, he took his dynamics with Cassidy to new heights. If I were to marry Felix and be part of his family, I could very well be forced to swallow even more bitter pills in the future.

The scions of the Johnson, Ludwig, and Rathbone families kept sending me texts, as eager as they were polite. I weighed my options and suddenly realized there was no reason for me to limit the marriage pool to Felix.

I lifted my chin, my gaze boring into his. "Let's break up, Felix."

"What?" Felix's eyes widened.

Before he could wrap his head around my words, Helen interjected with a sneer, "Well, who do you think you are, a princess? How dare you break up with my son?

"How popular do you think you are? Let me teach you a bit of history. Back in the day, women weren't even allowed to dine at the table unless they were family!

"We've been more than gracious to you!"

I shook my head at her words. It was one thing for Felix's family to be close-minded and ignorant, but another for Helen to keep running her mouth.

"Even if you were to break up, I'll make it clear that it was Felix who dumped you! Break up, for all I care!" With that, Helen spat in my face. "Who do you think you are anyway?"

Andrew was verbally telling Helen to stop, but he didn't physically stop Helen.

Cassidy rose to her feet and rubbed soothing circles on Helen's back to calm her. "Now, now, Helen, let's not be angry. This isn't worth raging over.

"How about I buy the two of you a nice meal at a restaurant later?"

I'd made the same suggestion when I arrived at the Zimmerman residence that afternoon, not wanting Andrew and Helen to slave away in the kitchen to host dinner.

But when I suggested eating out and that it'd be my treat, Andrew had turned me down. "Eating out is a waste of money. We'll just whip something up in the kitchen."

Helen had been nothing short of sarcastic. "I think so, too. You have no concept of money because you're not a breadwinner. In the end, you're just blowing through my son's hard-earned money."

I was so embarrassed. All I could do was twist the hem of my shirt and mutter my agreement.

But now, neither Andrew nor Helen objected to Cassidy's suggestion. The former even said approvingly, "I knew I could count on you to be thoughtful and considerate, Cassidy. You truly are the daughter we never had."

Felix stayed silent through all this, just as he had when his parents pointedly asked me to help in the kitchen earlier today. He never defended me, his silence enabling their behavior.

I was his girlfriend, yet I didn't feel half as protected or loved as I should be.

Paying no mind to their sickening hypocrisy, I left the Zimmerman residence.

Cassidy hurried after me, playing the peacemaker. "Sienna, don't leave! Helen's always been direct. Don't take it personally."

It wasn't until we were three floors down and fully out of Felix's and his parents' views that Cassidy quickened her pace. She grabbed me by my hair, pulling it tight so my scalp hurt.

I tried to break free, but her grip tightened even more. She leaned close to my ear and whispered menacingly, "You saw what happened, didn't you? Felix's parents don't like you, and you'll only suffer if you marry him.

"I suggest you remember every word his mother said today and stay the hell away from him. If not, I promise I'll make life a living hell for you!"

I tiptoed to alleviate the pain radiating from my scalp. "Do you think Felix knows how much of a shrew you are right now?"

Angered by my taunt, Cassidy raised her hand. "Talking back, are we? I'll teach you to shut up for your own good!"

The air shifted as she brought her palm down in an arc, ready to slap me hard across the face. But before she could make contact, hurried footsteps rang out in the stairwell.

Cassidy quickly drew her hands back.

Gritting her teeth, she flew down the last few steps and deliberately fell on her backside on the landing. A loud groan escaped her.

Cassidy looked up at me with red-rimmed eyes. "Sienna, I know you're furious, and I don't blame you. You can hit me again to feel better, but please don't do anything rash. You really are the only person Felix loves."

Tears streamed down her cheeks as if on cue. Anyone who saw us might feel sorry for her at first sight.

Felix happened to be the one who stumbled upon this scene. He immediately dashed to Cassidy's side and appraised her anxiously. "Are you hurt?"

He then glared at me, his eyes full of rage. "Sienna! Don't you know when to stop?"

Cassidy tugged on Felix's shirt, looking as if she were putting on a brave front despite the grievous hurt she'd been subjected to. "Forget it, Felix. Sienna's upset enough as it is. She doesn't need a lecture from you."

Felix grew even angrier upon hearing this. "Just because she's upset doesn't mean she can go on a rampage and hurt people! Who does she think she is?"

I shook my head out of exasperation. I knew exactly who I was—Felix was the clueless one.

All this time, I'd kept my identity a secret from Felix to shield his ego. I'd never told him I was the heiress of the most prestigious family in Hillsbury—the Winslows.

I was not just Felix's secretary or work partner. I was his boss. I was the person he answered to, the one who'd negotiated and made deals with his project collaborators in advance so that he only had to talk to them for formality's sake.

If I hadn't done that, I doubted even small-time plants and workshops would work with him based on his proposals alone.

Somehow, my silence gave Felix even more confidence in his righteousness. "Apologize to Cassidy right now, and I'll forgive you! I came down here because I was worried about you and wanted to comfort you, but I never thought you'd pull a stunt like this!

"How could you be so petty as to lash out at others?"

My gaze drifted to the jacket draped over his arm. It was Cassidy's.

The reason he'd come down here was clear.

For a while, I said nothing. I only stared at him icily.

After a long pause, Cassidy finally broke the silence. "Felix, let it go. We should bring Sienna back to the apartment. It's a little chilly here in the stairwell, and we wouldn't want anyone catching a cold."

Felix looked away from me, lowering his head as he asked Cassidy, "Can you walk?"

She acted as if to brace the pain and stand up, but after a few strained attempts, she bit her lip and shook her head.

Felix scooped her up into his arms, brushing past me as he headed upstairs. There was no telling if the chill was from the air shifting around him or the draft coming from the stairwell window, but my heart froze anyway.

After all, Felix and I had been dating for two years. We were planning to get engaged after the New Year festivities, so naturally, I still had some feelings for him.

But I was sensible enough to understand that I'd made the right call today, especially if I wanted to avoid a lifetime of misery and bullying from his family.

Deliberately choosing a spot Felix and his family could see from their windows, I put the ziplock bags down and opened them, offering the food to any strays scavenging in the area.

Then, I took a cab home.

After washing up, I began to choose who I'd like to dine with that evening. Dining with elders usually meant an evening of propriety, and all the other prestigious families were hoping to curry favors with mine.

I didn't want anyone using me as a stepping stone, lest I wake up tomorrow morning to rumors that I was secretly engaged to some scion.

Having weighed my options, I created a group chat and added a few contacts. "Forget about family dinners. Let's eat out this evening."

Everyone in the group chat was sporting enough to go along with my suggestion.

I arrived at the restaurant and was waiting for my dates to show up when I ran into Felix and his family, including Cassidy. They were raising their glasses, chatting and laughing away as they dined.

I wasn't planning on causing a scene, but Helen met my stare across the room and immediately pursed her lips. Whatever she muttered to her companions at the table after that prompted Andrew and Felix to look my way.

But when Felix noticed the two six-foot-tall, handsome men flanking me, he scowled and stormed up to me. "You did this on purpose, didn't you, Sienna? Who are these men? What's your relationship with them?"

Felix's double standards amused me.

"They're my friends. We all grew up together. It's not that uncommon. Last I checked, my dining here is none of your concern.

"Also, we've already broken up, so I'd appreciate it if you stopped bothering me."

Felix assessed the two men flanking me, both of whom wore bespoke couture suits, handmade leather shoes, and watches that cost well over five figures. Compared to him, the two men were in a completely different league.

Jealousy nearly drove Felix mad. He clenched his jaw and stepped forward angrily. "Your friends, huh? And you saw it fit to dress up for these male friends? You know as well as I do that you're trying to seduce them!"

He reached to grab me, but the two men immediately shielded me. They'd already picked up on the key information from my conversation with Felix. As rivals, this was their chance to prove themselves to me.

"Hey, buddy, it's bad to pick on a lady in public like this," one of them pointed out.

"Talk to her with some respect, or I'll have my bodyguards deal with you!"

Realizing he couldn't get close to me at all, Felix shot me a dark look before he left in disgruntled defeat.

The last person to arrive at dinner was the scion of the Rathbone family. He was two years my junior and had stuck to me like glue when we were children.

He'd left to study abroad after he grew up and had only just returned this year.

He was polite and chivalrous—traits that admittedly checked my boxes.

Once everyone had arrived, we adjourned to the private dining room and caught up over dinner, my unpleasant confrontation with Felix earlier forgotten. We didn't part ways until after 11:00 pm.

I went home to find my apartment in a mess.

My heart leaped to my throat. I entered the living room, where my mother's portrait lay shattered on the ground, evidently having been swept off the credenza. The candles and flowers I'd placed before her portrait in her memory also littered the ground.

Rage flooded me. I didn't have to be a fortune teller to know Felix was behind this.

"Aren't you worried about getting struck by lightning for grossly disrespecting the dead, Felix?" I roared as I slid open the balcony doors, wanting nothing more than to storm up to Felix and rip him apart with my bare hands.

But he simply greeted me with a smug smirk. "You didn't have the same fear when you betrayed me earlier. I thought I saw Mr. Rathbone dining with you and your companions at the restaurant.

"What, do you think my station isn't high enough to satisfy your pride? Is that why you've decided to move on to greener pastures?"

I had no idea what he was rambling on about.

Just as I was about to close the distance between us and beat him up, he raised his arm. In his grip was an ornate urn, and in it were Mom's ashes.

I couldn't bear to let Mom lie six feet underground, cold and alone. I wanted to take her with me wherever I went, like a reminder that she was always by my side.

I'd finally been able to put the urn beside her portrait and light a candle in prayer for her today. I didn't expect Felix to swoop in like a despicable prick and hold her ashes hostage.

He twisted open the lid and reached his arm past the balcony edge.

"No!" I cried, trying to stop him.

But he only tipped the urn forward even more. "You think you're so great, right? Go ahead and do whatever you want, then!"

My heart tightened, and I dared not breathe. I knew what Felix was after. He wanted me to beg him for mercy.

I caved for Mom.

Bowing my head, I said, "I'm sorry. What happened today was my fault."

Felix was unsatisfied. "You call that an apology?"

I gritted my teeth and fell to my knees, like a sinner asking for forgiveness. "I'm sorry."

He slapped me so hard across the face that I ended up falling. I tasted copper as blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth.

Felix grabbed me by my hair, lifting me off the ground and slapping me a few more times. His smile was a cruel, smug thing.

When he'd had his fill of violence, he hurled the urn on the ground. "See, we could have avoided all this if you'd behaved well right from the start."

He raised his foot to stomp on Mom's ashes. I tried to stop him, but he ended up viciously stomping on the backs of my hands instead.

He didn't let up until I'd grown numb from the pain, and he bolted for the bathroom to throw up.

I seized the chance to call my bodyguards. "You have five minutes to get to Redwood Heights and take down Felix!"