To nourish her first love, Grayson Lane, Joyce Patel stewed my beloved pet, a snake.

Her best friend Mollie Spence asked her, "Aren't you afraid Colten will be angry? That snake was left by his dad!"

Joyce scoffed, lifting her chin proudly to look at me.

"Just him? He's nothing but a simp to me, just like a loyal dog I raised, so how dare he get mad at me?"

I nodded coldly and slapped her across the face.

In front of everyone, I tore the wedding invitation to shreds.

"I'm not marrying you."

——

I stood there with red eyes, breathing heavily as I glared at Joyce.

"You stewed the snake I raised for Grayson?

"Didn't you know that was left to me by my dad?"

I grew up in a single-parent family. Three years ago, a fire took my dad's life.

The little black snake was my dad's only legacy.

Fury coursed through me as I stood in front of the table, and the living room plunged into silence, the atmosphere tense.

Joyce's friend Mollie couldn't hold back any longer. Mollie cautiously looked at me and then pulled Joyce, who was sitting next to her first love Grayson.

"Joyce, you should apologize to Colten.

"I told you before, Colten would be angry. That snake was left by his dad."

Seeing my gloomy face, Joyce showed no concern; instead, she looked down on me, chin raised.

"Colten, who are you trying to impress with this act?

"It's just a snake. Grayson had an accident and doesn't feel well. What's wrong with me making something nutritious for him?

"Can't you be a bit less petty? You're embarrassing me."

She furrowed her brows, scolding me impatiently, implying that I was being unreasonable.

Hearing her words, I froze.

Even now, Joyce wasn't thinking about how to apologize but was busy playing the victim.

She openly defended Grayson, while subtly accusing me.

I couldn't believe she was my fiancee, with whom I had been for three years, soon to be married.

Right in front of me, she was defending another man, and I couldn't imagine how many times she had cheated on me behind my back.

I felt pathetic as a man.

The fire inside me blazed, and I couldn't hold back any longer. I laughed in anger.

"Joyce, you're stomping on my pride.

"I'll only ask you here in front of everyone. Grayson or me? Who do you choose?"

Joyce hesitated, clearly not expecting me to be so serious.

Mollie sensed the tension and quickly urged her to apologize to me.

Joyce's expression wavered, and she was about to speak.

Suddenly, Grayson, who had been silent, coughed violently, pale against the chair, his gaze toward Joyce filled with guilt.

"Joyce, it's all my fault. If I hadn't had the car accident, you wouldn't have argued with Colten over a pet snake."

I let out a cold laugh.

"Grayson, are you hiding behind a woman to stir trouble? Are you Joyce's kept boy?"

Before Grayson could respond, Joyce seemed to hit a nerve and stood up suddenly.

"Colten, what do you mean by that?

"I won't allow you to insult Grayson. Apologize to him!"

She stood protectively in front of Grayson, pointing a finger at me, glaring.

Everyone else in the room looked at me with disapproval, silently forcing me to back down.

I suddenly felt exhausted.

This was my home, yet I ended up feeling like an outsider, threatened by everyone.

Seeing my dark expression, Mollie grabbed Joyce's arm, whispering.

"Joyce, maybe it's better to let this go. After all, you were in the wrong…"

Joyce shrugged off her hand, sneering at me.

"It's just a pet snake. I did nothing wrong!

"Besides, Colten is nothing but a like dog I raised. How dare he get mad at me?"

Joyce knew exactly that wasn't an ordinary pet snake. It represented my pain and longing after I lost my father, holding a profound meaning for me.

Yet, to vent her anger, she deliberately belittled it, hurting me so badly.

Sadness and rage washed over me.

I couldn't hold back any longer and slapped Joyce.

"Colten! How dare you hit me!"

Joyce covered her reddened cheek, staring at me in disbelief.

I smirked coldly, pulling out the wedding invitation in front of everyone and tearing it to pieces.

"I don't just want to hit you. I'm also calling off this engagement!

"Sorry, I'm a normal man, and I don't want to marry a woman like you!"

After Joyce belittled the little black snake and said I was just like her pet dog, I looked at her with eyes that no longer held the same tolerance and affection.

My love was meant for a woman who deserved it.

I coldly stared at her and the group of friends she had brought along.

"This is my home. Please leave now."

Joyce was taken aback, her eyes wide with shock as a sharp voice squeezed out from her throat.

"Colten, what do you mean by that?"

"I mean for you all to get lost."

I didn't bother looking at her as I picked up the plate full of snake flesh.

Upon seeing the little black snake, unrecognizable and lying on the plate, I felt a wave of sadness spread across my face.

Joyce glanced at me but thought I was just pretending.

She resumed her usual arrogant demeanor, crossing her arms and standing beside me, waiting for me to soften and coax her.

"Colten, what I said just now was a bit hurtful, but it was only because you insulted Grayson first. I said that on purpose to vent to him.

"How about this? You apologize to Grayson, and I'll help you make amends so he will forgive you.

"As for what you owe me for hitting me, we can settle that afterward."

Look at how self-righteous she sounded.

It was as if, in her eyes, I was the one causing trouble, while she and Grayson were the innocent victims.

I looked at Joyce coldly. "Can you not understand my words?

"Then listen carefully.

"Joyce, I'm calling off our engagement. I'm not marrying you!"

After that, I walked past her, and she didn't react quickly enough to step aside, so my shoulder hit hers hard.

Joyce cried out in pain and noticed that I didn't stop.

At that moment, she finally realized I was serious.

Joyce started to panic and quickly grabbed my arm.

"Colten, is it really worth it to gamble our marriage on a whim? We're not kids anymore. How can we treat marriage like a joke?

"It's just a snake! I can just buy you another one from the pet market!"

I looked at the woman I had cherished and protected for three years, suddenly feeling so tired, so weary.

For three years, Joyce wasn't unaware of my father's death.

When I was young, my mom divorced my dad and moved far away, and I never saw him again.

My dad had to be both mother and father, raising me all alone.

When I graduated from college and wanted to start a business, my dad didn't pour cold water on my dreams like other parents. Instead, he patted my shoulder and looked at me with encouragement.

"If you want to do it, I'll support you with all my efforts."

But he wasn't a big shot. He was just an ordinary snake farmer.

He spent his life dealing with snakes, and the best way he could think to support me was to wake up early and work hard at the market, promoting the snakes he raised.

I saw it, felt the pain in my heart, and vowed to make something of myself.

Later, when my company finally got a big order, I was overjoyed and rushed home to share the news with him, only to see our old house engulfed in thick black smoke.

It was reduced to ruins, and everything inside was gone.

That day, I experienced both great joy and profound sorrow.

I finally succeeded in my career, but my father was gone.

When I felt utterly hopeless, the little black snake crawled out from the grass at my feet.

It had escaped from home while playing and had avoided the disaster.

I wept as I held it tightly in my arms.

At that time, Joyce and I had just started dating. I didn't dare to tell her about my background, fearing that my impoverished past would earn her disdain.

But that day, unable to contain my pain, I revealed everything to her.

I thought she would break up with me, but instead, when she heard my story, her eyes turned red as she embraced me and softly promised to stand by my side for life.

At that moment, my eyes welled with tears, and I swore to myself.

I would treat Joyce well for the rest of my life.

Little did I expect that in just three years, she would change her heart.

…

I still had many wedding invitations I had painstakingly made in my bag, and at that moment, I took them all out and threw them into the trash can.

Joyce's expression changed dramatically when she sensed my silence.

Finally, she gritted her teeth and grabbed my arm.

"Colten, you said you would treat me well for the rest of your life. Have you forgotten it?"

Her petite figure stood before me, and I looked down just to see her pouting lips and reddened eyes.

Normally, I would have softened at this sight.

But now, I felt completely exhausted, as if all my love for her had been drained away in the chaos.

I tugged slightly and pulled my sleeve free from her grip.

"Joyce, you said the same thing to me.

"But how have you treated me? You stewed the little black snake my dad left for the sake of Grayson. That's how you treat me?

"And since Grayson returned from abroad, what have you and he been up to behind my back this past six months? Do you think I know nothing about it?"

Joyce's body stiffened instantly as she looked up at me in disbelief.

"Colten, did you have someone investigate me?

"I'm your fiancee, but you don't trust me?"

Facing her question, I gave her a disappointed glance and let out a cold laugh.

"Joyce, you paid for everything you bought for Grayson with my card, and the bank notifications are all coming to my phone. Do I still need to investigate you specifically?"

For three years, fueled by Joyce's promise to treat me well for life, I had worked so hard in business to provide her with the best life.

Joyce hadn't worked for three years. I had pampered her at home, and her days were filled with shopping and dining with friends.

Completely out of touch with reality, she had even forgotten about bank transaction notifications.

When I exposed her in public, her expression darkened.

"Grayson used to treat me well. He just returned and needs money in all aspects. I just wanted to help him. It's not what you think!"

I scoffed, "Does he have a hard time? Is it harder than what I went through?"

Joyce's lips moved, but she couldn't utter a word for a long time.

She finally felt a hint of guilt, her eyes filled with regret and shock, and a trace of subtle concern.

I was taken aback.

How long had it been since I had seen concern in Joyce's eyes?

Ever since Grayson returned six months ago, Joyce had changed completely, chasing after him all the time.

She insisted she no longer loved Grayson and only wanted to make up for past regrets.

But her eyes exposed her.

She could fool me with words, but her eyes betrayed her.

I had tried to be magnanimous, pretending not to notice her intense feelings, thinking she would return home once she grew tired.

But what did I get in return?