At those words, my whole body went rigid. At the same time, my heart turned completely cold.

Vivian had long since become completely unrecognizable.

I curled my fingers, and as I looked down at her, my eyes turned dark and deep.

"Vivian, perhaps I've indulged you to the point where you've forgotten who I am. I am not merely Isaac—I am the only heir to my family. I don't need you, but your family certainly needs me.

"Because without me, you and your family are nothing. I'm calling off this engagement if it's the last thing I do, you hear?"

Agitated by my words, Vivian shot up and grabbed my arm tightly. Then, she said with a fierce glare, "You wouldn't dare! Mr. Ferguson Senior will never allow it. Your family can't just forget everything we've done for you!"

"We can't?" I violently shook off her hand with a mocking smirk, as if touching her for even a second longer would somehow soil me. "Vivian, Mr. Vega Senior saved my grandfather. He did not bind my entire family to yours in eternal servitude.

"My family repaid that debt 100 times over a long time ago. Oh, and be sure to check the trending headlines tonight. My grandfather will personally address this engagement fiasco between us."

I uttered the last sentence slowly and deliberately, my voice firm and icy cold.

The color drained from her face. But then, as if something occurred to her, the panic on her face was instantly replaced by a sneer.

"You've got to be kidding. You're clearly just trying to piss me off so I'll come crawling back to you. This whole playing hard to get act is way too obvious. How boring."

Her face, flushed red from the argument, and all those useless retorts were nothing but a joke in my eyes.

"It's up to you whether you want to believe it."

With that, I deftly tossed the termination of engagement into her lap. Then, I turned and walked away without looking back.

The termination of engagement between me and Vivian stirred up a massive uproar in Havenport, and Vega Group's stock price plummeted overnight.

During this time, Vivian called me no fewer than 20 times, all of which I blocked.

Little did I expect that our next meeting would be at a press conference where she accused me of cruel abuse.

The allegations included, but were not limited to, exerting control over her, emotional abuse, and attempting to use money to restrict her freedom. She also produced partially falsified chat logs to support her claims.

Vivian's hand was shaking as she gripped the microphone on stage.

"He was so controlling that he wouldn't even let me hang out with friends!"

Richard, picking up on her emotion, felt his own eyes redden as he looked into the camera and said, "All Vivian has ever wanted is freedom. So, Mr. Ferguson, please let her go."

The reporters in the audience buzzed with murmurs.

"Who would've thought the heir of the richest family in the world would turn out to be a creep. Truly, the wealthy have their own brand of drama."

Another clicked their tongue. "Poor woman. By exposing all this today, she's basically picking a fight with the Ferguson family. There's no way she won't face retaliation."

Remarks of this kind multiplied, and soon the place was in an uproar.

Arlene and I watched everything unfold from below the stage. We exchanged a knowing glance before letting out an involuntary scoff.

Since they wanted a scene, I decided to give them a bigger one.

Arlene stepped forward and snatched a microphone straight from a reporter's hand. Without missing a beat, she fired off three questions at the pair on the stage.

"You want freedom? Vivian, do you dare to take off that scarf around your neck and let everyone see if there's a collar mark left there by your master?

"Richard, how do you plan to account for the fact that you put her up to stealing the core data from Ferguson Group's Galaxy Project?

"Vivian, you willingly play the part of Richard's lapdog on one hand, while on the other, you covet the Ferguson family's wealth and refuse to accept the termination of engagement.

"You really want to have your cake and eat it too, while spinning the narrative entirely in your favor!"

The moment the words landed, the entire venue erupted into an uproar, buzzing with even more shocked murmurs than before.

Camera lenses swiveled frantically, shutters clicking incessantly.

Vivian's eyes stung from the flash of cameras as she instinctively moved to shield Richard.

"You're simply spouting baseless accusations out of thin air! Are you, by any chance, one of Isaac's mistresses waiting in line for his attention?" Her tone abruptly softened the next second as she turned to Arlene with a warning.

"Isaac isn't a good person. When he loved me, he gave me everything. But when he didn't, he treated me like dirt. He even went after my family's company.

"Take it from someone who's experienced it—what happened to me will happen to you. Turn back before it's too late."

Vivian really knew how to put on an act. All it took was a few tears and some sweet talk, and suddenly everyone was on her side.

Unfortunately for her, she was dealing with Arlene, who was known as the Iron Fist of Alluvial Flats. No way would Arlene be brought down by some cheap tricks from a two-faced woman like Vivian.

Arlene quietly wiped the corner of her eye as well, playing along with the emotional appeal.

"You're wrong, Vivian. You, coming from a poor and humble background, were never worthy of Isaac in the first place. But because you promised as a girl to love him forever, that fool went against his family's wishes and endured 39 lashes just to marry you.

"Not only did he pull strings to lift your family up, but he also gave you a black card to give you status. Yet, during the engagement party, you signed a master-servant contract with another man behind his back."

The tide turned once again, leaving the reporters utterly stunned. They scurried back and forth with their cameras, busier than ever.

"Don't be fooled by her," Vivian shouted frantically from the stage.

Despite that, no one was willing to believe her anymore after seeing the photo of the contract Arlene had displayed on the big screen.

The crowd erupted in fury, hurling insults at Vivian and Richard, branding them a shameless, scandalous pair.

Seeing the situation take a turn for the worse, Richard muttered a curse under his breath. He then let go of the microphone, and it crashed to the floor with a piercing screech.

A chorus of groans rose from the crowd as people hurriedly clamped their hands over their ears.

Just then, the security guards on site suddenly stirred into action, shoving their way onto the stage and violently pushing Arlene off.

A heavy thud echoed as Arlene, unable to catch herself in time, hit her head hard against the ground. Blood pooled across her features, a ghastly mask that was horrifying to behold.

With his back to the crowd, Richard shot me a vicious grin and silently mouthed, "Look at that. How pathetic."

The last thread of my restraint snapped. In an instant, my eyes bloodshot, I stormed the stage and threw a punch that broke Richard's nose right in front of the entire press.

"You're dead, Richard!"

Richard was beaten into a curled-up heap on the floor, blood streaming from his nose and the corner of his mouth.

Horrified by the scene, Vivian rushed up and grasped my arm.

"Isaac, stop! I was wrong—I know that now. Please spare Richard!"

The press conference manager snapped out of it and immediately rushed onto the stage, calling for someone to dial 911.

The sight of Arlene's deathly pale face brought me back to my senses. I scooped up her unconscious body and carried her toward the door.

Before leaving, I issued my final ultimatum to them, "Vivian, you and your family had better prepare for bankruptcy liquidation."

Arlene's surgery lasted a full eight hours before she was finally out of danger. She remained in the ICU for recovery. Only after confirming she was okay did the anxiety that had gripped me all day finally begin to ease.

I was about to head back and pack some clothes for Arlene when, just as I left the hospital, I was ambushed by a group of masked assailants and taken to a warehouse on the outskirts of town.

Vivian strode out of the shadows, a knife clutched in her hand. Close behind her came Richard, his face twisted with malice and his arm in a cast.

She came at me like a woman possessed, shrieking hysterically as she pressed a knife against my throat. The blade left a deep, bloody gash.

"Isaac, you lunatic! You actually had someone run Richard over just to keep me by your side? Are you satisfied now that he's crippled for life?"

A car accident? Confusion flickered in my eyes. I shook my head and said, "What are you talking about? If I were going to make a move, do you think I'd leave that scumbag alive?"

"Shut your mouth!" She swung her hand down, and my cheek burned with pain. "Who else but you would use such despicable tactics? Calling the police would be letting you off too easily.

"I want you to kneel and apologize to Richard! Otherwise, do you really think the people you left at the hospital can protect Arlene?"

Vivian's expression was pure venom as she held up her phone, showing me a video of someone pulling out Arlene's oxygen tube.

Arlene was still lying in the ICU because of me, so I'd be damned if I let anyone hurt her again.

"Vivian, if Arlene gets so much as a scratch, I'll make you and Richard pay with your lives!"

Vivian kicked me viciously. "You're in no position to make demands. Every second you make Richard wait for his apology, I'll cut off one of Arlene's fingers."

I gritted my teeth so hard that the veins in my forehead stood out. Dropping to my knees, I turned to the sneering Richard beside me and said, "I was wrong. Please forgive me."

Richard limped toward me, dragging a metal rod. Without a word, he swung it hard against my back.

"So what if you're the richest man in the world? To me, you're just a worthless mongrel!"

"That's right, keep going. Hit him harder." Vivian was off to the side, eagerly recording the whole thing. "Isaac, say 'I'm a bastard, and I deserve this,' and I'll have them stop."

I turned my head and spat out the blood in my mouth. Silently, I fixed my bloodshot eyes on them, like a vengeful spirit clawing its way out of hell.

"A tough guy, huh? Let's see which is harder—your bones or this metal rod of mine!"

Blow after blow landed on my most vulnerable spots. Several times, I heard the sound of bones cracking, the pain so intense it made my scalp tingle. Then, a heavy strike hit the back of my head, and everything went black in an instant.

Just before losing consciousness, I heard Vivian's panicked voice.

"...He seems to have stopped breathing? What do we do?"

"So what if he's dead?" Richard replied indifferently. "He's just a rich businessman, not some big shot who controls the underworld. Who's going to care whether he lives or dies?"

The sound of footsteps gradually faded away, and my vision flickered between black and white. My ears rang with a deafening buzz, and my head felt as if it were splitting apart from the pain.

I fumbled for the watch on my wrist, trying to press the distress signal. But I no longer had the strength.

Just as I was helplessly sensing death closing in from blood loss, a deafening explosion erupted.

Amidst the blazing flames, a man in a black suit strode in. Behind him, squad after squad of bodyguards rushed in with their guns raised.

The man at the front gathered me into his arms, calling my name over and over again.

"Isaac, stay awake! I'm so sorry I'm late."