I chewed my food mechanically, my eyes devoid of emotion.

Abigail was someone I had once chased relentlessly, offering my sincere devotion and begging for her love, yet she treated me like something disposable.

Once, when I said I missed her, she gave me an address. But when I rushed there in wild excitement, all I saw was a crowd celebrating their win from a bet.

When I called her, she brushed it off and said, "I was just mentioning a place. I never said that I'd be there."

She had always been like this, trampling on my feelings and self-respect at every turn without mercy. I was truly exhausted.

The waiter looked at me helplessly. I simply waved my hand and said, "It's fine. You can go back to work."

Seeing how calm and unmoved I was, Abigail's brows furrowed. She repeated her old tricks and leaned close to Louis, every movement dripping with intimacy.

Cheers and teasing noises continued to rise from those around them.

After Abigail fed the champagne to Louis from her lips for the third time and shot me a provocative look, she finally saw me push my chair back and walk away.

She shoved Louis aside, caught up to me in a few strides, and grabbed me as she mocked, "Can't you handle it anymore? I would never want such a petty man as my husband."

I shook her off and asked, "Abigail, what gives you the confidence to think that I would definitely choose you?"

Abigail reacted as if she had heard the greatest joke. "Who else could it be? The Waller family just suffered a catastrophic investment failure. The Preston family's daughter is chronically ill. As for the Sutton family—"

Her lips curved into a cruel smile. "Their daughter is just there to fill the numbers. She's not even worth mentioning. Connor Foster, you have no other option but me."

Everything would be clear on my birthday. I had no interest in continuing to be the subject of their gossip.

Just as I was about to get into the car and head home, Louis ran out.

"Connor!" he shouted.

Since Dad and Abigail weren't around, he didn't bother pretending anymore. "Don't think that marrying Abby means you'll have her. The title's not important. The one who sleeps beside her is her real husband."

He spoke crudely, while I merely touched the antique cufflink and smiled faintly. "And yet, isn't that 'unimportant' title exactly what you want the most?"

Louis' smile froze, and he was so furious he nearly lost his footing. He knew exactly what I was saying.

Dad had sponsored him since elementary school and even arranged for him to work at Foster Group after graduation. He thought that he was opening the door to a new life for himself, but it turned out that he had unlocked a box of desire instead.

The reason he disappeared in my previous life had always remained a mystery. This time, I decided to stay out of it and watch how this pair of lovebirds would end up.

…

Dad told me that once the marriage alliance was officially announced, the engagement banquet would be held soon, so I needed to start preparing.

I ran into Louis at the designer's studio. Abigail had been having him dressed head to toe in luxury lately. At first glance, he really did look like the heir of a wealthy family.

He was on a video call with Abigail. When he saw me, he smiled and said to her, "Abby, I just went to see Mr. Foster Senior. He mentioned that Connor went to pick out his engagement outfit, and I happened to run into him right away."

Abigail saw me as well, and her smile faded instantly. "Connor, don't waste your effort. No matter how expensive you dress, you won't compare to a single strand of Louie's hair in my eyes."

Louis pretended to scold her. "Stop it, don't embarrass Connor."

He spread his arms and turned in front of me. "Connor, do you think this outfit looks good? Abby insisted on giving it to me. It's just a bit tight, so she told me to come adjust the size."

I hadn't intended to pay him any attention, but when I took in the blue suit he was wearing, I was shaken to my core. "How do you have this suit?"

I looked at Abigail on the screen. "Did you give it to him?"

That blue suit had been personally designed for me by my late grandmother. As an internationally renowned fashion designer, it was her final masterpiece.

In my previous life, I had once pointed at it and told Abigail happily that I wanted to wear it on our wedding day.

I had always kept it carefully stored in the Foster family's villa on the outskirts of Jorvale. I had no idea when Abigail took it, and I certainly didn't know that she gave it to Louis.

"Take it off immediately!" I said coldly.

Panic flickered across Louis' eyes. "Abby bought this especially for me!"

Abigail flew into a rage. "What's wrong with you, Connor? If you want to bully someone, at least consider the occasion. You're screaming like a madman! Someone acting like this has no right to be with me—"

I shouted back, "Abigail, explain yourself clearly! Where did this suit come from?"

"I bought it!" she snapped, raising her voice as well. "Connor, if you keep making a scene, you're going to regret it!"

Louis spoke up. "Please don't argue because of me. Oh—"

In his panic, Louis jerked his arm upward, and I watched helplessly as he ripped the cuff of this one-of-a-kind suit wide open.

My mind reeled, and I hit him across the face.

Louis covered his face, looking utterly aggrieved. "Connor, even if you're jealous of me, you still have to think about Abby."

Abigail's fury nearly burst through the screen. "Connor, apologize to Louie immediately!"

"What are you doing?"

A pleasant scent of gardenia filled my nose as a calm and cool female voice sounded above me. I hadn't expected to see Grace Sutton here.

Louis had no idea who she was. His face twisted as he snapped, "Who do you think you are? Do you know that I'm—"

"I don't know you. I only know that this gentleman is the only heir in the current generation of the Foster family," Grace replied.

She raised her eyes slightly, her gaze icy. "Are you trying to assault the only heir of the Foster family in public?"

At the words "only heir of the Foster family", Louis visibly trembled. Abigail also fell silent.

Grace positioned herself to block Abigail and Louis from view and looked up at me. Her voice held a barely perceptible softness. "Mr. Foster, would you like me to accompany you home?"

…

On the day of my 20th birthday banquet, Abigail still looked displeased when she entered.

"Mr. Foster Senior wants the four of us to go to his study later. The results will be announced privately first," she said to the other three women.

Then she walked up to me and said, "Connor, if you apologize to Louie now, I might still consider forgiving you."

Her movement was too abrupt, and the champagne in her hand nearly splashed onto me. Someone pulled me back just in time, and I stepped away.

I turned around and heard Grace ask softly, "Are you alright?"

When Abigail saw that it was her, she scoffed disdainfully. "Women from insignificant families always try to ingratiate themselves. Don't think showing up gives you the right to marry into the Foster family. You're only here to make up the numbers."

She said to me, "Connor, this is the last time I'll ask you. Are you apologizing to Louie or not?"

I turned my head away, ignoring her. Grace narrowed her eyes slightly and watched us in silence.

"Connor, don't come crying and begging me for forgiveness later," Abigail said before storming off.

Half an hour before the banquet began, the eldest daughters of each of Jorvale's four major families gathered in Dad's study. What they didn't know was that I was in the adjacent room, watching everything unfold through the surveillance feed.

With Dad's approval, the lawyer solemnly read the document aloud.

"After official notarization, Grace Sutton is hereby designated as the marital partner of Connor Foster, the seventh-generation sole heir of the Foster family. She is granted full authority over the finances and internal affairs of both Foster Group and Sutton Group."