Cassian’s fans swarmed every exit, leaving her no path to escape.

They demanded answers from Vivienne, his agent, about the mortifying scene at the awards.

The event had been broadcast live and everyone witnessed Vivienne’s humiliating display, standing there in a wedding dress, lost in a hopeless dream.

“Oh, please, did she really think Cassian’s tweet was about proposing to her? Like she’s even in his league!”

“What a delusional, self-important frog!”

As soon as Vivienne appeared in their sights, their rage ignited and a storm of insults filled the air.

A few fans even threw withered vegetables and eggs at her, leaving her once-pristine lace gown smeared with dirt and stains, reducing her to a picture of utter defeat.

Vivienne bowed her head, silently enduring each jeer.

In two weeks, she would finally be free of Cassian and causing a scene now would only draw his attention.

Just hours before the awards ceremony, Cassian had sent her the wedding dress, along with a bouquet of roses.

Nestled among the petals was a card in his own handwriting. [Wear this and be my bride.]

Her heart had raced at those words, drumming with a mix of hope and disbelief.

After five years, hidden in the shadows as his secret lover, Cassian was finally ready to acknowledge her. In that instant, Vivienne felt that every sacrifice, every stolen moment, had been worth it.

But now, reality had shattered that illusion, a brutal slap leaving her thoroughly awakened.

Cassian had only wanted to humiliate her, using her devotion as a cruel game.

“Cassian is coming out!”

At someone’s shout, the angry crowd surrounding her surged toward him.

Vivienne was left standing alone, humiliated, watching Cassian as he carefully escorted Freya, basking in the crowd’s praise and blessings.

Then, someone asked why she had stood up in a wedding gown during Cassian’s proposal.

Cassian’s gaze swept the crowd, settling on Vivienne with a cold indifference.

His voice held not a shred of warmth as he spoke, dripping with disdain. “We’ve crossed paths a lot for work. I suppose someone got the wrong idea.”

“Thankfully, Freya is understanding and didn’t mind this madwoman disrupting our proposal.”

Freya, content in Cassian’s arms, beamed at the crowd. “Thank you all for your blessings! Let’s focus on celebrating, not on anything unimportant.”

She continued with a soft, forgiving tone, “Vivienne just made a mistake in the moment. I hope everyone will let her move on and avoid targeting her online.”

Fans burst into applause, marveling at Freya’s kindness and beauty.

The sight of this flawless couple made Vivienne feel a wave of nausea. She turned to leave, but a fan with sharp eyes stopped her, calling out, “Vivienne hasn’t apologized to Freya yet!”

In an instant, the crowd rallied, chanting, “Apologize! Apologize! Vivienne, apologize!”

The sound rose, reverberating through her chest. For a fleeting moment, Vivienne felt unsteady. Had it all truly been her fault?

Cassian shot a cold, disdainful look at Vivienne, her appearance utterly disheveled and humiliated. Holding Freya’s hand, he approached her, frowning with an air of contempt.

"Vivienne, whatever ridiculous fantasies you might indulge in privately, you’ve crossed the line," he said sharply.

He sneered, his voice laced with scorn. "Don’t you understand how meaningful a proposal is for a woman? You’ve ruined a precious moment for Freya. Isn’t it time you apologized?"

Freya tugged softly on Cassian’s sleeve, her voice delicate, yet her gaze at Vivienne glinting with pride. "Let’s not be too harsh on her," she murmured. "It must be hard for her, liking you so much but watching us find happiness together."

Cassian’s handsome features twisted in disdain as his gaze shifted to Vivienne, his expression as if she were something distasteful he’d rather avoid.

With a cold scoff, he said, "Why should I care about her feelings? It’s pathetic. She’s like a leech, clingy and unwilling to let go.”

The foul smell of raw egg clung to her hair as Vivienne stood silently, letting Cassian and Freya’s taunts wash over her.

Only the night before, Cassian’s embrace had been possessive, his kisses searing and unrelenting, as if he couldn’t pull away.

But now, his words sliced through her with a merciless edge, every ounce of warmth gone.

When Vivienne stayed silent, Cassian’s patience thinned and a shadow of irritation crossed his face.

"Vivienne, are you mute? Or deaf?" he spat. "I told you to apologize to Freya, didn’t you hear me?"

With nowhere left to turn, Vivienne raised her head, looking into the eyes of the man who had filled her world for eight years, feeling a jarring sense of unfamiliarity.

Yet perhaps, knowing Cassian’s egotistical pride, it was no surprise it had come to this.

At fifteen, Vivienne’s life had unraveled when her father’s failed investments buried them in debt.

In despair, he abandoned her and her mother, taking his life with a leap from a twenty-story building.

Her mother, alone and desperate, hid from creditors and worked herself into exhaustion, juggling four jobs until her health gave out and left her bedridden.

Vivienne had barely entered high school when her world collapsed.

When her life seemed to be at a dead end, Cassian appeared like a lone ray of light piercing the darkness.

At twenty, he paid off her father’s debts, arranged top medical care for her mother and even allowed Vivienne to continue her studies.

At first, she had been cautious around him, fearing hidden motives. But as the months passed, she realized he expected nothing in return and rarely visited her.

Yet the image of his handsome profile, as he held an umbrella for her during a rainstorm, had etched itself into her heart.

That memory had stayed with her for eight years.

Perhaps it was the dim evening light, but Vivienne found herself wondering if the man before her was still the Cassian she had once loved.

"Oh, Cassian, please don’t push Vivienne any further. She just…" Freya’s soft voice cut through the tension, only to be interrupted by Vivienne’s cool response.

"Fine. I’ll apologize."

The crowd, noisy moments before, fell into an abrupt silence.

The arrogance in Cassian’s eyes wavered for a brief moment as he frowned, eyeing Vivienne with growing suspicion. "Are you really apologizing to Freya? Don’t start cursing us behind our backs."

Vivienne clasped her hands over her abdomen and bowed deeply toward both Cassian and Freya. With genuine sincerity, she spoke, "I apologize. Today, I was wrong."

She shouldn’t have held onto any illusions about Cassian.

From the moment he had hurt her for Freya, Vivienne should have understood her place and severed her feelings. Instead, she had let herself become a spectacle, disgraced to the point of being cast aside.

In the end, she was about to leave the land where she had spent twenty-three years of her life, escaping to a foreign country.

"Ruining your proposal was my fault. If there’s anything I can do to make up for it, please let me know."

Her voice was quiet, humbling herself as if she truly regretted her actions. But instead of remorse, Cassian’s fury only deepened.

He looked at her with cold eyes, irritation pulsing through him at the very sight of her. "Who knows if you’re being sincere or just putting on an act? I don’t believe a word you say."

Freya playfully tugged at Cassian’s ear. "Oh, Cassian, don’t be so cruel."

She added, "Vivienne already apologized. What more do you want from her?"

By now, the security guards had started clearing the crowd, leaving only the three of them behind.

Cassian’s gaze turned hard as he spoke, "I want her to kneel and apologize to you!"

The words hung in the air and even Freya paused, momentarily stunned, before her shock gave way to a self-satisfied smirk.

Vivienne stared at him in disbelief. "Are you out of your mind?"

Years ago, when she’d been on her knees, drenched in rain and desperation, begging him for help against the debt collectors, Cassian had pulled her up and told her that her knees were only for heaven, for earth and for her parents, not for anyone else.

Now, this same man was demanding that she kneel to someone else.

Seeing the familiar fear and pleading in her eyes, Cassian’s pride swelled further, his voice dripping with venom as he scolded her.

"You humiliated Freya in front of everyone. Isn’t it only fair for you to kneel and apologize?"

"Vivienne, when did you become the kind of person who refuses to own up to her actions?"

Vivienne pressed her lips together, her whole body trembling with barely contained anger. "I won’t."

Most of the guests had already filed out of the venue and a security guard approached, inquiring when they planned to leave.

With tears brimming in her eyes, Freya wrapped her arms around Cassian. "Cassian, with Vivienne acting like this, can we even believe her apology was sincere?"

"She turned my proposal into a joke and still, I was willing to forgive her…"

Cassian frowned, gently pulling Freya closer. He then turned his piercing gaze to Vivienne.

"Vivienne, isn’t groveling to the wealthy what you do best? All we’re asking is for you to apologize to Freya, yet you refuse?"