Sonya was beaming with happiness. She gently pushed Michael away after hearing his words.

"I'll leave, and you two can talk. Michael, take good care of her, or I'll be against you."

Michael watched her walk away, feeling both comforted and moved. When he turned to Kylee, his gaze was filled with reproach.

"Sonya is kind and considerate. Even though she's not feeling well, she insists on watching you in the hospital room as she is afraid something might happen to you. But you are so narrow-minded and always get jealous. Don't show her your temper, or our wedding will be postponed for more than just a week."

Kylee was stunned for an instant. Then she found it amusing.

How confident could Michael be? She had announced their breakup in front of so many of his friends, but he still thought he could use the wedding to threaten her.

Kylee raised her head slightly and said firmly, "Michael, we have already broken off the engagement."

Her tone was resolute and unwavering.

Michael was stunned. Then he felt unusual irritation rising within him.

He suddenly stood up. "Kylee, I had someone rescue you right after I saved Sonya. What else do you want? Do you really think I'm afraid to call off our engagement?"

Just then, a sharp scream came from the room next door. "Ah, it hurts!"

Michael was jolted. Then he suppressed his anger and said, "Fine, just focus on recovering."

With that, he hurriedly left the hospital room.

In the following days, Michael did not appear in front of Kylee again.

But Kylee often overheard the nurses talking about him and Sonya enviously.

"Miss Wheeler is really lucky. Her boyfriend loves her so much. Even for a slight scratch, he calls the city's best specialists and stays by her side. He does everything she wishes."

"You are right. I even envy her. Look at Miss Stewart. She almost drowned, but her family never showed up here to take care of her. So tragic she is."

"Life deals different hands..."

Endless bitterness filled Kylee's heart. A heavy stone seemed to be pressing down on her chest and making it hard for her to breathe.

Michael had vowed to care for her, but he was now doing that to another woman.

Kylee was left alone to heal and to recover. She silently mended herself.

It was alright. Soon she would leave.

On the day of Kylee's discharge, Michael seemed to finally remember her. He asked her to attend his birthday party.

She didn't want to go. But James insisted she go there because the Stewart family's business still relied on the Powell family, so Kylee couldn't afford to sour relations.

Kylee eventually attended the party. It was bustling with the elite from the social circle in the city.

The moment Michael appeared, hand in hand with Sonya, they instantly became the focal point of everyone's attention.

Michael introduced Sonya with flair and invited her to lead the first dance at the banquet.

Their garments fluttered gracefully as their bodies touched. Sonya blushed deeply.

Sonya said, "Michael, am I too thin? I am not like Kylee, with curves that catch the eye."

Michael leaned in and whispered softly in her ear. "To me, you're the most beautiful. How could she compare to you?"

As he spoke, he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her body tightly against his. She could feel his private part hard.

Sonya gasped, and her face turned crimson as she buried her head into his chest shyly.

Kylee was close to them so as to hear their conversation clearly.

Each word pierced her heart with a subtle pain, but she maintained a polite smile.

The guests around them began to whisper among themselves.

"They're so intimate. Isn't Kylee supposed to be Michael's fiancée?"

"You're behind the times. Sonya is the apple of his eye now. He never celebrates his birthday as his mother died while giving birth to him, but he organized this one just because Sonya asked him to."

"Exactly. Kylee has long been out of favor. Look at her wearing an outdated dress. Without the Powell family's support, she is really nothing."

Kylee clenched her fists and endured the contemptuous gazes of others. But she was unable to escape.

If she walked away now, she would be a bigger joke.

She forced herself to engage with the crowd, holding onto her last shred of dignity.

Unexpectedly, Sonya and several friends stopped Kylee.

Sonya looked Kylee over in surprise and exclaimed, "Kylee, isn't your dress last season's style? Why didn't you wear the dress I asked Michael to give you? Was it not to your liking? If you didn't like it, I can have Michael send you another one. He never refuses my requests."

Though Sonya sounded considerate, she was actually flaunting Michael's affection for her.

Kylee sneered, "Not necessary. You and I have different tastes. The dress you choose doesn't suit my figure."

Sonya glanced at Kylee's voluptuous curves and bit her lip secretly. Then her eyes reddened. "Kylee, you have such a nice figure. Why not flaunt it in front of everyone?"

As soon as she finished speaking, her friends jumped in to defend her.

"That's right! Sonya and Michael are childhood sweethearts, a perfect match destined to be together. It's your fault for interfering, you homewrecker."

"Let's all go for it! Humiliate her by ruining her dress and let this homewrecker leave in shame."

They laughed maliciously, surrounded Kylee, and reached out to tear at her dress.

Kylee struggled desperately and called for help, but others feared offending Sonya and dared not step out.

Just as Kylee was about to collapse, the banquet hall doors burst open.

A group of security guards in black rushed in. They pinned Sonya and her friends to the floor forcefully.

Jerald entered slowly from outside. Although he was seated in a wheelchair, he exuded a suffocating aura of authority.

He looked around the hall before his gaze settled on Sonya.

He said in a chilling voice, "How dare you offend my future wife? You're courting death."

One of the bodyguards delivered a swift kick to Sonya's knee. So she was forced to get down on her knees.

Jerald continued, "Apologize to Miss Stewart now."

Sonya shook her head. She looked at Kylee with hatred in her eyes and refused to apologize.

"If you can't speak, then you can apologize by kneeling in front of Miss Stewart." As Jerald's words fell, the bodyguard grabbed Sonya's head and attempted to force her to bow towards Kylee.

Sonya was terrified, and tears even streamed down her face.

"Stop!" Michael shouted angrily and rushed over to stop the bodyguard.

Sonya immediately looked at him with tearful eyes and pleaded for help. "Michael, help me. Kylee got jealous when she saw me dancing with you. She not only hit me but is also forcing me to get down on my knees and apologize to her. I'm terrified..."

Michael's gaze turned sharp as he looked at Kylee. "Kylee, how did you become so cruel?"

Kylee retorted coldly, "Michael, when did you become so gullible? Do you believe everything she says?"

Michael was stunned, and doubt rose in his heart.

But he saw Sonya's frail figure and realized that she couldn't withstand kneeling any longer. So he set aside his doubts to rescue her.

Michael approached Jerald and warned the latter. "Who are you? This is a private matter of mine. It's none of your business. Let her go immediately, or you will face the consequences."

Michael stood tall and imposing. He was showing an air of authority that often made others submit unconsciously when he was angry.

Yet Jerald merely smiled slightly and didn't fear at all. Instead, he exuded a unique, noble aura. "Miss Stewart's matters are my matters. Of course, I must intervene. I'm Jerald Spencer from Banland, and also Miss Stewart's fiancé."

The last word sounded intimate and gentle, like a stone lightly cast into a pond, creating ripples in Kylee's heart.

Kylee looked at Jerald, momentarily entranced.

Michael was shocked and couldn't believe it.

He had heard of the Spencer family, especially Jerald, who was outstanding among his peers. He wielded power at a young age and was known as the uncrowned king of Banland.

Did Jerald just say he was Kylee's fiancé?

Thinking of this, Michael shook his head and laughed.

"That's impossible. I am her fiancé. Kylee, he's fake, isn't he?"

Michael looked at Kylee nervously. He seemed to care about her very much.

But Kylee knew that was just Michael's vile possessiveness. He didn't love her, but he wouldn't allow her to be with another guy.

"It's true. I've already broken off my engagement with you. From now on, we have no relations with each other." Kylee's calm tone was like a sharp sword piercing Michael's heart, causing him intense pain and making his face turn pale.

His eyes reddened, and he retorted angrily. "It's impossible. You're just jealous and throwing a tantrum, so you found a guy to deceive me and provoke me. You'd better apologize to me now, and I'll let this go, or I won't forgive you."

Kylee almost laughed out of anger. She wasn't bothered to argue further. Instead, she walked straight to Jerald, lowered her head, and kissed him deeply.

Her lips were soft as rose petals. And her falling hair gently brushed his face and caused a slight tickle.

The tickle seemed to spread into Jerald's heart and stirred uncontrollable joy and excitement.

As the kiss ended, Kylee looked up at Michael. "Do you believe it now?"

Michael clenched his fists tightly and stared at her reddened lips.

He knew she wasn't a promiscuous woman. So Jerald must really be her fiancé, as she kissed him.

At that moment, Michael was overwhelmed with jealousy.