Alice Hunt’s performance was flawless.

With her elegant grace, Alice resembled a white swan, and Justin’s gaze never left her.

Quentin sent me a message: [Bring your little babies back to Arcania too. I’ll help you take care of them.]

Tears welled up in my eyes.

I hadn’t shed a tear even when Justin had called off his proposal.

How wonderful it felt to be truly loved.

After the performance came another celebration.

By the third round of drinks, Collin Campbell, a mutual friend of Justin and myself, sighed quietly.

“Even though Justin left to find his first love on the day of his proposal, I’m sure it was just a moment of confusion. He loves you, Viola. You should wait for him.”

I slammed my glass down and fixed Justin with a sharp glare.

“Even a meal can’t shut you up, can it? I’m done waiting.”

As I watched Justin and Alice whispering sweetly in the distance, a bittersweet realization settled over me.

How had I missed his true feelings during our three years together?

Love couldn’t be hidden. He loved Alice.

“I’m so sorry about what happened last time, Viola. I never intended to trouble Justin,” Alice said as she approached me.

Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders and back, and her lavender dress accentuated her ethereal appearance.

She looked every bit like the quintessential first love of a romance trope.

“It’s fine. As long as you’re happy,” I replied with a polite smile. After all, it would all be over soon.

My indifferent response caused a subtle crack in Alice’s composed expression.

Her face dimmed momentarily before brightening again.

Finally, she raised her champagne glass to toast me, her slender, pale fingers adorned with none other than my engagement ring.

“You!” I hissed, my chest tightening painfully.

“Oh, this ring?” Alice laughed boldly, her voice filled with pride.

“It’s a gift from Justin to celebrate my perfect performance. Isn’t it beautiful?”

“Take it off! I searched high and low for that gemstone in Avani before I found it!”

I had always loved the rich orange-pink hues of a fiery sunset.

That love led me to Avani where I discovered the perfect gem and asked Justin to use it in his proposal.

It symbolized purity and that purity was now ruined.

“Yours? Did you engrave your name on the stone?” she asked, her tone dripping with sarcasm.

“Viola,” Justin interjected, his tailored suit immaculate, hands casually tucked into his pockets.

Bathed in the opulent glow of the crystal chandelier, he looked like a figure from a dream.

“Alice really likes the ring, so I decided to give it to her. You don’t mind, do you?”

The atmosphere turned cold instantly and the room plunged into silence.

Our friends lowered their gazes, unwilling to meet mine.

“You gave my engagement ring to another woman. How can I not mind it?” I asked, my voice sharp with restrained anger.

“The gemstone isn’t worth that much. Next time, I’ll propose with a three-carat diamond,” he replied dismissively.

“Return the stone to me. I paid for it myself. Then I’m going back to Arcania,” I said firmly.

“Are you serious?” Justin’s tone turned cold as he straightened, the last hint of amusement fading from his face.

“The Nolans are among the most prominent in Marina Sands. Where will you find a man better than me?”

I rewarded him with a dramatic roll of my eyes.

“If you insist on leaving, then I’m pulling my investment,” he said, his voice steely, his gaze condescending.

“Without my money, let’s see how you’ll manage with all those animals you’ve taken in.”

This must be the difference between love and apathy, I thought to myself.

Quentin had made arrangements to care for the cats and dogs I rescued, while Justin used their lives to threaten me.

In Marina Sands, I had lived as an ordinary person.

I had planned to wait for Justin’s proposal before revealing the truth to him.

Losing half of an investment would spell disaster for anyone starting a business.

Justin gently took Alice’s hand, his eyes filled with tenderness.

“A gem this beautiful deserves to adorn the graceful hand of an artist. Look at your hands—short, stubby, and constantly in surgeries.

“Who knows how much blood, waste, and filth they’ve touched? I can hardly stand holding them most of the time.”

Unable to watch any longer, Collin stepped forward to mediate.

“Those are hands that save lives. They’re the most beautiful of hands. Let’s step outside for a smoke, Justin.”

As he left, Justin turned back to look at me.

“Don’t overplay the hard-to-get act, Viola, or it’ll stop being fun.”

Once they had gone, Alice ripped the ring off her finger and flung it to the ground with a loud clink.

I hurriedly bent down to pick it up.

Alice stood over me with an air of superiority.

“You’re just a girl from a working-class family, Viola. In your lifetime, you never would’ve come into contact with people of our class.

“Justin only noticed you because you look like me. Now that I’m giving him back to you, you’d better cherish him.”

I straightened and studied her features carefully.

She wasn’t wrong—we did look somewhat alike.

So Justin’s attraction to me was because of this.

“Let me guess,” she said, her voice trembling slightly.

“Your favorite restaurant is The Chuchoter, your go-to walking spot is Coastal Lane, and the jewelry he buys for you is always from Tiffany’s, right?”

Not a single detail was off. A sharp pain ran through my body.

“How… how did you know?” I stuttered.

Though I had already guessed the answer, I needed to hear it confirmed.

“Because those are all the things I like,” Alice replied with a faint, mocking smile.

“He’s only looking for glimpses of me in you.”

“If you two like each other so much, then why aren’t you together?” I asked, bitterness creeping into my tone.

Alice looked at me pitifully, her voice laden with feigned melancholy.

“The Hunts are relocating to Arcania for business. To secure our position, I must marry into a prominent family there. My father has already chosen my match—the Langleys’ heir.”

“Quentin Langley?” I asked.

Alice’s gaze swept over me, cold and disdainful.

“You seem to know a lot. But for someone like you, landing Justin is already a miracle in itself.

“As for Quentin? That’s someone you could only dream of meeting.”

I had no words to respond to Alice’s statement.

As we stood there, locked in a tense stalemate, my phone rang.

It was Quentin.

“Viola,” he said, his voice calm and reassuring.

“All the rescues you adopted have safely arrived in Arcania. I plan to keep them at my estate for now.

“Once you return, we can arrange for their permanent homes. By the way, is there anything I need to be aware of?”

“Already?” I asked slightly in awe.

“Heh, I had them flown in on my private jet.”

“Marina Sands is warmer than Arcania. Make sure they stay warm so they don’t catch a cold.”

“Understood!” Quentin chirped.

That night, Justin’s attention was fully on Alice, so naturally, he did not care about the situation at the veterinary clinic.

It was why I had asked Quentin to take all the rescues away that very evening.

With them safely out of reach, there was no longer any need for me to pretend.

I placed my glass down and was about to leave when Alice suddenly grabbed my hand.

Then she raised her voice, “Oh, Viola, if you like the ring so much, I’ll take it off for you. There’s no need to try to pull it off! My hand hurts so much.”

Her delicate brows furrowed, and her face flushed bright red, as though she had been deeply wronged.

Justin, who had been outside the door, rushed over at the sound of the commotion.

He looked at Alice and then at the ring in my hand.

“How could you be so shameless, Viola?” he yelled in front of everyone.

“You’re basically robbing someone right now! You really have no class. If you keep behaving like this, I’ll break up with you!”

All eyes in the room turned to me—confusion, disdain, disgust — like sharp daggers, each one digging deep into my heart.

I had lost the last shred of dignity I shared with Justin.

I gazed at the man I had loved for so long, tears streaming down my face.

How much better would it have been if I had just started dating Quentin from the beginning?

How could I have wasted my youth on such a scumbag?

Collin, who had always played the peacemaker, fell silent.

He gently patted my back and handed me a tissue to wipe away my tears.

I smiled at him gratefully.

We were not very close, but I knew he wouldn’t treat me the way Justin did.

“We’ve been together for three years, and in your eyes, I’m just a shameless woman who steals rings?” I asked, my voice shaking.

“Why don’t you trust me? Why do you only listen to her?”

Justin studied my expression closely as if trying to uncover the truth.

“Alice is different from you. She’s from a prestigious family, the daughter of a wealthy family. You’re from an ordinary background—”

What a laughable worldview.

“So, are rich people always good and poor people always bad? How ridiculous! You’re a joke! Everything about you!” I exploded.

“You waver in your feelings and have no clear understanding of the world. Without your looks and wealth, you’re nothing but a fool!”

“Shut up!” Justin shouted, taken aback by my words. He had turned red with anger and glared at me fiercely.

I held back my tears, trying to speak as calmly as possible.

“The gemstone on this ring is mine, and I want it back. You can keep the band.”

Justin turned his head away with a cold grunt. “Fine.”

“Great, I’ll contact the jeweler.”

I immediately reached out to the jeweler and explained the situation.

He replied almost instantly. “On my way. I’ll be there within 30 minutes.”

After a moment’s thought, I added, “And bring the design sketches for my ring too.”