Ronald moved in to examine the watch, then took it from Jenny and rolled it between his fingers.

"It's definitely more finely made than the replica I bought. But I never wear mine outside. I'd be a joke. Foreign replicas really are something else. It feels great in the hand.

"Unless, Peter, you're actually Pierre, that so-called model man everyone talks about!"

Laughter rippled through the group as soon as he finished speaking.

For them, the notion was absurd. Ellie was a financial genius known worldwide, cold and unforgiving in the marketplace, decisive in every move.

And three years ago, I had still been hanging around with them, the nobody Jenny had dumped by calling off our marriage.

There was no way they could believe it.

Ronald twirled the watch around his finger. "Peter, sell it to me. I'll pay twice what it is worth."

Worried he might drop it, I spoke up at once. "Give it back. That watch was a gift from Ellie—"

Before I could finish, Jenny struck me across the face, snapping my head to the side. Blood broke at the corner of my lips.

She glared at me, furious. "Shut up! Peter, you have no right to mention Ms. Olsen by name. How dare you claim you are connected to her? Are you trying to ruin me?"

Jenny's close friends joined in, their indignation obvious as they looked at me with open disdain.

"Peter, do you even realize how much effort it took for us to secure the chance to pick up Pierre today?"

"Jenny's company was acquired by Ms. Olsen last year. We all depend on her now to survive. Only by pleasing Pierre can Jenny keep her standing."

"And now you are here spreading claims about being connected to Ms. Olsen. Are you trying to ruin Jenny?"

I wiped the blood from the corner of my lips and turned slowly to look at Jenny. Something in my look must've unsettled her. She frowned, and a trace of unease flickered in her eyes.

Seeing the shift in her expression, Ronald glared at me with barely concealed malice and jabbed a finger toward my face.

"Peter, you ungrateful piece of trash! Jen already agreed to take you in. Don't mistake kindness for weakness. Even if you hold a grudge against her, this is not how you settle it!"

His words pulled me straight back to three years ago. No matter what I did back then, he'd find a way to distort it before explaining it to Jenny.

At first, Jenny would scold Ronald for it. Later on, she started following his lead and turning the blame on me instead.

Just like now, when she muttered a single word in frustration. "Useless."

Unlike before, she didn't continue.

After a moment of silence, Jenny took out a check for 200 thousand dollars and placed it before me.

"For the sake of what we used to have, I won't pursue this any further. Take the money and get yourself some nice clothes. If caring for a kid doesn't suit you, I can help you find a decent position in a few days.

"Don't worry. Ever since Ms. Olsen acquired my company, this amount means nothing to me anymore."

Her air of charity made me feel sick. She seemed to have been doing very well lately.

As the others looked on in surprise, I brushed her hand aside, retrieved my watch from Ronald, and smiled. "No, thank you, Ms. Sutton. I don't take things from strangers."

I paid no attention to Jenny as her face darkened with rage. I turned and walked away.

I hadn't gone far when Jenny reached out and caught my arm.

She looked at me coldly as she demanded, "Peter, you won't even take the money I gave you? What do you mean by that? Do you really see me as a stranger?"

I replied, "We've already broken up. It's better if we keep our distance, so there's no room for misunderstandings."

I thought of Ellie and her jealous streak.

Jenny cast a glance at Ronald, a look of sudden understanding crossing her face.

"The company is hosting a banquet for Ms. Olsen in three days. I'm planning to bring you along so you can broaden your horizons. You'd need to buy something decent to wear, though, so you don't embarrass—"

Before she could finish, I cut in. "That won't be necessary. Thank you."

My second refusal clearly angered Jenny. Her hand froze in midair with the check, and she clenched her jaw so hard her teeth clicked.

"Peter, you have quite an ego now. Figures. Poor and short-tempered. If you don't want to come, forget it. I'll take Ronald instead!"

Hearing that he'd attend the banquet, Ronald's eyes brightened at once. He hurried to reassure her. "Jen, I'll do my best. I won't embarrass you."

I didn't want to continue the argument. I turned and walked away, leaving her with a final remark. "I hope you are still this sure of yourself in three days."

I exited the arrivals hall at a brisk pace. The moment I breathed in fresh air, the sickness in my stomach finally began to subside.

Three years ago, my family arranged for me to travel abroad for a blind date. Under their pressure, I begged Jenny, the woman I had dated for seven years, to register our marriage at the city hall.

I figured that if we made it official, everything else would fall into place.

Jenny agreed.

I didn't expect that when I arrived at the city hall, Ronald, her childhood sweetheart, would be there with her.

Jenny told me, "Ronald's kid needs his legal status sorted out. I'm going to marry him first. Once I get the divorce decree in a month, I'll marry you immediately. It's just for the kid, so don't read into it."

Watching her take Ronald's arm and walk inside, I knew it was over.

That night, I boarded a flight and went abroad for the blind date. A month later, I married Ellie. A year after that, we had our first child. Recently, she became pregnant with our second.

Had it not been for accompanying Ellie to pay respects at her family's graves, I would never have come back, much less run into Jenny.

…

Three days later, I arrived at the banquet on my own, dressed neatly in casual clothes.

When Jenny spotted me, her eyes brightened, and a smug smile tugged at her lips.

"You claimed you weren't coming, but it seems your actions disagree. If you're hoping to win me back, you should at least make an effort to please me. At an occasion like this, you need to dress appropriately to match my status."

I paid no attention to her sudden self-absorption and moved to pass her on my way to my seat.

After only a few steps, Jenny caught my arm, anger flashing across her face. "Peter, I'm speaking to you. Are you listening? Our seats are over here. Where are you going?"

I shook her hand off and answered calmly, "This is your seat. Mine is over there."

Jenny followed my line of sight toward the head table, and her face darkened at once.

Ronald shot me a venomous look, pointing at my watch and shouting, "Peter! How did you even sneak in here? Are you here to stir up trouble? Y-you actually dared to wear that watch?"

The volume of his accusation immediately drew the eyes of the room.

"Isn't that the Eternal Devotion Ms. Olsen paid a fortune for her husband? This is Ms. Olsen's first public appearance with him. Is this guy deliberately trying to embarrass her?"

"He snuck in here? He's putting us in a tough spot in front of Ms. Olsen!"

"Ms. Sutton, is this your friend?"

Jenny noticed I never made eye contact with her. She pressed her fingers together and replied evenly, "No."

Her answer made Ronald perk up. He looked at me like he'd already won. "Take off the watch and get out!"

I looked at him with open amusement and said with a sneer, "Are you sure you want me gone?"

Humiliation flashed across Ronald's face. His expression sharpened as he snapped, "Drop the act and take off the watch!"

He reached for my wrist as soon as the words left his mouth.

I knocked his hand aside and stepped away. The next instant, someone tripped me. I fell without warning, and the impact left me dazed.

Ronald stepped on my hand and tore the watch off my wrist. "You treat a piece of trash like it's something precious."

My arm throbbed under his foot, and my wrist was left raw and bloody. I could only stare at the watch that had shattered across the floor.

Ronald lifted his chin and looked down at me. "Carry him and throw him out!"

People gathered around at once. As hands reached for my limbs, I struggled and blurted, "Stop! I'm Ellie's—"

The sentence was cut short when Ronald struck my face. "Are you going to claim again that you are Ms. Olsen's lover again? You aren't even qualified!"

Ronald still wasn't appeased. He backhanded me across the cheek.

I hadn't come back this time intending to settle anything with him. It was unnecessary. But I knew I must make him pay for it now.

Jenny leaned down, reaching toward the injury on my wrist, and I pulled away without thinking. She studied me, her expression distant and unfeeling.

"Peter, are you done making a scene? You came after me today, wearing that watch and dressed like this, because you saw I was successful and couldn't stand the thought of letting me go.

"You were trying to make me jealous. Beg me, and I'll come back to you."

I scoffed, looking straight at her. "Jenny, you're done!"

Jenny frowned, about to say something, when she noticed the sudden hush.

Around us, guests straightened their clothes and drifted toward the entrance.

Jenny pulled me to my feet and spoke under her breath. "Ms. Olsen is here, so behave! Don't worry. Ronald and I are already divorced."

She was completely absurd.

I rubbed my hand, still throbbing where it had been stepped on.

I found Jenny impossible to stomach. Whether she and Ronald were divorced or not had absolutely nothing to do with me.

Just then, Ellie came in carrying our daughter, Maisie Grant, and all eyes followed. Once they reached the hall, Maisie insisted on getting down from Ellie's arms.

Maisie looked like a doll. The moment she was on her feet, every gaze swung her way. The nanny stayed right on her heels, ready to catch her if she stumbled.

Jenny turned to me without warning and said, "Peter, if you stop being jealous and stop provoking Ronald, I can forgive your three-year disappearance. I'm willing to give you another chance.

"I want to have a child that belongs to us."

I said nothing, trying to catch Ellie's and Maisie's attention through the crowd.

In the end, Ellie came after Maisie, moving right toward me.