Waiting for Love to Die

The night before our wedding, word spread like wildfire through high society that my fiancee had thrown herself a bachelorette party with ten virgins.

When I storm into the villa, I find her nestled in the arms of my chauffeur's son, her skin blotched with fresh red marks.

"It's just a wild night before the wedding. You get that, don't you?" Melissa Young says. She looks up at me with indifference, not bothering to explain herself.

I catch the smug challenge in the eyes of the man holding her. My eyes burn red as I hurl the wedding invitations to the floor.

"The scandal is everywhere! Have you even thought about what tomorrow's wedding will look like?" I yell. "This isn't just about you and me. It's about the future of both our families' businesses! Call a press conference and explain yourself."

She frowns, irritation flickering in her eyes, but gives a grudging nod.

Yet the next day, the internet explodes with a new bombshell—the Zucker heir is impotent, leaving his fiancee unsatisfied.

When I demand answers, Melissa puts her foot down, her voice dripping with venom as she says, "All I see now is Nicky."

She snaps, "No matter how many times you threaten to pull your investments, my mind's made up!"

In that moment, the last ember of love I feel for her goes out.

I call my dad, my resolve steeled. "Cut off all funding to Young Group, and buy out every one of her partnerships at triple the price!"

"Still barking empty threats at Melissa? Even now?" Nicolas Gibson's eyes gleamed with mockery as he taunted, "Rumors about your impotence are everywhere. If I were you, I'd be begging Melissa to keep the wedding. Who else would marry you now?"

Melissa Young—my fiancee and the same woman who orchestrated the scandal that wrecked my reputation—was straightening Nicolas' tie with cool indifference.

She scoffed. "A man with a reputation as filthy as his? Even if he begged, I'd never stoop so low as to marry him."

My nails dug into my palms, her words piercing my heart like needles.

It struck me how foolish of me it was to spend the whole night waiting for her explanation. All that waiting earned me nothing but betrayal and slander from the woman I loved most.

I rasped, "Melissa, are you really going to throw away the marriage alliance with the Zucker family for him? Do you have any idea what this will cost both our companies? He's just a chauffeur's son, and I'm your fiance."

Melissa's hands paused mid-adjustment on Nicolas' suit as she shot me an icy look.

"Don't talk down to Nicky. The only thing he's ever lacked is a real chance. With my support, he'll go far."

She added, "You should be more worried about your own company. With all those rumors spreading online, I bet things are a mess over there."

As if on cue, my assistant, Victor Hill, called just as she finished speaking.

"Mr. Zucker, the company's stock is crashing from the negative press. The shareholders are scrambling to pull out."

I pulled up the news feed. The headline read, "Spurned, Leonel Zucker Resorts to Investment Threat!"

The comments were a flood of bile.

"How did a guy like that become a CEO? Who knows what dirty tricks he pulled to get there?"

"Hope his shady company crashes and burns. Let's boycott Zucker Group!"

My fingers trembled as I looked at Melissa. "Was this your doing?" I asked, my voice cracking.

Her expression stayed cold. She didn't even blink before admitting it. "Yes. A little lesson for you."

"Leonel, Nicky is under my protection now," she warned. "I won't let anyone look down on him."

I clenched my fists, and a scream tore out of me. "Get out! Get the hell out of my house!"

She knew exactly how hard I'd fought to build the company after I took over. In those early days, I spent an entire month bouncing from city to city, pulling all-nighters just to land a single project. I pushed myself until my body finally gave out, and I ended up in the hospital.