I looked at her with a bitter smile tugging at my lips. "Aren't you going to be married to another man?" 

Crystal frowned. "Stop it! Don't be silly. I'm just doing this for the sake of the company."

A moment later she softened her voice to coax me, "Okay, Baby? You've always been the most understanding person, haven't you? I tell you what ... after the banquet is over, you go home and pack your things first. Then I'll take you to your new apartment."

"After all me and Thomas are engaged in the eye of the public, so it's no longer appropriate for you to stay at my place."

On the premise, that I was “understanding,” man, I had endured an eight-year secret relationship with Crystal that no one knew about.

Now, she was planning to keep me as a male mistress who couldn't see the light of day for the rest of my life again, right?

I was about to reject her outright when a frantic shout erupted from the banquet hall.

“Crystal!” Thomas's panicked voice rang out and Crystal instantly let go of me and rushed toward him.

“What’s wrong, Thom?” she asked anxiously.

Thomas extended his left hand and pointed to his bare ring finger with a look of utter despair.

“Crystal, the engagement ring you gave me ... it’s gone! That’s the one that can only be custom-made once in a lifetime! It was still there before I went to the restroom!”

Then his eyes fell on me. With a pitiful expression, he grabbed my arm.

“Mr. Davis, you were the only one in the restroom with me earlier … I know you’ve been Crystal's assistant for many years and it’s natural to feel possessive of her. However, that ring is really important to me. If you took it, please, I’m begging you ... give it back!”

His accusation immediately painted me as a thief in the eyes of everyone present.

“I knew it! Male assistants are never trustworthy. Look at him, even trying to mimic Mr. Gordon's style. A mudfish thinking it could become a dragon by pulling underhanded tricks!”

“Exactly! Just now he’s bold enough to steal an engagement ring? Men like him should be permanently cast out of our circles!”

Sharp, mocking words flew at me from all sides.

Instinctively, I turned to Crystal for help. Yet, all I saw was her cold, darkened expression as she snapped at me, "Give it back!"

Even though I knew she didn’t love me, I couldn’t believe that, deep down, she actually thought I was capable of something like this.

“I’ve never even seen the ring. How could I have it?” I said.

I bit my lip as I forced back the lump rising in my throat. I could not cry, at least not here. If I did, I would lose this battle completely.

Crystal shook her head. Disappointment clouded her eyes. "Are you still denying it? If you don’t return it, I’ll have no choice but to have you searched!”

With that, she called for several servants, ready to search me on the spot.

Rick rushed over and he called out, “Don’t do this to Tom! I’ve known him for years .... There’s no way he’d do something like this!”

His mother also intervened. She looked visibly upset. "I don’t think Mr. David looks like someone who would do such a thing, Crystal. Could there be some misunderstanding?” she asked.

Crystal sneered. "Impossible! Thomas is a kindhearted person. He wouldn’t accuse someone without reason. If Tom didn’t do anything, why would Thomas suspect him?”

My heart sank completely.

Even the Lancaster matriarch, who only met me for the first time, was willing to believe in my character and speak up for me. Yet, Crystal who had known me for ten years and been with me for eight, dismissed all those years in an instant.

One casual accusation from Thomas was enough to erase everything I had ever done for her. She didn’t hesitate to crucify me on the pedestal of disgrace.

The difference between love and indifference was truly the most difficult abyss to cross in the world.

While I was detained by several servants, I could only close my eyes in despair, enduring their rough humiliating search.

It was not until nothing was found that Thomas suddenly gasped in surprise. From the inner pocket of his suit, he pulled out the engagement ring.

“Oops! Oh no … I was so careless! I forgot I’d put it in my pocket before washing my hands…”

He turned to me, feigning guilt. “Mr. Davis, I’m so sorry … I misunderstood you. I owe you an apology.”

Despite his words, the next second, he covered his face as if in shame and ran out of the hall.

Cristal gave me a single glance before chasing after him to comfort him, without a word of explanation or apology.

Exhausted in every sense, mentally and physically, I declined Lancaster's parents’ attempts to apologize on her behalf. Without looking back, I left their house, hailed a cab and headed straight for the airport.

As I sat at the airport waiting for my rescheduled flight to arrive, Crystal texted me, "You shouldn’t have embarrassed Thomas like that in front of everyone. He’s practically your superior now. Remember to apologize to him later.”

It just so happened, that the boarding announcement was broadcasted through the terminal.

No one knew the relationship between the two of us so a formal breakup was not necessary.

I just replied with a simple "Okay", as a final farewell to Crystal blocked her contact information from every platform and boarded the plane to New Boonville without any hesitation.

***

A few days later, it was Crystal’s wedding day. She sat at the wedding hall, smoking nonstop, one cigarette after another.

Her best friend noticed and asked, "What's wrong?"

Crystal furrowed her brows and said with a rare sadness, "My toy boy of mine had not made a sound these past few days. With me having a such grand wedding, he’s probably hiding somewhere crying right now.”

One of her friends was stunned when she heard her words. She pulled out her phone and gave it to Crystal.

"You still don't know, huh? The richest family in New Boonville, the Sullivan Family, has just sent out a wedding announcement this morning. Their eldest daughter, Reyna Sullivan, is going to marry your little assistant …."