The disco lights illuminated the jam-packed club, and pop music blasted everywhere. Bruce stood in front of his guy friends. His hand his holding the aloof Angelia who was standing next to him.

The men stared at Angelia as they nodded their heads. They thought that their friend must be serious this time. She looked pretty but not as attractive as the women he had dated.

Perhaps Bruce was really fond of her.

“Hi!” Jack and the rest of the group greeted her.

“Hi,” Angelia timidly replied before tightening her hold on Bruce’s hand.

“Don’t you dare scare my girl, or I’ll kick your asses,” Bruce jokingly warned.

Jack let out a smile. “Aww, you found your little baby, man.”

Bruce raised his hand, ready to order his favorite drinks. A few bottles of beer and wine later, he noticed that Angelia’s eyes turned red even though she only had a few sips.

“What’s the matter, babe?” he said near her ear.

Angelia looked at him with hesitation. In the end, she lowered her head and sighed. “I don’t like you drunk, Bruce.”

“Okay,” Bruce replied. Then, he called a waiter to order a soda.

Jack laughed at Bruce. “Where on earth is Bruce? This isn’t him! This one looks like a lovesick puppy!”

The boys broke into laughter while Bruce playfully glared at Jack.

Jack instantly raised his hands in defeat. “Fine, that’s my last joke tonight,” he said.

Jack suddenly remembered a similar scenario from before. Lucy fought Bruce about his drinking habits over and over again. The woman started giving him the cold shoulder, but Bruce didn’t care. He continued his excessive alcohol intake every time he went out for a drink.

‘Who could have thought that this bastard will finally change, huh?’ Jack thought.

The truth was that Jack was attracted to Lucy. The first time Bruce introduced Lucy, Jack couldn’t take his eyes off her. Of course, he didn’t tell Bruce about it.

And since Lucy and Bruce were over now, he thought he might have a chance with her.

Jack took a couple of tequila shots and turned to Bruce. “Bro, you and Lucy are over, right?”

Bruce nodded.

“I want to pursue her.”

Silence filled them for a while.

“Oh,” Bruce finally said while pouring drinks for Angelia. He didn’t even look at Jack.

“It’s okay, right?” Jack asked.

Bruce coldly looked at him. “Why are you asking me? She’s not my business anymore.”

“Angelia—” But before Jack could finish his sentence, Bruce had already grabbed his collar.

“What the fuck, man?! Are you nuts?” he growled.

Jack raised his hands. At least now, he understood that Bruce was not kidding about Lucy.

“I’m not hitting on Angelia, dude. I was about to say that her fork fell off the table,” he uttered.

Bruce let him go and immediately called a waiter.

Angelia, on the other hand, felt relieved and satisfied. She didn’t know that Bruce was this serious about her. Of course, she knew she was just an ordinary person compared to him. She always thought that Bruce was just toying with her.

It was already enough for her to know that he really cared and respected her. She couldn’t believe that he would always go out of his way to make her happy.

Their little party continued. Jack was in a great mood. He grabbed the tequila bottle and poured some into Bruce’s empty cup.

“Come on, man, just this once,” he said, trying to persuade him.

Bruce looked at Angelia, asking for her permission. Angelia didn’t want to leave a wrong impression on his friends, so she nodded her head and smiled.

Jack hooted as they all emptied their cups. A few more shots later, the men were already wasted and drunk.

Angelia took a glance at Bruce, who had already passed out in their seat. She didn’t know how to drive, so she needed to contact a substitute driver for them.

Jack, whose mind was already clouded with alcohol, picked up his phone and dialed Lucy’s number. He drunkenly asked her to pick him up.

Lucy agreed to Jack’s request. Aside from being free, she felt it was okay to do it since they were in the same social circle.

As soon as she opened the VIP room, her eyes instantly landed on Bruce lying in Angelia’s arms. She stopped in her tracks, slightly taken aback. When she recovered, she gave Angelia a small smile and headed to where Jack was.

Jack was too drunk that he didn’t wake up from Lucy’s constant calls and taps on his arm. Lucy even tried to yell his name twice, but the brute didn’t even move.

Instead, it was Bruce who woke up from Lucy’s yells. When he saw Lucy, he immediately pushed Angelia to the side and hugged his ex!

He removed her grip from Jack and locked her with his arms. Then, he crouched and rested his head on her neck.

Lucy froze in her spot. Her wide eyes looked at Bruce, surprised and slightly alarmed. Bruce looked up at her, showing his drunk and unsteady gaze.

“Don’t hold hands with Jack!” he muttered like a spoiled child.

“You’re drunk, Bruce. Let go of me,” Lucy calmly said.

“No! I’m not drunk!”

Angelia stood up from her seat and looked at Lucy apologetically. She pulled Bruce’s arm, but he only tightened his hold on Lucy.

“Babe,” Bruce told Lucy.

“Babe!” Bruce muttered louder when Lucy didn’t reply.

“If you don’t answer me, I’ll get mad at you,” he mumbled.

Lucy looked at Angelia. “He’s looking for you,” she said.

Angelia glanced at Bruce, worried and nervous. She bit her lower lip. “Bruce, I’m here. Come on, let’s go home.”

Bruce stayed silent. The two other friends, who were not as drunk as the two, stood up and pulled Bruce away from Lucy. Angelia grunted as she hugged Bruce’s waist, feeling his weight since he was already sleeping.

Lucy went to Jack. However, she noticed Angelia’s stare directed at her. She sighed.

“Don’t overthink, Ms. Charles. He’s just drunk. He always hugs every person he sees when he’s drunk. And everyone in this room was addressed by Bruce as ‘babe’ once or twice.”

“Oh,” Angelia muttered. She kissed Bruce’s cheek, relief washing over her. “I guess we’ll get going first.”

Lucy stared at them as they went out of the room.

When they were out of her sight, she scoffed. She knew that Angelia’s little display of affection just now was her way of marking her territory.

Even the men who witnessed the scene earlier knew what Angelia’s move meant.

There was an evident tension in the air that would send shivers to anyone who felt it.

In addition, all of Bruce’s friends knew that Lucy liked Bruce a lot. After all, they also had been friends with her for years. So, to ease the tension a little and comfort her, they offered some suggestions.

“Hey, Lucy. How about we help you carry Jack to your car?” one of them said.

Lucy turned to them. “Sure,” she replied. “You may continue your little party here. It seems like you’re having a blast.”

“We’ll make sure to invite you next time,” another one replied jokingly. “And you look so pretty! Damn!”

Lucy laughed. “Bye!” she said and trailed behind the men who carried Jack.

Angelia pursed her lips. It was apparent that Lucy was already familiar with Bruce’s friends. Well, who could even forget a face as beautiful as Lucy’s?

The difference between Lucy and Angelia was that Bruce’s friends seemed to have grown fond and comfortable around Lucy. There was a familiarity with the way they acted around her. And this made Angelia feel uneasy.

Not to mention, Bruce deliberately called Lucy a “babe.” He might be drunk, but Angelia still couldn’t help but feel hurt.

Angelia paused for a moment.

‘Still… A pretty face doesn’t guarantee you everything. In the end, Bruce chose me over her.’

Right after Lucy drove Jack home, she received a call from Sherry. The woman informed her about a party at some rich women’s club tomorrow, and she wanted her to come with Bruce.

The scandal about Bruce rejecting Lucy’s proposal still haunted Sherry now. She hoped that someday, she would be able to hold her head high and face the people again after all the embarrassment they got from the scandal.

Seeing Bruce act sweet and caring around Lucy gave Sherry a new perspective. She thought that perhaps Bruce had already matured this time.

At the same time, Lucy also seemed happy and comfortable with her boyfriend’s behavior, so it seemed that there was no problem on her part.

On the other hand, Lucy was unsure if Bruce would be willing to come to such an event.

So, the next morning, she decided to call Bruce.

Bruce didn’t answer her calls until after a few rings. When he finally picked up, a soft feminine voice entered Lucy’s ears.

“Uhm, Bruce is still in the shower.”

Lucy paused for a moment. Then, she finally decided to tell Angelia the reason why she called.

“Sorry, Miss Glen. Bruce and I are supposed to go skiing today,” Angelia said after a while.

Lucy raised her eyebrow. The agreement that she and Bruce had was clear. They need to do some things to please their families.

“I think you should ask Bruce first,” she calmly said.

“Bruce has already said I can also decide on his behalf,” Angelia retorted. Her tone was gentle, but Lucy still sensed her dismay.

Lucy didn’t push the matter anymore. In the end, she showed up at the party alone.

Sherry saw her niece at the entrance. Her face looked pale, and she didn’t see any trace of Bruce.

“Lucy,” Sherry met her halfway.

Lucy smiled at her. She was wearing a designer dress and a limited-edition necklace. She looked very sophisticated and elegant.

She handed the gift to Sherry and said, “Bruce is busy at the company with Uncle. It’s an important project, so he couldn’t leave there. He says he’s sorry.”

Sherry’s shoulders relaxed as she let out a sigh of relief.

Sherry was satisfied with Bruce’s excuse. It showed that he was taking the project with the Glen family seriously. Most importantly, his gift cost millions of dollars, showing how much he valued Lucy’s family.

The other women couldn’t stand Sherry’s blatant joy with Bruce’s gift. However, they still complimented Lucy, saying she was lucky to have such a generous and thoughtful boyfriend.

Sherry let out a sad smile. “Lucy’s parents passed away when she was still a child. Bruce came into her life to make up for all the mishaps she had suffered. I saw how Bruce changed because of Lucy, and he was willing to do anything for her. This girl is one lucky woman. I want to know she catches men like that.”

The women listening mentally scoffed upon hearing Sherry’s speech.

Lucy touched her aunt’s arm. “I’m starving. Shall we eat out dinner?”

Unlike her aunt, Lucy was a humble woman with good character. She was respectful and polite to others. Not to mention gorgeous. That was why these rich women liked her very much.

Despite her remarkable personality, most of them didn’t think of Lucy as a potential wife for their sons. Lucy had no parents, and the Glen family was facing a major crisis. The worse thing was that Lucy was not directly part of the family. So, she basically had nothing to do with their company.

Of course, the scandal between Bruce and Lucy wouldn’t be forgotten. No one would want their sons to become Lucy’s fallback after being dumped by Bruce.

Lucy was aware of all of these. After the scandal, she rarely dated other guys. She became wary of guys that might take advantage of her.

Halfway through the meal, Lucy volunteered to pay the bill. She took care of everything and made sure that everyone was having fun. The party ended very well thanks to her.

Satisfied and happy, Sherry asked Lucy to go shopping with her. Inside the car, Sherry wouldn’t shut up about Bruce and their relationship.

“You should handle your boyfriend well, Lucy. He’s so clingy and too smitten. You can control him a little bit, you know? Your position in the Glen family would definitely improve. Imagine the jealousy on people’s faces once that happens,” she said.

Lucy gave her a fake smile. She kept thinking about how long she needed to pretend in front of everyone, especially her aunt. Bruce was such a good actor, so her aunt was pretty convinced that they were getting on very well.

In the end, she stayed quiet and let her aunt say whatever she wanted.

Lucy thought that things would end well today, but she was wrong.

As soon as they entered a shoe store, the first people they ran into were Bruce and Angelia.

Unaware of their presence, Bruce kneeled in front of Angelia and gently held her slender snow-white ankle. There was a small bruise on her feet, probably caused by her skiing shoes.

Bruce leaned near her ear and muttered something. Angelia instantly blushed and gently slapped his arm. Then, she bent down and kissed his cheek.

Lucy froze on her spot, not knowing what to do. However, Sherry had already seen everything. Livid, she walked past her niece and slapped Angelia.

Everything happened so fast that no one stopped her.

Bruce quickly hid Angelia behind him. He coldly looked at Sherry, very different from the way he had behaved toward her before. Then, he turned to Angelia and checked her face.

“Are you okay? Does it sting?”

Angelia’s eyes blurred with tears. “I’m okay,” she said.

“Let’s go to the hospital,” Bruce worriedly said as he scanned her flushed face.

“No, I’m fine. It doesn’t hurt,” she said before smiling reluctantly.

Sherry was extremely furious. Her shoulders constantly moved as she breathed.

“You, bastard!” she yelled. “How dare you cheat on my niece?!”

Bruce thought he and Lucy could continue their pretend relationship for a long time. But now that Sherry had already seen them, he decided to reveal the truth.

“Why? Should I feel sorry for her?” he mocked.

Sherry’s eyes glistened with anger. “You’ve wasted my niece’s time! Everybody knows that you have fucked her several times, thanks to you! Now, who would ever want Lucy? No one!”

Her aunt’s use of such vulgar words almost made Lucy faint. It was her first time hearing that word from Sherry’s mouth.

But what her aunt said was true. People must have a much worse opinion of her.

She opened her mouth, wanting to stop her aunt from her outburst. However, her throat suddenly felt dry, and her lips could barely make a sound.

A memory suddenly flashed in her mind. In the past, she and Bruce took photos while doing ‘it’ in the car. They were leaked, and almost everyone saw them. Bruce’s friends even called her names like slut or whore. But Lucy didn’t even know that.

She never really cared about people’s opinions about her. But now, it was as if every insult was dumped on her that she couldn’t breathe.

“Mark my words! I won’t let this pathetic woman have her happy ending with you!” Sherry’s voice thundered inside the store.

Her words were enough to fuel Bruce’s rage. He looked at Sherry with pure anger and stepped forward.

Lucy immediately stepped forward as well. She held her aunt’s arm and looked at Bruce.

“I’ll handle her,” she muttered.

When she noticed that Bruce didn’t seem to back down, she clenched her teeth and sternly said, “Bruce, if you hurt any of my family members, I will fight back. I know I’m powerless compared to you, but I know what can destroy you. We’ve been together for two years. You should’ve known by now what I did to your flings.”

Bruce narrowed his eyes at her. “Are you threatening me?” he uttered in a dangerous voice.

Lucy raised her brow. “No, I’m just reminding you what I’m capable of.”

Angelia’s gaze scanned the store and realized that they were starting to attract people’s attention. She pulled Bruce’s arm.

“Bruce, Let’s just go,” she pleaded.

Bruce didn’t move on his spot at first, but he realized Angelia was already uncomfortable and anxious.

In the end, the two of them left the store, but the scowl on Bruce’s face remained.

A few minutes later, Lucy apologized to the store manager and dragged Sherry out of the mall. Her aunt was silent until they got inside the car.

“Are you aware of all of this, Lucy?” Sherry coldly asked.

“Yes,” she replied.

“Since when are you two aren’t together anymore?”

“We never got back together after the scandal,” Lucy murmured.

Sherry turned to her. Disappointment and confusion were evident in her eyes. She wanted to say something, but nothing seemed to come out of her mouth.

“Right after I was discharged from the hospital, I asked him to meet me. But I didn’t receive any response from him ever,” Lucy confessed.

“I figured out what he meant at some point, so I also stopped trying.”

Sherry started to get riled up again. “How dare that bastard to ruin you?! You were pregnant at that time! Of course, he should marry you. He’s the father of the child, so it’s his responsibility!”

The two of them fell quiet for a long time.

“Well, he doesn’t like children,” Lucy shrugged her shoulders before turning to Sherry.

“Aunt Sherry, let’s just let him go. Past is past. The most important thing is that I’m fine now.”

Sherry perked up in her seat when an idea popped into her mind. “Then, who bought the gift for the party the other day?”

“Me,” Lucy answered.

Sherry pursed her lips and stared outside the window. A sudden wave of worry invaded her mind. Now that her niece and Bruce had broken up, the James family would probably no longer support them. She suddenly wondered if their family would even be able to survive.

She loved Lucy, yes. But she felt more worried about the future of their family. She looked at her niece and held her hand.

“You’re far more beautiful than that witch earlier. How can you simply give up your position in Bruce’s life?”

Lucy could feel the slight anger in her aunt’s tone. “Angelia is young, pretty, and kind, Aunt Sherry. She’s a thousand times more charming than me. How can I compete with that kind of woman?”

Sherry stared at Lucy, still pondering.

Two days later, Sherry decided to reveal the truth to Bruce’s parents.

Unaware of what her aunt did, Lucy received a call from Zoe, who told her to go to their house immediately.

Lucy stepped inside the house, and her eyes immediately widened by what she saw.

In front of her was Bruce, kneeling on the floor while his white shirt was stained with drops of blood. Bruce’s father was holding a long piece of wood near her. It looked like he was beating his son using it.

Bruce’s mother stood by their side. Her eyes were filled with unshed tears, probably for her son.

“How can you do such a thing to Lucy, huh?” Bruce’s father growled.

In fact, the patriarch of the James family was a former soldier. He was strict and violent, even to his son.

“Did you forget everything I taught you when you were still a kid? How can you hurt a woman who loved you? You’re a fucking playboy, huh? Well, here’s to being that kind of man!” he shouted before hitting him again.

Bruce groaned in pain. “Lucy and I broke up long ago,” he revealed.

“Guess what? No woman would stick with a cheater, Bruce! You treated her like garbage!”

“There’s no more love between us, Dad! So, we decided to end things. Times have changed. Stop judging me using your old school rules,” Bruce nonchalantly said.

“Beat me all you fucking want, but I will choose Angelia. Only her.”