On our wedding day, my bride insists on wearing an old, beat-up watch with the million-dollar wedding dress I buy her.

I call off the wedding on the spot.

She looks at me in shock. "You called off the wedding just because of a watch?"

I take out the divorce agreement and tell her to sign. "Yes. Because of that watch."

Everyone calls me crazy. They cannot believe I would end a ten-year relationship over something so worthless and file for divorce in front of everyone.

Dad walks up and slaps me across the face. "Get on your knees, you disgrace."

My mother-in-law shrieks that I have ruined her daughter's future by returning her like damaged goods.

I look at the watch on her wrist, which is stopped at 3:07, and I smile.

Then, I phone my assistant. "It's time. Release everything. I want a divorce."

As we exchanged rings, I held Yasmin Walsh's hand, and my gaze fell on her wrist. An old silver watch hung there, its dial yellowed with age, its hands forever frozen at 3:07.

"Take off the watch," I said.

Her smile stiffened. Instinctively, she pulled her hand back. "Jayden Burke, stop it. Everyone is watching."

I didn't move. I repeated myself softly, but loud enough for the entire hall to hear, "Take off the watch."

Her expression changed at once. Panic flickered in her eyes—an intensity I had never seen before.

"What do you mean? You know what this watch means to me," she said.

"I know." I released her hand and took out a document I had prepared long before today. "And because I know, I want a divorce."

She stared at me, stunned, then looked at the document labeled "Divorce Agreement". Her body trembled. "Jayden, say that again."

"I said I want a divorce. All because of that watch."

I opened the page where my signature already waited and pushed it toward her.

The crowd erupted.

"Has he lost his mind? The Burke family heir is divorcing over an old watch? What kind of joke is this?"

"He must be putting on a show to spice up the wedding."

"Poor Yasmin. She married a crazy man and got humiliated on her own wedding day."

Their whispers pierced through her pride like countless sharp needles. Tears welled up at once. Her eyes reddened, her lips quivered, yet she couldn't say a single word.

Her mother, my soon-to-be ex mother-in-law, Sophia Baker, rushed over and grabbed my collar. "Jayden, what kind of man are you? You humiliate her in front of everyone over a watch?

"That's just a keepsake from her friend who passed away. Are you jealous of a dead person? You don't deserve to be called a man!" She hit my chest with her fists.

I didn't respond. I only looked at Yasmin. Ten years together—from school uniforms to a wedding dress. I thought we were meant to be. But standing here, seeing how fiercely she clung to that watch. I realized I had never even been part of her beginning.

"Why? All because of a watch? What do our ten years mean to you?" she finally cried, gripping the papers tightly.

I nodded, my voice cold and even. "Yes. It's because of a watch."

I urged her, "Just sign it. Let's not make this uglier than it already is."

Those words shattered her. Trembling, she tore the divorce agreement to pieces. "No, Jayden. I won't agree. If you want a divorce, you'll have to wait until I die."

Her eyes were bright red, like a trapped animal.

I watched her lose herself in hysteria, and I couldn't help but smile.

I turned away, pulled out my phone, and called my assistant, Sam Glenn. "Sam, release everything. I'm ready for the divorce."

My voice was calm, edged with icy satisfaction.

Dad was the first to storm onto the stage. A lifetime in the military did nothing to contain his fury. He slapped me hard across the face. "You ungrateful brat! Get on your knees! You won't say a word today. I'll skin you alive if I have to!"

Pain exploded across my cheek. My head snapped to the side, and I tasted blood at the corner of my mouth.

Mom rushed toward me, tears streaming down her face, grabbing my arm. "Jayden, tell me what's going on. You and Yasmin grew up together. We watched your love blossom. How could a watch lead to this?"

"Exactly!" Dad shouted, pointing at me. "Do you forget who brought you water every day? Who stayed by your side for three days when you were sick? It was this woman. And today, you treat her like this? Do you have no conscience?"

Yasmin sobbed in Mom's arms, nearly collapsing from grief. "Jayden, you hate this watch, don't you? I'll take it off now. Please don't reject me…"

She fumbled with the strap, her hands trembling as if the simple motion drained all her strength.

"Stop. It's too late," I said coldly.

Those words hit harder than any slap. Yasmin froze, staring at me in disbelief.

Dad's anger boiled over. He kicked the back of my knee, forcing me to kneel before her. "Apologize! You beast! Whether you like it or not, this wedding will happen today!"

I straightened my back and refused to speak. The guests had shifted from shock to outrage. "This Jayden is a monster. She's willing to compromise, and he's still so cold and heartless."

"The Walsh family really drew the short straw by marrying into this family," someone from the crowd said.

"Scumbag. A top-tier scumbag," a voice from the crowd called out.

Realizing brute force wasn't working, Dad tried a different approach. He softened his voice. "Jay, I know you're not unreasonable. There must be something behind this. Talk to us. We can fix it. Don't break Yasmin's heart."

All eyes were on me, waiting for an explanation.

I smiled, looking at Yasmin's tear-streaked face. I spoke slowly and deliberately. "I don't want to be with her anymore. I'm tired of it. Isn't that allowed?"

It was like throwing ice water on a grease fire.

The hall erupted.

Yasmin collapsed against Mom's shoulder. Her body hung limp and lifeless, the light in her eyes completely gone.

"Jayden, you can stop loving me, but you cannot humiliate me like this. Do ten years of our love mean nothing to you?" Her voice was barely audible—fragile, trembling.

"You heartless brat." Mom's expression shifted from pain to complete disappointment. Dad's fists clenched, veins bulging as he held back another strike.

I ignored them. Slowly, I pushed myself to my feet and brushed the dust off my knees. In front of everyone, I looked down at Yasmin with cold disdain and delivered my final words. "See you in court."

The wedding collapsed into chaos.

Dad publicly announced that he supported Yasmin and warned that if I didn't turn back, I would be cut off from the Burke family.

The next day, headlines exploded across every platform.

"The Burke Heir Calls Off Wedding Over a Watch, Ten Years of Love Destroyed" and "Heartless Heir from the Burke family Breaks Devoted Woman's Heart" went viral, topping trending lists.

I didn't know who recorded the wedding, but the clip of me looking cold and contemptuous toward Yasmin spread like wildfire. Within hours, it had been turned into countless memes. Overnight, I became the century's worst scumbag.

One comment read, "Who does he think he is, canceling a wedding over an old watch? Just another pampered heir throwing a tantrum."

Another said, "Yasmin is so pitiful. Ten years of her youth wasted, only to be humiliated publicly."

A third read, "I heard the watch belonged to a deceased friend of hers. Jayden is jealous of the dead? How narrow-minded. Is he even a man?"

The online community even dug up my company address and home. Every day, people threw eggs and paint at my door. Burke Corporation's stock lost billions in a single night.

Dad held a press conference to announce he had severed ties with me, making it clear that everything I did was personal and had nothing to do with the Burke family.

Relatives and friends who once clung to me for benefits were now blocking my number and cutting all ties, terrified of being associated with me. I had become a complete pariah.

Meanwhile, I was lounging in the penthouse suite of a hotel, watching Yasmin's interview on TV. She wore a simple white dress. Her face was pale and her eyes swollen red. She looked wronged yet unyielding—a woman full of tenderness and quiet suffering.

"Please, everyone, stop attacking Jayden," she said to the camera, her voice choking with emotion. "I believe he acted in the heat of the moment. Our ten years together were real. There must be a misunderstanding.

"He cares about me too much. That's why he reacted so strongly over the watch. I'll wait for him to calm down. We won't divorce. We'll be together forever."

Her performance was flawless. She came across as utterly selfless, forgiving and devoted, which only made my justified reaction look like childish, overblown pettiness.

The press cheered her generosity, and the public tributes flowed across social media.

I watched her flawless image on the screen and laughed out loud. I dialed her number, and the connection was immediate.

As the reporters realized who the caller was, they swung every microphone toward the speaker.

"Jayden?" Yasmin's voice overflowed with hope. "You finally called! Have you thought it through? I don't blame you for the wedding. Let's start over—"

"You're overthinking," I interrupted with a light chuckle. "Just a reminder, see you at the courthouse tomorrow at 9:00 am. Don't be late."

I ended the call, but her sharp gasp echoed clearly before the line went dead. The press conference instantly devolved into chaos. The cries of outrage were deafening.

"Scumbag! Beast! He's heartless after everything Ms. Walsh has been through!"

I could hear her crying over the phone, broken and desperate.

"Jayden… do we really have to go this far?"

I chuckled, ensuring my voice carried over the din. "Of course. We're not just divorcing. I will reclaim every property, stock, and fund I ever gave you. Not a single cent will remain. From now on, we will go our separate ways."

The next day, I arrived at the courthouse.

Reporters swarmed around me like sharks smelling blood, instantly closing the gap.

"Mr. Burke, are you really divorcing Ms. Walsh, the woman you've loved for ten years, over a single watch?"