"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?"
Emily’s voice cracked like a whip, rattling the chandeliers overhead. Conversations died instantly. The entire hall froze, glasses halfway to lips.
All eyes snapped between her and Jace.
But Jace didn’t even blink. He didn’t spare Emily so much as a glance. Instead, he tore a strip clean from the inner lining of his suit, and wound it around Sofia’s trembling hand.
"A-Ah!" Sofia gasped as pain finally registered. A thin line of blood seeped across her palm where glass had cut deep.
Jace’s smile lingered, faint but disarming. His voice was calm, almost amused. "You didn’t even realize, did you?"
She hadn’t. In her panic, Sofia had tried to scoop the shards from the floor with bare hands. Now her knuckles shook as Jace’s fingers brushed over them, steadying her.
Her eyes widened, throat tightening. "S-Sir, please... don’t ruin your suit."
"Don’t worry." Jace’s tone was smooth, faintly teasing. "It’s not that expensive."
Everyone in the hall knew that was a lie. The suit alone was worth a fortune. But Jace said it so casually, as if it meant nothing.
Whispers stirred immediately.
A jeweled woman leaned toward her companion, lips curling. "Isn’t Emily overreacting? That dress isn’t even worth half a million."
Another, clutching pearls, whispered coldly, "Wasn’t that waitress her junior? I heard Emily used to harass her."
A young man in velvet smirked. "So did Emily spilled it herself, and now she’s blaming the girl?"
And a man in a spotless white suit scoffed, voice dripping with contempt. "All this fuss over a few grand. How utterly pathetic."
Each murmur landed like knives. Emily’s painted smile faltered, jaw twitching as her gut tightened.
She looked toward Jace—and found his gaze already waiting for her.
He wasn’t angry. He wasn’t even offended. He was smirking.
Her chest burned. Rage swelled inside her, her nails biting into her palm.
Jace was enjoying this. Before, he had grown impatient, waiting for Emily to make a move. So he’d purposefully drawn eyes with the women, then flirted with Sofia to spark her inferiority. He wanted Emily to cause a scene—and she had walked right into it.
He was enjoying this. Worse, she knew it was his trap. He had drawn attention with the women, then casually favored Sofia, knowing Emily’s temper would snap. And she had walked right into it.
Her body shook. "F... FUCK—"
She exploded, voice splitting the silence. "FUCKING POOR BASTARD!"
Gasps rippled through the hall.
One woman tutted, shaking her head. "How vulgar."
A man in a tux muttered, "To call him poor while he’s tearing apart a million-dollar suit? She’s lost it."
Heat flooded Emily’s cheeks. Her shame twisted into desperation. She jabbed a finger at Jace, her words tumbling out shrill and broken.
"Stop pretending to be rich! Just a month ago you couldn’t even buy me a diamond ring worth a thousand dollars! And now you’re ripping apart a one-million-dollar suit like it’s nothing?!"
Her laugh came bitter, sharp, desperate.
"What a fucking joke!"
The room turned against her. Murmurs grew louder. A few chuckles broke out, cruel and sharp. Emily’s vision blurred.
Then Jace’s voice cut through, smooth and merciless.
"Did you say something?" His head tilted, smirk tugging at his lips. "Sorry, I couldn’t hear a... whore’s voice.
The hall erupted. Gasps. Stifled laughter. Hands covering mouths to hide smirks.
Emily froze. Her blood ran cold, her throat locked tight. She looked like she’d been slapped in front of the world.
Then came the sharp click of heels.
From the edge of the hall, a woman rushed. Her suit was sharp, black and tailored close to her frame. One strand of long hair draped over her left eye, hiding half her face. The precision of her movements screamed discipline, every step measured, unhesitating.
She stopped, bowed slightly, voice crisp, carrying like a drill sergeant disguised in professional calm.
"I am Manager Selene. Please tell me what the issue is."
Emily latched onto her presence like a drowning woman finding driftwood.
She tried to sneer, though her voice shook. "Hmph. Took you long enough."
Selene bowed deeper. Her hair shifted just enough to reveal a jagged scar running from brow to cheek, the eye beneath permanently closed.
Emily recoiled, a shiver crawling down her spine. "I-It’s... o-okay."
Selene straightened, voice colder now.
"I thank you for your generosity."
Her gaze shifted—and locked. Not on Emily. On Jace.
More precisely, on the golden crest pinned to his lapel. It glimmered under the chandeliers, subtle but commanding. Selene’s expression hardened instantly. The polite mask gave way to something sharper, darker.
Emily cleared her throat, desperate to recover. She jabbed a finger toward Jace and Sofia. "Now, get rid of those two."
Her heels clicked as she marched up to Sofia, her lips curling into a sneer. "And be ready to pay for my dress... the one your little waitress ruined."
Sofia’s knees shook, tears filling her eyes. "P-Please... I-I didn’t..." Her voice broke apart.
Jace’s eyes cooled, unreadable.
Selene glanced between them for a brief moment. Then she spoke, each word dropping like steel.
"It’s unfortunate what happened to you."
Emily’s grin returned, smug and triumphant.
Selene words dropped low, measured.
"Now allow me to fix it."
Sofia shook her head, panic breaking through in a whisper. "N-No..." Tears spilled freely.
Selene turned. Not to Sofia. Not even to Jace.
She advanced straight toward Emily.
The air thickened, cold and heavy as her presence loomed over the blonde. Her voice cut like a blade.
"Will you leave on your own... or should I kick you out myself?"
Emily froze. Her glossed lips parted, but nothing came. Around her, the crowd erupted in whispers, a rising tide crashing against what little pride she had left.
Jace smirked. ’I guess I need to raise Kyra’s salary. Her gift is wonderful.’
Emily staggered back a step, her face pale, confused. "W-What?"
Selene followed, towering, each step pushing Emily further until the crowd behind instinctively shifted away.
Emily gritted her teeth, desperation clinging to her voice. "Why should I go?!" She jabbed toward Jace and Sofia again. "It should be them!"
Selene’s tone was flat, deadly. "I guess I’ve to remove you myself."
Her aura radiated danger, sharp enough to make the air feel heavy. Emily shrank instinctively, but her pride forced her chin up.
A male voice cut through. Another followed, louder. "Wait a minute!"
Selene halted mid-step, her gaze snapping sideways.
Kyle stepped forward from the crowd, wine glass dangling in hand.
Jace’s smirk deepened, a faint glow flickering in his red eyes, fanned by amusement.
’What’s this? Buy one, get one free?’