The silence in the Heverd sitting room was deafening. Not even the crackle of the fireplace dared to intrude as Mr. Montess stood in the center, his broad shoulders squared, his glare cutting through each of them like a blade. Daniel shifted uncomfortably, his hand tugging at his collar, while his father sat rigid on the sofa, jaw clenched as though he could grind the truth back into silence.
"You humiliated my daughter," Montess said finally, his tone controlled but carrying the weight of thunder. "And you dare sit here as though nothing happened?"
Mrs. Heverd lifted her chin, her lips pressed in a thin line. "Your daughter canceled the engagement, not ours. If there is humiliation, perhaps you should look to her."
The words struck like a spark, and Montess's nostrils flared. He stepped forward, his voice dropping lower, sharper. "Don't you dare twist this. I know about the schemes. I know about Mabel's poisonous games. And I will not have Victoria's name dragged through your filth."
Daniel finally found his voice. "It wasn't like that" He glanced at Montess, his tone calm but not sincere" I didn't mean for things to turn out this way. Mabel and I love each other and I cannot possibly get married to Victoria"
"Silence!" his father barked, slamming a hand on the armrest. The crack echoed. "Do you know what's at stake if this man calls off our partnership? Do you realize the ruin you've brought on this family?"
Mr. Montess's lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "Ruin?" he repeated, his voice laced with bitter amusement. "Ruin is a word for those who still have something to lose. And believe me, I have no qualms about dragging the Heverd name through mud if that's what it takes."
His words hung heavy, a warning. For the first time, the Heverds understood—this wasn't merely a father defending his daughter. This was a man ready to declare war.
Mr Montess we should sit and talk this out, Victoria is also like a daughter to me. Mr heverd said standing up. Perhaps my study will be better.
Mr Montess glanced at him not saying anything he turned walking towards the door. When he go there he finally spoke. This isn't over just yet, I'll make sure you all regret what your son did to my princess.
Back at the office.
The car came to a slow halt. Victoria glanced at Dennis, her hand already on the door handle.
"I should probably get going, I have some work to evaluate," she murmured, her tone clipped as she pushed the door open.
But before she could step out, Dennis's hand gently but firmly closed around her arm. She froze, her heart giving a betraying thud at the warmth of his touch.
"I know you just got broken," he said, his voice low, carrying an edge of desperation. His eyes searched hers, vulnerable yet determined. "And I have no intention of rushing you into something new. But please, Victoria… don't let someone else's mistakes rob me of my sincere emotions." His words hung in the air, pleading, raw.
For a moment, her defenses faltered. She swallowed hard, looking away to hide the storm of emotions in her eyes.
"I understand," she finally whispered, her voice softer than she intended. "I'll… think about it."
With that, she pulled away gently, stepping out of the car before the moment grew heavier, leaving Dennis staring after her with a mixture of hope and uncertainty.
A few days later, the news that would twist the knife came.
Mabel and Daniel had finally released their engagement date.
Victoria was lounging on her bedroom balcony, the golden evening sun casting a soft glow across her silk robe. She sipped lazily on a tall glass of fruit punch, her phone resting beside her. It was one of those rare moments where she allowed herself to feel at peace.
Then—a notification pinged.
She reached for the phone casually, but the moment her eyes fell on the screen, her breath caught. Her once-relaxed expression hardened, her good mood instantly soured.
The fruit punch slipped from her hand, clinking against the marble table as droplets of red spilled like blood across the surface. She had thought she won't be affected but here she was. With trembling fingers, she opened the post.
There it was, in bold, glittering letters with smiling faces attached, Mabel and Daniel's engagement announcement.
Her stomach twisted. The world around her seemed to dim as she absorbed the details. Each word, each picture, each congratulatory comment felt like a dagger piercing through the fragile walls she had built around her heart.
Her demeanor changed drastically; her chest tightened, and the taste of betrayal rose bitterly in her mouth once again.
Before she knew it, a single tear slipped down her cheek, hot and unbidden. She had promised herself—sworn, even—that she wouldn't allow these emotions to resurface. Not again. But who could have predicted that seeing them all lovey-dovey, flaunting their so-called happiness, would make her heart ache so viciously?
Her chest rose and fell unevenly as she stared at the glowing screen, the image burning into her mind like an unforgiving brand. She hated that it still affected her, hated that the memories she buried clawed their way back so easily.
Victoria shut her eyes for a moment, forcing a deep breath into her lungs. Then, with deliberate slowness, she wiped away the tear, her fingers trembling only slightly.
Her gaze hardened when it returned to the post.
"Today," she whispered under her breath, voice laced with cold finality, "is the last time I'll ever shed my precious tears for a scum like Daniel."
She sat straighter, her shoulders squaring with a quiet strength. "Never again."
And for the first time in a long while, she meant it.
Oscar walked into the room, only to freeze at the sight before him. Shards of shattered glass glittered across the floor like fragments of broken stars. His chest tightened instantly with worry.
"Vic!" he rushed to her side, eyes scanning her frantically. "Are you all right? Hope you're not hurt anywhere." His voice carried the sharp edge of panic before softening into something gentler.
Then his gaze caught the streaks of fresh tears on her cheeks, and his worry twisted into protectiveness. "And why the f**k are you crying?" he demanded, his tone half-angry, half-desperate. "What's wrong? Talk to me."
He crouched in front of her, tilting her chin up so she couldn't hide behind her silence. "Big bro would burn the world down if that's what it takes to make you smile again."