The whole crowd erupted into cheers of congratulations as camera lights flashed, snapping pictures of the newly engaged couple.
Bruce remained rigid, unable to believe his eyes as the reality of the situation hit him hard.
"Sadie? Unbelievable-!" His words caught in his throat, and he hoped desperately this was all a bad dream.
Vincent, standing beside Sadie, looked at Bruce with a grin that oozed smugness. "What's the matter, loser? Don't you wish you could be the one up here?" He bent down and kissed the ring on Sadie's finger, making no attempt to hide his delight at Bruce's obvious discomfort.
Sadie, however, seemed to be laughing, totally at ease. "Baby, stop it. You're making a scene." She playfully pecked him, looking as if she were enjoying herself far too much for Bruce's liking.
Bruce tried to push his emotions away, but they wouldn't fade. "I need an explanation, Sadie?" Bruce finally asked, rising from his knees. "How could you say yes to him when you're still with me?!"
The crowd fell silent and murmurs spread quickly and then someone sneered, "What's this guy doing here?
"Does he really think he has a shot with someone like her?" Another voice laughed, "This lunatic thought she'd choose him over Vincent Richardson?"
A third person shook their head, "What a joke, thinking he could even be close to someone this beautiful."
Bruce gritted his teeth as he spoke. "Sadie, this is insane! You promised, "
Vincent pulled Sadie into a kiss with his hands all over her body, as if to flaunt the situation to the people around them. "Are you really in a relationship with this guy, sweetie?" Vincent asked.
Sadie suddenly pulled away from Vincent, her face faltering for just a moment before she took a deep breath and spoke. "Yes, it's true," she said, her voice shaky but loud enough for everyone to hear. "Bruce and I were together, but things were never right. He was abusive. He wasn't the person everyone thought he was. He treated me horribly, and I finally had enough when I caught him cheating on me."
Bruce felt as if the ground beneath him had vanished. "Sadie, why are you saying this?" he asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, struggling to understand the sudden shift.
Sadie's eyes glistened with fake tears as she continued. "I didn't want to leave, but I couldn't stay in that kind of relationship anymore. He lied, he hurt me, and he never cared about me. When I found out about the cheating, I knew I had to break up with him."
She paused, turning to Vincent, who stood beside her with his arm around her waist, offering her support. "Vincent was there for me when no one else was. He helped me, he consoled me, and he's the one who's been there ever since. He's the kind of man I deserve."
The crowd, who had been watching in silence, began murmuring again. "You deserve better, Sadie."
Meghan, who was also in the crowd, shouted. "It's good you got away from that woman-beater."
Bruce's mind was spinning as he tried to grasp what was happening. Sadie had turned everything around on him, painting him as the villain, and the crowd was eating it up.
Sadie's words continued to ring in his ears, and the sting of her betrayal hit harder than anything else. She had made him into a monster, and now everyone was looking at him with disgust.
"I didn't have a choice," Sadie finished, glancing at Vincent for reassurance. "I had to leave. But now, I'm safe with Vincent."
Vincent pulled Sadie close to him, making sure Bruce could see them together. "Thankfully, I found out about the awful situation Sadie was in, and I had to be there for her."
"You really did," Sadie giggled before leaning in for another heated kiss with Vincent.
Bruce stood motionless, speechless, and devastated, as the murmurs from the crowd grew louder.
"You're nothing but a disgrace!"
"How can anyone trust someone like you?"
"You should be ashamed of yourself!"
Bruce was stunned by the harsh words being thrown at him. He couldn't understand why Sadie was fabricating such lies. How could she twist the truth like this?
At this point Kyle had had enough of the situation, so he raised his hands, quieting the crowd. "I'm glad you all get to witness this. Now you can see just how desperate and miserable this psychopath is. This is exactly why my uncle sent them packing. He and his father are nothing but thieves and cheats."
"Don't you dare talk about my Papa," Bruce warned.
"Bastard!" Kyle yelled, grabbing Bruce by the collar and shoving him forcefully into the nearest wall, making Bruce's head hit it so hard.
What happened next was even more embarrassing.
"Where is my fiancé's ring, thief?" Vincent suddenly demanded pointing an accusatory finger at Bruce.