Chapter 3

I paused for a second, then calmly bent down to take off my shoes.

Bella walked over holding a warm cup of honey water, her tone laced with complaint.

"Why are you back so late? I've been waiting for hours."

"I made this honey water for you. Drink some."

I didn't take it. My arm brushed past, and the glass crashed to the floor, shattering into pieces. Bella gasped.

She looked up, her patience finally snapping.

"What is your problem? You stay out running around until midnight, and I haven't even said anything yet!"

Running around?

Ever since we decided to get married, I made sure I was home before eight every single night. Tonight was the only exception.

Compared to Bella, my late night was nothing.

The number of times she came home late or didn't come home at all was too high to count on both hands. What right did she have to lecture me?

Seeing that I wasn't responding, Bella followed behind me, nagging.

"What's that supposed to mean? Do you even want to get married anymore?"

"No."

The living room fell dead silent. I turned around to face Bella's utterly stunned expression.

Since she brought it up herself, I saw no reason to hold back.

Bella kicked a glass shard on the floor, her voice dripping with disdain. "Quit joking. You really think threatening me like this works?"

"Take tonight to think about your behavior."

She slammed the door and stormed out.

I didn't think I had anything to reflect on. After five years of pouring myself into this relationship, I wasn't the one who needed to do any soul-searching.

I pulled the covers over my head and fell asleep.

When I woke up, Bella hadn't returned.

I didn't care anymore.

Without her here, the place was peaceful.

I gathered my things and headed to my office. But the moment I stepped inside, I saw Julian.

I heard from a coworker that he had a business partnership with our company.

Seeing me, he smiled and walked over.

"Ethan, right? Bella talks about you all the time. We met briefly the other day, remember?"

Looking at his outstretched hand, I didn't move.

My colleague behind me quietly hissed my name, urging me not to offend our high-value client.

But I couldn't swallow this insult.

I even suspected Julian had shown up at my office on purpose.

He took my woman, and now he wanted me to bow and scrape to him?

Not a chance in hell.

The smirk on Julian's face widened. "By the way, Bella had a bit too much to drink last night and crashed at my place. She was still asleep when I left this morning. Maybe you should call her later and see if she needs a ride."

A vein in my temple throbbed.

So, they were already that intimate.

I lowered my gaze and tried to walk past him, but Julian stepped in my way.

He was clearly here to provoke me.

Leaning in close, he whispered in my ear.

"You know, while she was lying in my arms last night, she kept saying she wished she’d met me first. That way, she wouldn't be tied down by some stupid engagement with you."

"Honestly, I have to hand it to you. Knowing all this, you're still playing it cool. Guess you really don't mind sharing your woman with another man."

Looking at the smug, sleazy grin spreading across his face, my hands curled into fists.

Julian clapped a hand on my shoulder, wearing the expression of a triumphant victor. It burned my eyes.

The moment he let go and turned to walk away, my control shattered. I swung my fist straight into the bridge of his nose.

*Crack.*

His glasses shattered on impact, the jagged lenses slicing deep into his cheek.

Blood instantly gushed down his face.

Chaos erupted in the office. Just then, Bella came rushing through the doors in a panic.

"What happened?! Julian, are you okay? Who did this to you?"

Julian pressed a bloody hand to his face, his voice shaky and weak.

"It's fine... Ethan was just being impulsive. He was probably worried about you."

"It's my fault, really. I should have told him sooner that you stayed the night at my place. I deserved this."

Hearing that, Bella shot a venomous glare in my direction.

"Ethan, you've crossed the line! How dare you assault someone in broad daylight?"

"Apologize right now, or I swear I'm calling the police!"

I looked at the two of them clutching each other, finding the whole scene utterly pathetic.

Bella didn't hesitate for a second to take Julian's side.

In her heart, I had ceased to exist as her fiancé a long time ago.

What was I even expecting?

I let out a cold laugh.

"Go ahead. Call the cops. Let's see if they arrest the homewrecker first."

The office exploded into hushed whispers.

Everyone exchanged wide-eyed looks, their gazes darting between Bella and Julian.

They were all trying to piece together who was cheating on whom.

Unlike Bella, who kept our relationship a secret at her job, I had shared wedding candies with my colleagues the day we got engaged.

Many of them had even seen Bella's picture on my desk.

Everyone in this office knew she was my fiancée.

And now, she was running to another man's defense, turning on her own fiancé to protect him.

Noticing the judging stares around her, Bella bit her lip in embarrassment. She barked at me, "Come outside with me. Now!"

When I didn't budge, she grabbed my arm and dragged me into the stairwell.

"What was that supposed to mean? If you have an issue, why couldn't you talk to me in private? Did you really have to humiliate Julian in front of everyone?"

"Ethan, is this the result of your self-reflection? Don't think for a second that being my fiancé protects you from the consequences!"

Even now, every single word out of her mouth was about Julian.

I curled my lips into a sneer and cut her off.

"I already called off the wedding."