After seven years together, Marguerite Taylor had endured enough. Benjamin Foster’s growing indifference and his blatant affection for his captivating ward, Fiona Jenkins, were stains on their relationship. Though Marguerite forgave him repeatedly, clinging to the love they once shared, her final breaking point came in a cold, empty bedroom while she was gravely ill—as Benjamin was, yet again, tending to his “fragile” Fiona. Realizing the futility of it all, Marguerite makes a life-altering call: she agrees to a marriage proposal from the powerful Leonard Murphy. Leaving a simple note behind, she walks away without a backward glance. Benjamin is certain she will come crawling back. But as weeks turn into a month with no sign of her, his arrogance turns to panic. Then, at a high-society gala, the woman they all underestimated makes a stunning entrance—no longer the overlooked Marguerite, but the revered wife of the formidable Mr. Murphy. When a desperate Benjamin snarls, “Maggie, come here!” Leonard’s arm tightens possessively around his wife’s waist. With a deceptively calm smile, he issues a chilling warning: “Mind your address, Foster. She is my wife now.”

Chapter 1“Leonard, I’ll be back in Zion in two weeks. We’ll get married then.”Out on the bar’s small terrace, Marguerite Taylor curled up on a dark couch, her voice calm as she spoke into the phone.A cold, distant male voice replied, “Marguerite, if I remember correctly, two months ago you broke off our engagement for that so-called boyfriend of yours.”Marguerite pressed her lips together.Two months ago, she’d wanted to introduce her boyfriend of seven years, Benjamin Foster, to her parents. The moment she let slip her plans, she was blindsided: the Murphys and the Taylors had arranged a marriage alliance, and Leonard was her designated fiancé.The fight with her family was explosive. She’d argued for Benjamin until her father landed in the hospital from the stress. She even made a bet with him—swearing she’d be happy with Benjamin for the rest of her life, determined to prove her choice was right.Yet, in just two months, her love for Benjamin had been chipped away—eroded every time he took the side of his foster sister, Fiona Jenkins.Especially today.Today should have been their anniversary. Instead, Benjamin had stood her up, choosing instead to flirt with Fiona at a bar.Marguerite tightened her grip on her phone. Her voice was soft but unyielding. “I’m breaking up with him.”“Do you need my help?” The man’s tone was icy, laced with a kind of forceful authority.“No,” Marguerite replied quietly. “I’ll handle things between us myself. You don’t need to worry.”“I’ve invested a lot of effort in his company these past few years. I need some time to reclaim what’s mine. I hope you can wait.”“All right. I’ll meet you at the airport in two weeks,” he said, then promptly ended the call.Marguerite slipped her phone away, staring into the distance for a moment before rising, heading upstairs to one of the bar’s private lounges.As she approached, waves of raucous laughter spilled through the door.Benjamin and Fiona were in the center of the crowd.Marguerite placed her hand on the door handle, just in time to catch the playful jeers from inside.“He’s really biting! And Benjamin’s got his tongue out—no one can top him at this game!”“It’s just a drink—does Benjamin really have to go this far?”“You don’t get it. The drink isn’t the main event. It’s all about Ms. Jenkins! If Fiona loses here, she’ll have to go downstairs and dance with a random stranger. Do you think Benjamin would let Fiona get that close to anyone else?”“But doesn’t Benjamin have a girlfriend?”Even as Marguerite pushed the door open, the circle around the center didn’t notice her.Only those by the door exchanged uneasy glances.Marguerite stood in the doorway, arms crossed, coldly watching as Benjamin clung to Fiona, his hands shamelessly exploring her waist—possessive and intimate.If there’d been a bed in the room, Benjamin would have dragged her onto it without hesitation.“Marguerite?” someone blurted, as if seeing a ghost.Benjamin’s eyes shot open at the sound, locking with Marguerite’s gaze—her expression unreadable, lips curled in a faint, sardonic smile. He looked instantly uneasy.He let go of Fiona, pushing through the crowd to reach Marguerite, his tone curt. “What are you doing here?”The audacity in his voice only sharpened the irony in Marguerite’s eyes. She glanced past his shoulder, meeting Fiona’s defiant stare, and allowed herself a thin, mocking smile.“Did you forget what today is?”Today—Their anniversary.Realization flickered across Benjamin’s face.Annoyance creased his brow. He fumbled for an excuse. “Fiona’s had a rough day, so I came out with everyone to keep her company. The game—everyone just got carried away, that’s all. I—”“I know.”Marguerite’s voice was gentle, almost breezy. “It’s just a game. I don’t mind.”Whatever Benjamin wanted to say stuck in his throat.He couldn’t swallow it, but he couldn’t spit it out, either.Frowning, he was about to suggest walking Marguerite out, but someone beat him to it.“Marguerite, I’m really sorry. I just broke up with someone today, so I dragged Ben out here to keep me company. Please don’t blame him—it’s all my fault.”Fiona stepped forward, a glass of wine in hand. “Since you’re already here, why not stay and join us? Ben even had the bartender make this drink especially for me. You should give it a try.”Marguerite’s gaze drifted down to the red marks scattered just above Fiona’s deliberately low neckline.Higher up, her lipstick was smudged and faded.So Fiona wanted to provoke her, and she wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. Did she really think Marguerite was that easy to push around?Marguerite’s smile deepened, a touch of frost behind it. “Is that so?”Fiona opened her mouth to say more, but Marguerite cut in, her tone deceptively mild. “So, which do you prefer, Fiona—someone else’s boyfriend’s lips, or your cocktail? Little sister.”She put just enough emphasis on “little sister” to draw everyone’s attention.Suddenly, the room remembered exactly who Fiona was to Benjamin.His foster sister.Even if it wasn’t by blood, Fiona was still Benjamin’s official sibling. Yet just a moment ago, they’d been locked in a passionate kiss in front of everyone.The way everyone looked at Fiona shifted in an instant.“What’s that supposed to mean, Marguerite?”Fiona’s eyes went red, her voice trembling. “Ben was just helping me out of an awkward spot, that’s all. Besides, I know my place. I’d never… I could never…”She glanced at Benjamin, as if the injustice of it all was too much to bear. Her voice cut off, like she’d swallowed her pain.“Forget it.”After a few seconds, Fiona managed to collect herself, her tone heavy with resignation. “If my dad hadn’t died saving Ben, I never would’ve ended up joining the Foster family. Ben wouldn’t have had to look after me all these years. It’s my fault—I just don’t know my boundaries. Maybe I’m just unlucky.Don’t worry, Marguerite. From now on, I’ll keep my distance from Ben. No matter what happens, I won’t ask him to be there for me again.”Her voice shook at the end.Everyone in the lounge remembered then: Fiona’s real father had died saving Benjamin from a kidnapping years ago. As the daughter of the man who gave his life for Benjamin, it only made sense that Benjamin would watch out for her.Besides, they’d only been playing a silly party game.Marguerite looked petty by comparison.Marguerite took in every flicker of judgment on the others’ faces, her eyes growing colder, her voice tinted with mockery. “You’re right, your luck really is—”“That’s enough!”Benjamin seized Marguerite’s wrist, his grip unyielding, his eyes hard as steel. “I was just keeping Fiona company for a game. Did you really have to make such a scene? It’s just our anniversary. Haven’t I spent enough time with you already?”“When did you become so unreasonable, Marguerite?”Her fingers tightened at her side.Unreasonable?He was her boyfriend, and he’d practically put on a show with his foster sister in front of everyone. Was it really too much to ask for an explanation?It felt like someone was squeezing the air out of her chest, leaving her unable to breathe. All she could feel when she looked at Benjamin was disappointment.What was she even hoping for anymore?Marguerite forced herself to regain composure. Under Benjamin’s furious glare, she managed a mechanical, practiced smile.“You’re right.”Her voice was soft, almost hollow. “I’ll leave you all to your party, then.”Without another word, Marguerite turned and walked away.Benjamin didn’t bother to follow Marguerite out of the bar, nor did he come after her when she got into her car.Instead, Marguerite’s phone buzzed with a text—a message so casual, it almost sounded accusatory.“We’re nothing like what you’re imagining. You owe Fiona an apology for your behavior tonight.”An apology to Fiona?Marguerite let out a cold, mocking smile, then tossed her phone onto the passenger seat without another glance.Perhaps Benjamin had no idea.For the past month, she’d been receiving all sorts of photos—Benjamin and Fiona out together, posing for staged engagement shoots, even shots of him getting into fights over her, playing the jealous boyfriend. All the while, Benjamin brushed her off with the same excuses: business trips, long hours at work, too busy.Well, he wouldn’t have to work so hard to come up with lies anymore. She was done with him.Marguerite drove back to the house they once called home.As soon as she walked in, she gathered up every gift Benjamin had ever given her when they first fell in love: all the couple photos, videos, their shared journal—every trace of their relationship.She carried everything out to the garden, piled it into a metal bin, and set it all on fire.The flames had barely caught when a furious shout rang out behind her.“What the hell are you doing?!”Someone yanked her arm back hard. Benjamin rushed forward, not hesitating to snatch half-burned photos from the flames. He tried to rescue more, but as the fire flared up, he burned his hand on the edge of the bin.Benjamin hissed in pain, jerking his hand away.Unable to hold back his anger, he spun on Marguerite, shouting, “What are you trying to pull? Fiona’s been dragged through the mud because of your accusations, and she still begged me to come back and make peace with you, told me not to be angry—only to find you burning our memories?”“Marguerite, when did you become so childish?”Marguerite met his glare with icy eyes, her lips curling in a scornful smile. “You’re right, I am childish. Benjamin, I want to break up.”She turned to head back inside, not looking back.The word “break up” landed like a blow to Benjamin’s chest, but then he remembered all the times Marguerite had fought for him, even against her own family. She’d loved him so fiercely—was she really going to let go because of something like this?He convinced himself she was just trying to get a rise out of him.Certain of it, he followed her inside, catching up at the bottom of the stairs and blocking her path. He frowned, “Enough, stop making a scene. I forgot our anniversary, that’s on me. Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day—I’ll make it up to you. Let’s celebrate together.”Marguerite was about to refuse, but Benjamin didn’t give her the chance. He pulled out his phone right in front of her, booking a table and movie tickets for the next day, then set the phone aside and reached out to hug her.She stepped away the moment he got close.“You—”“Benjamin, have you even noticed what you smell like right now?”Marguerite’s eyes were cold as she stared at him, her voice icy. The sickly-sweet scent of floral perfume clung to him—a scent she knew too well. Fiona’s.Benjamin froze.He glanced down and sniffed at his shirt, his face twisting in embarrassment.Without another word, he yanked off his tie, grabbed fresh clothes from the wardrobe, and headed for the shower. “I’ll go wash up.”Marguerite didn’t bother to watch him leave.Since Benjamin planned to stay the night, she had no intention of sleeping beside him—or even sharing the same room. She started to gather her things to move to the guest bedroom, when a new text alert chimed.It was Benjamin’s phone.She glanced toward the bathroom, where the water was running, then picked up his phone and unlocked the screen.The first thing she saw was his chat with Fiona.Chapter 2“Leonard, I’ll be back in Zion in two weeks. We’ll get married then.”Out on the bar’s small terrace, Marguerite Taylor curled up on a dark couch, her voice calm as she spoke into the phone.A cold, distant male voice replied, “Marguerite, if I remember correctly, two months ago you broke off our engagement for that so-called boyfriend of yours.”Marguerite pressed her lips together.Two months ago, she’d wanted to introduce her boyfriend of seven years, Benjamin Foster, to her parents. The moment she let slip her plans, she was blindsided: the Murphys and the Taylors had arranged a marriage alliance, and Leonard was her designated fiancé.The fight with her family was explosive. She’d argued for Benjamin until her father landed in the hospital from the stress. She even made a bet with him—swearing she’d be happy with Benjamin for the rest of her life, determined to prove her choice was right.Yet, in just two months, her love for Benjamin had been chipped away—eroded every time he took the side of his foster sister, Fiona Jenkins.Especially today.Today should have been their anniversary. Instead, Benjamin had stood her up, choosing instead to flirt with Fiona at a bar.Marguerite tightened her grip on her phone. Her voice was soft but unyielding. “I’m breaking up with him.”“Do you need my help?” The man’s tone was icy, laced with a kind of forceful authority.“No,” Marguerite replied quietly. “I’ll handle things between us myself. You don’t need to worry.”“I’ve invested a lot of effort in his company these past few years. I need some time to reclaim what’s mine. I hope you can wait.”“All right. I’ll meet you at the airport in two weeks,” he said, then promptly ended the call.Marguerite slipped her phone away, staring into the distance for a moment before rising, heading upstairs to one of the bar’s private lounges.As she approached, waves of raucous laughter spilled through the door.Benjamin and Fiona were in the center of the crowd.Marguerite placed her hand on the door handle, just in time to catch the playful jeers from inside.“He’s really biting! And Benjamin’s got his tongue out—no one can top him at this game!”“It’s just a drink—does Benjamin really have to go this far?”“You don’t get it. The drink isn’t the main event. It’s all about Ms. Jenkins! If Fiona loses here, she’ll have to go downstairs and dance with a random stranger. Do you think Benjamin would let Fiona get that close to anyone else?”“But doesn’t Benjamin have a girlfriend?”Even as Marguerite pushed the door open, the circle around the center didn’t notice her.Only those by the door exchanged uneasy glances.Marguerite stood in the doorway, arms crossed, coldly watching as Benjamin clung to Fiona, his hands shamelessly exploring her waist—possessive and intimate.If there’d been a bed in the room, Benjamin would have dragged her onto it without hesitation.“Marguerite?” someone blurted, as if seeing a ghost.Benjamin’s eyes shot open at the sound, locking with Marguerite’s gaze—her expression unreadable, lips curled in a faint, sardonic smile. He looked instantly uneasy.He let go of Fiona, pushing through the crowd to reach Marguerite, his tone curt. “What are you doing here?”The audacity in his voice only sharpened the irony in Marguerite’s eyes. She glanced past his shoulder, meeting Fiona’s defiant stare, and allowed herself a thin, mocking smile.“Did you forget what today is?”Today—Their anniversary.Realization flickered across Benjamin’s face.Annoyance creased his brow. He fumbled for an excuse. “Fiona’s had a rough day, so I came out with everyone to keep her company. The game—everyone just got carried away, that’s all. I—”“I know.”Marguerite’s voice was gentle, almost breezy. “It’s just a game. I don’t mind.”Whatever Benjamin wanted to say stuck in his throat.He couldn’t swallow it, but he couldn’t spit it out, either.Frowning, he was about to suggest walking Marguerite out, but someone beat him to it.“Marguerite, I’m really sorry. I just broke up with someone today, so I dragged Ben out here to keep me company. Please don’t blame him—it’s all my fault.”Fiona stepped forward, a glass of wine in hand. “Since you’re already here, why not stay and join us? Ben even had the bartender make this drink especially for me. You should give it a try.”Marguerite’s gaze drifted down to the red marks scattered just above Fiona’s deliberately low neckline.Higher up, her lipstick was smudged and faded.So Fiona wanted to provoke her, and she wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. Did she really think Marguerite was that easy to push around?Marguerite’s smile deepened, a touch of frost behind it. “Is that so?”Fiona opened her mouth to say more, but Marguerite cut in, her tone deceptively mild. “So, which do you prefer, Fiona—someone else’s boyfriend’s lips, or your cocktail? Little sister.”She put just enough emphasis on “little sister” to draw everyone’s attention.Suddenly, the room remembered exactly who Fiona was to Benjamin.His foster sister.Even if it wasn’t by blood, Fiona was still Benjamin’s official sibling. Yet just a moment ago, they’d been locked in a passionate kiss in front of everyone.The way everyone looked at Fiona shifted in an instant.“What’s that supposed to mean, Marguerite?”Fiona’s eyes went red, her voice trembling. “Ben was just helping me out of an awkward spot, that’s all. Besides, I know my place. I’d never… I could never…”She glanced at Benjamin, as if the injustice of it all was too much to bear. Her voice cut off, like she’d swallowed her pain.“Forget it.”After a few seconds, Fiona managed to collect herself, her tone heavy with resignation. “If my dad hadn’t died saving Ben, I never would’ve ended up joining the Foster family. Ben wouldn’t have had to look after me all these years. It’s my fault—I just don’t know my boundaries. Maybe I’m just unlucky.Don’t worry, Marguerite. From now on, I’ll keep my distance from Ben. No matter what happens, I won’t ask him to be there for me again.”Her voice shook at the end.Everyone in the lounge remembered then: Fiona’s real father had died saving Benjamin from a kidnapping years ago. As the daughter of the man who gave his life for Benjamin, it only made sense that Benjamin would watch out for her.Besides, they’d only been playing a silly party game.Marguerite looked petty by comparison.Marguerite took in every flicker of judgment on the others’ faces, her eyes growing colder, her voice tinted with mockery. “You’re right, your luck really is—”“That’s enough!”Benjamin seized Marguerite’s wrist, his grip unyielding, his eyes hard as steel. “I was just keeping Fiona company for a game. Did you really have to make such a scene? It’s just our anniversary. Haven’t I spent enough time with you already?”“When did you become so unreasonable, Marguerite?”Her fingers tightened at her side.Unreasonable?He was her boyfriend, and he’d practically put on a show with his foster sister in front of everyone. Was it really too much to ask for an explanation?It felt like someone was squeezing the air out of her chest, leaving her unable to breathe. All she could feel when she looked at Benjamin was disappointment.What was she even hoping for anymore?Marguerite forced herself to regain composure. Under Benjamin’s furious glare, she managed a mechanical, practiced smile.“You’re right.”Her voice was soft, almost hollow. “I’ll leave you all to your party, then.”Without another word, Marguerite turned and walked away.Benjamin didn’t bother to follow Marguerite out of the bar, nor did he come after her when she got into her car.Instead, Marguerite’s phone buzzed with a text—a message so casual, it almost sounded accusatory.“We’re nothing like what you’re imagining. You owe Fiona an apology for your behavior tonight.”An apology to Fiona?Marguerite let out a cold, mocking smile, then tossed her phone onto the passenger seat without another glance.Perhaps Benjamin had no idea.For the past month, she’d been receiving all sorts of photos—Benjamin and Fiona out together, posing for staged engagement shoots, even shots of him getting into fights over her, playing the jealous boyfriend. All the while, Benjamin brushed her off with the same excuses: business trips, long hours at work, too busy.Well, he wouldn’t have to work so hard to come up with lies anymore. She was done with him.Marguerite drove back to the house they once called home.As soon as she walked in, she gathered up every gift Benjamin had ever given her when they first fell in love: all the couple photos, videos, their shared journal—every trace of their relationship.She carried everything out to the garden, piled it into a metal bin, and set it all on fire.The flames had barely caught when a furious shout rang out behind her.“What the hell are you doing?!”Someone yanked her arm back hard. Benjamin rushed forward, not hesitating to snatch half-burned photos from the flames. He tried to rescue more, but as the fire flared up, he burned his hand on the edge of the bin.Benjamin hissed in pain, jerking his hand away.Unable to hold back his anger, he spun on Marguerite, shouting, “What are you trying to pull? Fiona’s been dragged through the mud because of your accusations, and she still begged me to come back and make peace with you, told me not to be angry—only to find you burning our memories?”“Marguerite, when did you become so childish?”Marguerite met his glare with icy eyes, her lips curling in a scornful smile. “You’re right, I am childish. Benjamin, I want to break up.”She turned to head back inside, not looking back.The word “break up” landed like a blow to Benjamin’s chest, but then he remembered all the times Marguerite had fought for him, even against her own family. She’d loved him so fiercely—was she really going to let go because of something like this?He convinced himself she was just trying to get a rise out of him.Certain of it, he followed her inside, catching up at the bottom of the stairs and blocking her path. He frowned, “Enough, stop making a scene. I forgot our anniversary, that’s on me. Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day—I’ll make it up to you. Let’s celebrate together.”Marguerite was about to refuse, but Benjamin didn’t give her the chance. He pulled out his phone right in front of her, booking a table and movie tickets for the next day, then set the phone aside and reached out to hug her.She stepped away the moment he got close.“You—”“Benjamin, have you even noticed what you smell like right now?”Marguerite’s eyes were cold as she stared at him, her voice icy. The sickly-sweet scent of floral perfume clung to him—a scent she knew too well. Fiona’s.Benjamin froze.He glanced down and sniffed at his shirt, his face twisting in embarrassment.Without another word, he yanked off his tie, grabbed fresh clothes from the wardrobe, and headed for the shower. “I’ll go wash up.”Marguerite didn’t bother to watch him leave.Since Benjamin planned to stay the night, she had no intention of sleeping beside him—or even sharing the same room. She started to gather her things to move to the guest bedroom, when a new text alert chimed.It was Benjamin’s phone.She glanced toward the bathroom, where the water was running, then picked up his phone and unlocked the screen.The first thing she saw was his chat with Fiona.Chapter 3“Leonard, I’ll be back in Zion in two weeks. We’ll get married then.”Out on the bar’s small terrace, Marguerite Taylor curled up on a dark couch, her voice calm as she spoke into the phone.A cold, distant male voice replied, “Marguerite, if I remember correctly, two months ago you broke off our engagement for that so-called boyfriend of yours.”Marguerite pressed her lips together.Two months ago, she’d wanted to introduce her boyfriend of seven years, Benjamin Foster, to her parents. The moment she let slip her plans, she was blindsided: the Murphys and the Taylors had arranged a marriage alliance, and Leonard was her designated fiancé.The fight with her family was explosive. She’d argued for Benjamin until her father landed in the hospital from the stress. She even made a bet with him—swearing she’d be happy with Benjamin for the rest of her life, determined to prove her choice was right.Yet, in just two months, her love for Benjamin had been chipped away—eroded every time he took the side of his foster sister, Fiona Jenkins.Especially today.Today should have been their anniversary. Instead, Benjamin had stood her up, choosing instead to flirt with Fiona at a bar.Marguerite tightened her grip on her phone. Her voice was soft but unyielding. “I’m breaking up with him.”“Do you need my help?” The man’s tone was icy, laced with a kind of forceful authority.“No,” Marguerite replied quietly. “I’ll handle things between us myself. You don’t need to worry.”“I’ve invested a lot of effort in his company these past few years. I need some time to reclaim what’s mine. I hope you can wait.”“All right. I’ll meet you at the airport in two weeks,” he said, then promptly ended the call.Marguerite slipped her phone away, staring into the distance for a moment before rising, heading upstairs to one of the bar’s private lounges.As she approached, waves of raucous laughter spilled through the door.Benjamin and Fiona were in the center of the crowd.Marguerite placed her hand on the door handle, just in time to catch the playful jeers from inside.“He’s really biting! And Benjamin’s got his tongue out—no one can top him at this game!”“It’s just a drink—does Benjamin really have to go this far?”“You don’t get it. The drink isn’t the main event. It’s all about Ms. Jenkins! If Fiona loses here, she’ll have to go downstairs and dance with a random stranger. Do you think Benjamin would let Fiona get that close to anyone else?”“But doesn’t Benjamin have a girlfriend?”Even as Marguerite pushed the door open, the circle around the center didn’t notice her.Only those by the door exchanged uneasy glances.Marguerite stood in the doorway, arms crossed, coldly watching as Benjamin clung to Fiona, his hands shamelessly exploring her waist—possessive and intimate.If there’d been a bed in the room, Benjamin would have dragged her onto it without hesitation.“Marguerite?” someone blurted, as if seeing a ghost.Benjamin’s eyes shot open at the sound, locking with Marguerite’s gaze—her expression unreadable, lips curled in a faint, sardonic smile. He looked instantly uneasy.He let go of Fiona, pushing through the crowd to reach Marguerite, his tone curt. “What are you doing here?”The audacity in his voice only sharpened the irony in Marguerite’s eyes. She glanced past his shoulder, meeting Fiona’s defiant stare, and allowed herself a thin, mocking smile.“Did you forget what today is?”Today—Their anniversary.Realization flickered across Benjamin’s face.Annoyance creased his brow. He fumbled for an excuse. “Fiona’s had a rough day, so I came out with everyone to keep her company. The game—everyone just got carried away, that’s all. I—”“I know.”Marguerite’s voice was gentle, almost breezy. “It’s just a game. I don’t mind.”Whatever Benjamin wanted to say stuck in his throat.He couldn’t swallow it, but he couldn’t spit it out, either.Frowning, he was about to suggest walking Marguerite out, but someone beat him to it.“Marguerite, I’m really sorry. I just broke up with someone today, so I dragged Ben out here to keep me company. Please don’t blame him—it’s all my fault.”Fiona stepped forward, a glass of wine in hand. “Since you’re already here, why not stay and join us? Ben even had the bartender make this drink especially for me. You should give it a try.”Marguerite’s gaze drifted down to the red marks scattered just above Fiona’s deliberately low neckline.Higher up, her lipstick was smudged and faded.So Fiona wanted to provoke her, and she wasn’t even trying to be subtle about it. Did she really think Marguerite was that easy to push around?Marguerite’s smile deepened, a touch of frost behind it. “Is that so?”Fiona opened her mouth to say more, but Marguerite cut in, her tone deceptively mild. “So, which do you prefer, Fiona—someone else’s boyfriend’s lips, or your cocktail? Little sister.”She put just enough emphasis on “little sister” to draw everyone’s attention.Suddenly, the room remembered exactly who Fiona was to Benjamin.His foster sister.Even if it wasn’t by blood, Fiona was still Benjamin’s official sibling. Yet just a moment ago, they’d been locked in a passionate kiss in front of everyone.The way everyone looked at Fiona shifted in an instant.“What’s that supposed to mean, Marguerite?”Fiona’s eyes went red, her voice trembling. “Ben was just helping me out of an awkward spot, that’s all. Besides, I know my place. I’d never… I could never…”She glanced at Benjamin, as if the injustice of it all was too much to bear. Her voice cut off, like she’d swallowed her pain.“Forget it.”After a few seconds, Fiona managed to collect herself, her tone heavy with resignation. “If my dad hadn’t died saving Ben, I never would’ve ended up joining the Foster family. Ben wouldn’t have had to look after me all these years. It’s my fault—I just don’t know my boundaries. Maybe I’m just unlucky.Don’t worry, Marguerite. From now on, I’ll keep my distance from Ben. No matter what happens, I won’t ask him to be there for me again.”Her voice shook at the end.Everyone in the lounge remembered then: Fiona’s real father had died saving Benjamin from a kidnapping years ago. As the daughter of the man who gave his life for Benjamin, it only made sense that Benjamin would watch out for her.Besides, they’d only been playing a silly party game.Marguerite looked petty by comparison.Marguerite took in every flicker of judgment on the others’ faces, her eyes growing colder, her voice tinted with mockery. “You’re right, your luck really is—”“That’s enough!”Benjamin seized Marguerite’s wrist, his grip unyielding, his eyes hard as steel. “I was just keeping Fiona company for a game. Did you really have to make such a scene? It’s just our anniversary. Haven’t I spent enough time with you already?”“When did you become so unreasonable, Marguerite?”Her fingers tightened at her side.Unreasonable?He was her boyfriend, and he’d practically put on a show with his foster sister in front of everyone. Was it really too much to ask for an explanation?It felt like someone was squeezing the air out of her chest, leaving her unable to breathe. All she could feel when she looked at Benjamin was disappointment.What was she even hoping for anymore?Marguerite forced herself to regain composure. Under Benjamin’s furious glare, she managed a mechanical, practiced smile.“You’re right.”Her voice was soft, almost hollow. “I’ll leave you all to your party, then.”Without another word, Marguerite turned and walked away.Benjamin didn’t bother to follow Marguerite out of the bar, nor did he come after her when she got into her car.Instead, Marguerite’s phone buzzed with a text—a message so casual, it almost sounded accusatory.“We’re nothing like what you’re imagining. You owe Fiona an apology for your behavior tonight.”An apology to Fiona?Marguerite let out a cold, mocking smile, then tossed her phone onto the passenger seat without another glance.Perhaps Benjamin had no idea.For the past month, she’d been receiving all sorts of photos—Benjamin and Fiona out together, posing for staged engagement shoots, even shots of him getting into fights over her, playing the jealous boyfriend. All the while, Benjamin brushed her off with the same excuses: business trips, long hours at work, too busy.Well, he wouldn’t have to work so hard to come up with lies anymore. She was done with him.Marguerite drove back to the house they once called home.As soon as she walked in, she gathered up every gift Benjamin had ever given her when they first fell in love: all the couple photos, videos, their shared journal—every trace of their relationship.She carried everything out to the garden, piled it into a metal bin, and set it all on fire.The flames had barely caught when a furious shout rang out behind her.“What the hell are you doing?!”Someone yanked her arm back hard. Benjamin rushed forward, not hesitating to snatch half-burned photos from the flames. He tried to rescue more, but as the fire flared up, he burned his hand on the edge of the bin.Benjamin hissed in pain, jerking his hand away.Unable to hold back his anger, he spun on Marguerite, shouting, “What are you trying to pull? Fiona’s been dragged through the mud because of your accusations, and she still begged me to come back and make peace with you, told me not to be angry—only to find you burning our memories?”“Marguerite, when did you become so childish?”Marguerite met his glare with icy eyes, her lips curling in a scornful smile. “You’re right, I am childish. Benjamin, I want to break up.”She turned to head back inside, not looking back.The word “break up” landed like a blow to Benjamin’s chest, but then he remembered all the times Marguerite had fought for him, even against her own family. She’d loved him so fiercely—was she really going to let go because of something like this?He convinced himself she was just trying to get a rise out of him.Certain of it, he followed her inside, catching up at the bottom of the stairs and blocking her path. He frowned, “Enough, stop making a scene. I forgot our anniversary, that’s on me. Tomorrow’s Valentine’s Day—I’ll make it up to you. Let’s celebrate together.”Marguerite was about to refuse, but Benjamin didn’t give her the chance. He pulled out his phone right in front of her, booking a table and movie tickets for the next day, then set the phone aside and reached out to hug her.She stepped away the moment he got close.“You—”“Benjamin, have you even noticed what you smell like right now?”Marguerite’s eyes were cold as she stared at him, her voice icy. The sickly-sweet scent of floral perfume clung to him—a scent she knew too well. Fiona’s.Benjamin froze.He glanced down and sniffed at his shirt, his face twisting in embarrassment.Without another word, he yanked off his tie, grabbed fresh clothes from the wardrobe, and headed for the shower. “I’ll go wash up.”Marguerite didn’t bother to watch him leave.Since Benjamin planned to stay the night, she had no intention of sleeping beside him—or even sharing the same room. She started to gather her things to move to the guest bedroom, when a new text alert chimed.It was Benjamin’s phone.She glanced toward the bathroom, where the water was running, then picked up his phone and unlocked the screen.The first thing she saw was his chat with Fiona.