Chapter 1

Chapter 1

My billionaire heir fiancé fell in love with a blind professional dancer.

He was dead set on breaking our engagement, completely disregarding my status as the crown jewel of Manhattan's elite.

To protect the alliance between our families, I found the best surgeons to treat her eyes and even funded a comeback stage for her.

Yet she claimed I was humiliating her, dramatically throwing herself into the Hudson River to prove her pride.

Ten years later, Bryce seized complete control of the high-society empire.

He dismantled my family's fortune, driving every single one of us to suicide.

"This is the price you pay for driving her to her death!" he sneered.

When I opened my eyes again, I was right back at the grand gala where he publicly confessed his love to the dancer.

Without a second thought, I turned and walked toward the silent Montana mining magnate sitting in the dimly lit corner.

I looped my arms around his neck, pulled his rough hand onto my waist, and gave him a direct order.

"Kiss me."

...

In the center of the ballroom, Bryce Caldwell held a bouquet of fresh flowers, confessing his undying love to the dancer on the stage.

Gasps echoed across the room as everyone turned their stunned gazes toward me.

After all, our lavish engagement party had just taken place yesterday.

Today, he was publicly professing his love to another woman in front of the entire upper crust, making an absolute fool out of me.

Bryce's father snapped instantly, his face purple with rage.

"Stop this nonsense right now!"

"This isn't a game, Bryce! Go apologize to Bridget this instant!"

Everyone knew the Caldwells had practically begged on their knees for this union.

While the old me had once harbored feelings for Bryce, our family had only agreed to the merger for their extensive mainland network.

In our world, fooling around on the side was tolerated, but throwing a public tantrum was unforgivable.

Every marriage here was built on raw power and cold cash.

If the bridge burned down, nobody walked away clean.

Yet Bryce was completely blind to reality, insisting on throwing his life away for a thirty-year-old blind dancer he barely knew.

Bryce stood tall on the stage, his tone dripping with righteous defiance.

"I am not playing around. I've never been more serious in my life."

"Bridget, I only agreed to our engagement because I hadn't met the one yet. It was all for family duty."

"This is the very first time I'm fighting for true love. I hope you can understand and let me go."

He never even spared me a glance, his eyes glued exclusively to Daphne Ross.

I let out a soft sneer, feeling physically sick from his sheer stupidity.

Daphne wore a delicate white ribbon across her unseeing eyes, her crimson lips trembling on cue.

"Mr. Caldwell, thank you for your love, but the gap between our worlds is too vast. Your family will never approve, and your fiancée will despise me."

Her words sounded like a polite rejection, but her delicate tremor left the door wide open.

Bryce turned his head toward me at last, looking magnanimous.

"You heard her, Bridget. I know you love me, but please, set me free."

"Mom, Dad, we are soulmates! Why must high society stand between true love?"

Muffled chuckles rippled through the ballroom.

Love was the cheapest, most pathetic currency in this room.

The Caldwell parents looked as pale as ghosts, completely humiliated in front of their peers.

Mr. Caldwell ignored his son and forced an apologetic smile in my direction.

"Bridget, dear, Bryce has had too much champagne tonight. His head is clearly scrambled."

"Please forgive him for my sake. I promise you, this engagement will never be broken."

The elite families were bound by countless intertwined contracts.

A messy fallout between our houses would ruin them financially.

Several mutual acquaintances hurried over to smooth things over with nervous chuckles.

Bryce, however, refused to read the room and shouted louder.

"No! I haven't had a single drop of alcohol! I am completely sober!"

"Daphne is the only woman I will ever marry!"

Daphne buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking with melodramatic grief.

"Bryce, please... you don't have to ruin your life for someone like me..."

My parents stepped up beside me, their smiles razor-sharp.

"If you truly want to call off this engagement, don't blame the Mercer family for whatever happens next."

Seeing a glimmer of hope, Bryce nodded frantically.

"Yes! I'm absolutely sure!"

Before the Caldwell elders could beg, I cut through the tension with a clear, icy voice.

"Fine. The engagement is officially off. From this moment on, the Mercer family cuts all ties with the Caldwells."

Mr. Caldwell's face drained of all color.

"Bridget, wait! We can talk this through!"