Chapter 3

Chapter 3

My wedding with Garrett was set for the tenth of next month.

Since we were both swamped with work, we agreed that he would simply pick me up from my home on the wedding day.

Looking at the checklist sent by the wedding planner, I felt a brief sense of surrealism.

Not long ago, my fiancé had run off, making me think marriage was off the table for the near future.

Yet in the blink of an eye, I was actually walking down the aisle.

My mother, worried that I was rushing into this out of heartbreak, called to talk me out of it.

Closing my book, I unexpectedly recalled that flashy, flamboyant figure who had cornered me in front of my office.

And the charming dimple that appeared when he smiled.

"Don't worry, Mom. Garrett is great. Besides, marriage... isn't it the same no matter who it is?"

"We can't just look at shallow emotions; we have to look at the strategic value behind it. That's what you and Dad taught me."

My mother was silenced by my words and hung up with a heavy sigh.

I looked up at the sparse stars in the night sky, wondering when I had become so detached.

It was as if my entire world was governed solely by profit and practicality.

Cold, orderly, rational, and calculating―just like a finely tuned instrument.

Over the next few days, I was buried under endless paperwork at the office.

When I finally looked up from a stack of files, my assistant knocked gently on the door.

"Ms. Shaw, there is a gentleman here to see you. He said he is here to deliver..."

Before my assistant could finish, a loud, arrogant voice cut through the air.

"Farrah, I'm here to give you an invitation!"

I looked up, and sure enough, it was Lucas again.

He smugly slid a gold-embossed invitation onto my desk with a condescending tone.

"Savannah and I are having our wedding. You are welcome to attend."

"You don't have much time left. Once our wedding is over, all my attention will be on her."

"If you want to beg for my forgiveness then, it will be too late!"

I found it hilarious that the man who broke our engagement and tried to juggle two women was now demanding that I beg for his forgiveness.

I let out a soft laugh.

Flipping open the invitation, my eyebrows raised slightly at the date―May 10th.

Without another word, I tossed it straight into the trash bin beside my desk.

"Thank you for thinking so highly of me, but I will pass on such a great blessing. You should save it all for Ms. Cole."

Seeing his carefully prepared invitation thrown into the garbage, Lucas's face turned an ugly shade of red.

He pointed at me, his brow furrowed in rage.

"Farrah, you are pushing your luck! You just wasted your very last chance, you..."

He was rambling incoherently, but I had business to handle and guest lists from Garrett to review.

I had no time for his childish tantrums.

Massaging my temples, I spoke with exhaustion in my voice.

"Lucas, I have told you repeatedly that I have no lingering feelings for you. If you act like a civilized adult, our families can still maintain our business partnerships."

"However, if you keep coming here with these ridiculous delusions, then our business cooperation ends right here."

Lucas had been spoiled rotten since childhood, knowing nothing about industry developments or running a business.

He was so out of touch that he still thought my family was just lucky new money with no real business acumen.

He completely forgot that generations of empire-building had passed since then.

Feeling thoroughly humiliated, Lucas tried desperately to reclaim the upper hand.

"Do you think I'm afraid of you? Terminate it then! The Trent family is an established dynasty. Do you think we care about a deal or two from you? Cut off our capital chains if you dare!"

Seeing his smug confidence, I nodded and typed out an email on my company intranet.

"Very well. Your wish is granted."