And today, she'd rewarded all of it with a slap across my face.
"Mr. Henson."
Darren's voice cut through the murmuring crowd, dripping with false concern.
"If you really want to punish me, just say so. There's no need to make up lies to pressure Amelia."
He paused, letting the words land, then added with theatrical martyrdom: "If it'll make things right, I'll cripple one of my own hands."
His eyes darted sideways—calculating, stirring the pot.
And Amelia swallowed every word.
She whipped around to face me, finger jabbing the air. "See? Darren is always thinking about me. And you? You're selfish to the core!"
"You've never once put me first!"
I nearly laughed from the sheer absurdity.
When we were dating, Amelia had been so insecure she demanded I check in with her constantly. No other woman's number was allowed in my phone—not a colleague, not a classmate, no one. I'd been mocked relentlessly for it. Whipped, they called me. A lovesick fool on a leash.
Amelia loved fancy little cakes and insisted that only homemade ones showed real devotion. So I learned to bake every single kind she liked.
Amelia wanted me working at her family's company. They paid me three thousand dollars a month. To this day, I hadn't received a single raise—not one cent in bonuses, not a sliver of profit-sharing.
If that was selfish—
Then what did that make Darren, who pulled a seven-figure salary while eating the Sullivans' food and living under their roof, and somehow got crowned the thoughtful, caring gentleman?
Morgan's face was ice. He leveled a finger at me. "Mervyn, stop embarrassing yourself!"
"Let me make something clear. A Sullivan son-in-law doesn't have to be brilliant. He doesn't have to be the most capable man in the room. But he must be sincere. He must be humble and hardworking!"
"What you've done today is deeply disappointing. You should take a page from Darren's book."
And just like that, the picture snapped into focus.
All those years Morgan had sung my praises? That was because he needed me. Now that the Sullivan empire was climbing higher, he'd found a new tool in Darren—and I was the one being hammered down.
Conniving old man.
"Mervyn Henson, what are you standing there for? Apologize to Darren this instant, and then beg forgiveness from every person in this room!"
Amelia's gaze locked onto mine, impatience carved into every feature. Then came the threat: "Mervyn, I suggest you be smart about this. Don't think for a second I won't divorce you."
I met those arrogant eyes of hers.
And I shook my head—and laughed.
Suddenly, I had nothing left to say. I turned on my heel and walked toward the exit.
The room went dead silent.
No one had expected me to walk away. Not like this. Not without looking back.
Amelia scrambled after me, closing the distance in three quick strides. Her hand clamped around my arm, brow furrowed. "Mervyn Henson, you stop right there! It's just an apology—no one's asking you to cut off a limb. Is this really worth making a scene over?"
"Cancel this wedding and you're the one who loses. Not me." Her chin lifted. "Don't be stupid."
That same arrogance was painted across her face, as if she were granting me one final chance to fall back in line.
A cold smile pulled at my lips. I borrowed her father's own cadence and threw it right back:
"Mervyn Henson's woman doesn't have to be smart. She doesn't have to be beautiful. But she damn well has to be clean."
Amelia's expression froze. She stood rooted to the spot, and then fury ignited behind those striking eyes.
Before she could open her mouth—
Darren was already rushing over.
"Mervyn, if you've got a problem, take it up with me. Don't you dare raise your voice at Amelia."
"You're nothing but a guard dog the Sullivans kept on a chain. What right do you have to talk down to her?"
"Let me tell you something—the line of men who'd kill to marry Amelia could wrap around the globe three times over." He squared his shoulders. "And I'm one of them."
He paused, then turned to Amelia with a look of aching sincerity. "Amelia, the truth is... I've always been in love with you."
"If you don't mind my background, I'll marry into the Sullivan family. I'll take care of you for the rest of your life."
It all clicked into place.
Everything he'd done today—every lie, every performance—was about stepping on me to climb higher.
The man was a snake.
But without me, how long could the Sullivans' gilded lifestyle really last? It would crumble overnight.
Amelia blinked, a flicker of hesitation crossing her face. Then her gaze drifted back to me.
She was waiting for me to cave.
I just smiled. Cold and empty.
"Well, if Mervyn doesn't want to go through with the wedding—" Morgan's voice rang out behind me, decisive and final. "Then Darren will take his place."
