I actually laughed, out of pure disbelief! My own bodyguards stood there, blocking me, while I tried to get off them.
“Eliane, are you serious right now? This is my house. If anyone should be leaving, it’s you! Not me!”
My voice rose with every word. I could care less about the coming guests. I didn’t care how I looked anymore, any pretense of grace or composure was gone.
I regretted this, deeply. I never should’ve let Eliane’s assistant plan my birthday party. Because of that, I didn’t even have my usual security team on-site today.
All these years growing up, every birthday had been carefully handled by my parents. Every public appearance had layers of security. But now I got being manhandled out of my own property by strangers.
I’d had enough.
“Eliane Langford, I’m calling off the engagement,” I snapped.
“You’re no longer my fiancée. You don’t have any right to be here, so get out of my birthday party. And take your entourage with you.”
This villa where I was hosting the party wasn’t just any venue. It was a pre-wedding gift from my parents, part of my premarital assets. I’d planned to move in after we got married.
Now, it was about to become the place where our engagement ended.
Eliane’s froze. “What did you say? You want to call off the engagement? All because of this? This minor thing?”
“Jerome, don’t forget—our marriage was arranged by both of our families.”
Her voice faltered and something shifted behind her eyes—hesitation. She was finally thinking this through.
The truth was, she had been the one pushing for this marriage from the beginning. She’d spent years trying to get into my father’s good graces—waking up at 5 a.m. every day to bring me breakfast, driving me to and from work like clockwork, rain or shine. She wore her devotion like armor.
Eventually, my father caved—not entirely convinced, but willing to entertain her effort. She wasn’t about to throw all that away over a dog’s memorial.
Suddenly, Olivier stepped forward. His voice was hoarse but firm as he wiped the tears off his face.
“Director Langford, this is my fault. Please… don’t let this affect your engagement. I’m just your assistant—I don’t want to be the reason Mr. Carrington walks away.”
“I’m nobody. Just a kid from the countryside. No connections, no background. I can’t even afford a proper funeral for my dog…”
He took a few steps toward the door, but tripped over a corner rug. The casket in his hands flew from his grip, crashing to the floor and slightly broke open.
The smell soon filled the room.
“No! Luffy—” he gasped.
He dove to repair what he could for the casket. Suddenly, a jagged edge of the box sliced deep into his finger. He bled instantly.
“Ollie!” Eliane’s voice rang out in panic. She rushed to his side, grabbing him by the shoulders and holding him upright.
Olivier sobbed uncontrollably in her arms, ignoring his bleeding hand. “I’m so sorry, Director Langford… I failed. I couldn’t even protect Luffy’s remains. I promised him he’d live a better life and now I’ve lost even this last chance to honor him.”
“He was all I had. And now—now he’s just… gone. And it’s my fault.”
Eliane glared up at me, her eyes cold and sharp. “Well? Are you happy now, Jerome?”
“I told you—Ollie’s been through enough. His only companion is gone. He didn’t ask you for anything. Just a few minutes to say goodbye.”
“And now the casket's broken. Is this what you wanted? Do you feel powerful now?”
Then she stood and turned to the security guards. “Wreck this party. If Ollie can’t have his funeral, then Jerome doesn’t get to have his birthday either.”
The guards didn’t hesitate. They picked up batons and started smashing everything in sight.
I watched in horror as one of them struck the porcelain vase my mother had gifted me—a one-of-a-kind artisan piece worth 30 million crowns.
“No! Stop!” I lunged forward.
Too late. The vase shattered on the floor, splintered into dozens of worthless pieces.
I spun around to search for Eliane, but she was already walking away. Without even glancing back, she left the house with Olivier.
