Luke's POV
That faint smirk on Oliver's lips carried the smug satisfaction of a scheme that had worked, mixed with open contempt for the position he had forced me into.
It was fleeting, but I saw it clearly.
The sting from Shannon's slap still burned across my cheek, but the pain wasn't only on the surface. It had sunk into my chest, seared straight into my heart, and burned away the last trace of warmth I had left.
I said coldly, "I won't apologize."
"Fine. That's your choice," Shannon snapped back. "Then this engagement is off. Take some time to calm down. Think it through. Come find me when you're ready to be rational."
With that, she turned and walked out of the event hall, supporting Oliver without a backward glance.
He leaned against her, pretending to be weak. But right as they turned, he cocked his head and gave me a playful eyebrow raise.
The hall was dead silent. Every guest stared at me, their eyes sharp and prying, like tiny needles pressing into my skin.
I turned to face them, keeping my expression unreadable.
"Everyone," I said evenly, "I'm truly sorry. There's been an unexpected incident, and the engagement party can't continue. I apologize for the poor hospitality and hope you'll understand."
When the hall finally cleared, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
The caller ID lit up:
[Bernard Hoffman]
Shannon's father.
Quickly, I answered the call.
On the other end, he spoke in a low, furious voice, his anger barely restrained.
"Luke! What the hell is going on? I entrusted my daughter to you, and this is how you treat her? I couldn't make it today, and you turned the engagement party into a disaster?"
I replied calmly, "Uncle, at the party, Oliver presented me with a surrogacy contract. He demanded I sign it, claiming Shannon promised him years ago that she would have a child with him."
The line went silent.
Only his heavy breathing told me he hadn't hung up.
Several seconds passed before Bernard's voice returned. His tone had shifted, forceful now, almost like he was bluffing his way through.
"That's what this is about? Oliver is Shannon's sworn brother. They grew up together. They're extremely close. We all know what he's like. He's just an immature kid. It was clearly a joke. A little test to see if your feelings for her are genuine. You really had to blow it out of proportion? Can't you be a little more tolerant?"
The words came quickly, like he had rehearsed them, but the faint tremor at the end of his sentences betrayed him.
As Bernard spoke, I could almost envision him: his brows furrowed together and his eyes shifting anxiously. He was likely rubbing the bridge of his nose, just as he always did when he felt cornered.
"A test?" I repeated, my tone flat.
It was impossible to tell if it was a question or a statement.
That word must have struck a nerve, because his voice rose sharply.
"What else could it be? You think he'd seriously try to cuckold you? If he really meant it, would he say it in front of everyone? You're overthinking this! Shannon was right—you're just too uptight! Now go apologize to her and to Oliver! Clear this up! Or else, I—"
I cut him off by hanging up. I'd heard enough.
Later that night, Shannon called me.
"Luke, have you thought things through?"
Her voice carried no guilt and hesitation, just the same entitled certainty she always spoke with.
I nodded to myself. "Yeah. I've thought it through."
She seemed relieved. Her tone brightened, almost cheerful. "Good. Then come pick me up. We can—"
I cut her off. "The marriage is off."
The line went silent.
A few seconds later, Shannon's voice shot up, sharp and furious. "Fine! Luke, you've got guts! Just don't come crawling back!"
