She still gazed at her own reflection, her thoughts still swirling in this impossible reality. At that moment, a gentle knock came from the bedroom door.
"Sloane, darling?" Are you awake? Breakfast is ready. ”
That voice was warm and familiar, making her heart skip a beat. Elena.
Sloan suddenly pushed open the door. The woman standing at the door wore a neat black dress and a crisp white apron, her graying hair tied neatly in a bun, exactly as she remembered. Elena—their butler, the pillar of the family. In her previous life, after the decline of the Kensington family, Elena was worn out from heartbreak.
The tears Sloan thought he had long since dried welled up again. She lunged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around Elena's strong body, letting out a primal and wounded roar from her throat. She buried her face in the woman's shoulder, sobbing—not like an eighteen-year-old girl, but like a lost soul finally finding its way home. All the pain, betrayal, and lonely death poured out at this moment.
Elena was startled by the force of the embrace and staggered backward. "Oh my god, child, what's wrong?" She murmured, her initial shock quickly turning into worry. She gently patted Sloan's back. "Did you have a nightmare?"
Nightmare. Much worse than that. Sloan held her tightly, the familiar scent of lavender and starch making her feel secure. After a long while, she finally let go and wiped her eyes. Elena's brows furrowed with worry. She saw something in Sloan's eyes that had never been there yesterday—a shadow, a hardness that did not belong to a young girl's face.
"Elena," Sloane's voice was hoarse. "What day is it today?"
"Dear, June 12th. There's still a week left until your engagement party. ”
June 12th. This is true. She still had one more week. A week away from the party that marked the end of everything. One week, to change everything. The first step was clearly visible in her chaotic thoughts, like a resolute lamp: the engagement was canceled.
"Your brother is waiting for you in the study." Elena's voice still carried concern. "He wants to go through the guest list with you."
Sloan pushed open the heavy oak door. He's right there—Caleb Kensington, alive, so handsome it's annoying. He was sitting behind his father's rosewood desk, a pen tucked behind his ear, frowning as he looked at a stack of documents. As soon as she entered, he looked up, a familiar and doting smile he had reserved only for her.
"She came. My little princess has finally decided to honor her. ”
Seeing him unharmed and full of energy, she broke down again. She hurried through the room, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding him tightly as if he might disappear at any moment. "Caleb." She choked up as she spoke.
His smile faded, replaced by alertness. "Sloane?" What's wrong? Who bullied you? ”
She let go of him and took a step back. At the mention of Braxton's name, her body tensed up. "I won't marry him." Her voice was low and resolute. "I want you to cancel the engagement."
Caleb stared at her and blinked. "Sorry, what did you say? Sloan, do you know what you're talking about? This isn't just about the two of you—it's a merger of Kensington-Duke Corporation. This is business. ”
"I know exactly what that is." Her gaze remained unwavering. "I won't marry a cheating bastard just to close a deal."
"Cheating?" Caleb's expression darkened, and the protective older brother instantly surfaced. "What happened? Did that bastard do something to you? ”
Sloan took a deep breath. She couldn't tell him the truth—he would think she was crazy. So she would do what she did best: she could act. She lets her shoulders hang slightly, evoking memories of Belinda's victorious smile, filling her eyes with real pain.
Tears welled up, sparkling on her lower lashes. "I saw him." Her voice trembled just right. "Last night. At the Plaza Hotel. Being with a woman. "She let out a small, choking whimper." It was Belinda. ”
This is a lie, but also the truth of the future.
Caleb was immediately struck. His face turned like stone. Thinking of how his little sister was so coldly betrayed by her fiancé and best friend, his heart was filled with icy anger. He suddenly stood up, the chair scraping against the floor with a harsh sound.
"That bitch raised by a bitch. I'm going to kill him. ”
"No." Sloane grabbed his arm with incredible force. "Confronting them privately is too easy for them."
Caleb stopped and looked down at her. He saw something in her eyes he had never seen before—a chilling, calculating hardness.
"I want them to be humiliated in public." Her voice was so low it was almost a whisper, yet it carried venom. "In front of everyone. Caleb, I want to ruin their reputations. Publicly. ”
He stared at his sister—a stranger familiar within his body. The primal determination in her eyes was unsettling, but the instinct to protect her and give her everything was even stronger. He trusted her.
He slowly exhaled, his anger calming down, turning into a firm resolve. "What do you want to do?"
"I want to hold a press conference."
