Becoming His Brother's Fiancée

The next day was the Caldwell Group's annual charity gala.

I walked into the venue—a sea of champagne-colored roses and dripping crystal decorations. The floor was carpeted in white petals.

But the elegance felt forced, almost staged.

Blake's friends, who usually swarmed me, were now as silent as church mice.

The door was suddenly thrown open—

"Blake, darling, I got the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace you wanted! Don't screw this up tonight—give Chloe the grand entrance she deserves!"

A deafening silence fell over the room.

No one spoke.

Everyone suddenly found their shoes fascinating, their eyes darting between Blake and me, the awkwardness so thick you could cut it with a knife.

So this wasn't just a charity gala. It was a meticulously planned debut for Chloe.

I linked my arm through Julian's, letting out a soft laugh that sliced through the quiet.

"Why is everyone so tense? It's wonderful that Blake has found his true love."

Someone finally mumbled awkwardly.

"Sarah… you don't mind?"

Blake shot me a look that could kill.

I pretended not to notice, taking a graceful sip of the champagne Julian held to my lips.

"Why would I mind? I'm his future sister-in-law. Of course I'm invested in his happiness."

Blake's shoulders went rigid, but he managed to force a smile.

"That's right. I've been in love with Chloe for years, and now I can finally be with her."

The tension in the room eased, the chatter resuming.

When Chloe whispered "I do" under the spotlight, the crowd erupted in cheers and jokes.

Without me—the inconvenient ex-fiancée—in the way, he could finally kiss the girl he'd always wanted.

My vision blurred with tears. I stood abruptly, desperate for the cool air of the terrace.

From the shadows of the balcony, a soft, tearful voice emerged.

"Blake… it hurts so much, watching you with Sarah. I'm just an adopted daughter. Even after all those years she was gone, you were still engaged to her."

Blake was quick to soothe her. "Baby, you're the most precious thing in my life. Sarah's covered in scars from her stupid photography trips—it's disgusting to even look at them. And who knows how many guys she was with all those years she was away? Every time I had to be with her… I was thinking of you."

I remembered him in my bed, gently tracing the scars left by a run-in with aggressive paparazzi, vowing he would always protect me.

And now?

He was using those same scars to tear me down, just to make another woman feel good.

To appease her, Blake rolled up his sleeve, showing off a brand-new tattoo on his wrist—a delicate butterfly, Chloe's favorite motif.

Right where the "S" for my name had once been inked.

The man who had sworn that ink was forever had just erased me completely.

The soft, wet sounds of kissing drifted from the terrace again.

The sounds were quiet, but each wet smack was a fresh stab to my heart.

I turned to leave, only to walk straight into a solid chest.

It was Julian.

His brow furrowed in concern as he looked down at me. His thumb gently swept a tear from my cheek.

"Baby… why are you crying?"

Worry etched his features as he leaned in, his lips finding mine.

Just then, the terrace door swung open.

Blake froze, his gaze locking on us—my flushed face, my lips locked with his brother's. His expression turned thunderous.

"Julian, what the hell are you doing?"

His voice was a low warning.

I had to laugh.

He'd been the one to push me into another man's arms, and now he couldn't stand the sight of it.

What did he think I was? A toy to be passed around at his convenience?

Julian tightened his arm around my waist, a challenging smirk playing on his lips.

"My fiancée is upset. I'm comforting her. Are you blind?"