Scorched

Tristan's face turned bright red, with veins bulging on his forehead. The fury in his eyes gathered, like a volcano ready to erupt.

"Who's this, Esther?"

"Come on. Introduce us."

"Is he your fiancé?"

"Wow, he's hot! He looks like a celebrity. No, actually, he's better looking than a celebrity!"

A few of the female classmates were gushing excitedly over the man beside me, curious about him.

Meanwhile, the male classmates were quiet, watching us thoughtfully.

Ignoring Tristan's murderous gaze, I lifted our hands, which were still tightly clasped together.

"Let me introduce you. This is my fiancé, Leon Russell."

Leon smiled and nodded at the group.

Tristan's eyes widened, and his face stiffened. The muscles in his cheeks twitched as he stared at me with confusion and disbelief.

It took him a long time to process my words. When he did, he exploded in rage. "He's your fiancé? Then what am I? What have I been for all these years? You're really something else, Esther."

The last sentence was said through gritted teeth.

"You're her ex, of course," Jemma Herring, one of my female classmates, said. She rolled her eyes at Tristan.

Several classmates knew about Tristan and Chloe's situation, and Jemma had previously stood up for me.

"Shut up! Who asked you to speak?" Tristan snapped at Jemma.

Furious, he stormed toward me.

Seeing that, Mason stepped forward and pulled him back. "Calm down, Tristan. Just talk things out. No need to be impulsive."

He stepped in front of Tristan, offering Leon an apologetic smile.

"Don't get involved, Mason. How can I not be angry? He's holding my girlfriend's hand! She cheated on me!"

"Didn't you say you two broke up? He's her fiancé now. Who do you think you are?" Jemma chimed in.

Mason tried to calm Tristan again. "You've had too much to drink, Tristan. Just go inside and rest for a while."

"Who said we broke up? We were just having a fight!"

Tristan refused to admit that we had broken up. Pointing at Leon, he shouted, "You, tell everyone. What's your relationship with Esther?"

Leon turned to the crowd. "I'm Leon Russell, Esther's fiancé. Nice to meet you all."

One of the classmates beside Mason quietly tugged at his sleeve and whispered, "Who is he? His name sounds kind of familiar."

"Yeah, I think I've heard of him too," someone else chimed in.

Leon casually took out a business card and handed it to Mason. "Let's stay in touch. I'll leave with Estie now."

Mason nodded and walked with us to the elevator.

Behind us, Tristan's mocking voice carried over. "Fiancé? You almost tricked me, Esther. Who else would want you except me?

"Don't think you can just find some guy to act with you and force me into marriage! I'm telling you, Esther Wilder, I don't want to get married. Your little games won't work on me."

His words didn't stir even the faintest emotion in me.

My feelings for him had been worn down to nothing after countless moments of heartache.

I couldn't care less about his doubts, his anger, or anything else. To me, he was nothing more than a stranger now.

"I told you to wait several years—"

Tristan followed me, reaching out to grab my arm. But Leon wrapped his arm around my shoulders and placed me behind him. He coldly interrupted Tristan, saying, "Wait for you? Who do you think you are?"

Leon exuded an intimidating presence, and everyone was taken aback. Tristan opened his mouth, but not a single word came out.

"My wedding with Estie is on the 1st of October, at Straburgh Grand Hotel. All of you are invited."

As the elevator doors closed, I heard a startled gasp from outside.

"Leon Russell? I remember now!"