The Billion Dollar Orphan

Caleb strode toward me. He was tall, with the sharp, striking features of a man born to power—even more imposing in person than in photos. His disdainful gaze raked over my gown before finally landing on my face. "This is our engagement party. What do you think you're doing, making a scene out here? It's humiliating."

I wrenched myself free from the guards' grip, stood up straight, and sneered. "Isn't it obvious enough? Tell me, Caleb. Is having your security guards rough me up at the door your idea of hospitality? Do you have any idea what your assistant just—"

He cut me off with a frown before I could finish. "Enough! You're late, and now you're causing a scene at the door. Or should my security have just let you in to start biting my guests like some rabid dog?"

"You've wasted my valuable time. I have no idea why my father is so insistent on this engagement with a pathetic orphan like you."

The guests who had come out to watch the commotion started pointing and whispering about me. Their condescending gazes made me feel like a clown on display.

He wasn't the only one whose time had been wasted. I'd spent hours getting ready, even postponing a crucial data analysis—time I could have spent refining my algorithm.

"What a coincidence. The feeling is mutual. Since we clearly can't stand the sight of each other, let's just call off the engagement," I said calmly.

Caleb narrowed his eyes, clearly not expecting me to say that. "Are you threatening me? Making a scene wasn't enough, now you're trying to threaten me by calling off the engagement? You think that'll scare me?"

The look on his face filled me with a sudden wave of futility. It was like talking to a brick wall—a very smug, conceited brick wall.

Beside him, Tiffany practically melted against his side. "Oh, Mr. Vance, if she dares to cause such a fuss at the engagement party, imagine what she'll be like after you're married. She'll turn the world upside down!"

"Just now, the moment she realized I was your assistant, she saw my face and went wild with jealousy. She tried to hit me! If security hadn't protected me, she would have."

Caleb stared at me in disbelief. "Tiffany has been my assistant for two years and has handled countless matters for me. Do you think she’s just some pretty trophy on your arm? What right do you have to be jealous of her?"

I smiled, but the smile didn't reach my eyes. "I'm curious why you're so quick to believe her word, yet you assume I'm just a trophy? She was the one who—"

He interrupted me again. "Should I believe a lunatic like you over Tiffany?"

Tiffany raised a hand to hide her triumphant smirk. She blinked, and tears welled up in her eyes. "Oh, Mr. Vance, my heart breaks for you. A man as prominent as you, being controlled by his father, forced to marry a lunatic."

Caleb had only taken over Vance Industries two years ago, and his father, Harrison Vance, still interfered heavily in the company's affairs. He had built up a lot of resentment over Harrison's constant meddling.

At Tiffany's words, the atmosphere grew even more tense.

Caleb growled, "You'd better apologize and make this right, Willow. Otherwise, not even my father will be able to save you."