Chapter 3

Only then did everyone notice the little boy hiding behind Emma.

The boy was about four or five years old and seemed timid.

Dylan called Emma and her son to sit beside him, shooting me a smug glance.

Then he said to everyone, "Emma doesn't like violent scenes."

"For her sake, we'll settle this score later."

Everyone immediately put down their bottles.

"For Emma's sake, we'll let Liam off for now!"

I laughed sarcastically. So they were married and even had a kid together.

Dylan looked at me, his eyes full of contempt.

"Liam, remember ten years ago when you proposed with a ring worth a few thousand bucks? Absolutely ridiculous. You thought a few thousand could buy Emma's heart."

"Do you know how much the diamond ring I gave her cost? A hundred thousand dollars!"

Grace chimed in. "If it were me, I'd choose Dylan too."

Dylan glanced at Grace. "You wouldn't qualify. Too ugly. Hahaha."

"But if I had a momentary lapse in judgment and liked you, I'd still give you a ten-thousand-dollar ring."

"I wouldn't be like Liam, giving someone a three-thousand-dollar piece of trash."

Grace's eyes clearly flashed with displeasure and jealousy at those words.

But she didn't show it and continued flattering Dylan as usual.

"That's true. I know my place. I can't compare to our beautiful Emma."

"She was really sought after! As soon as she started college, several rich old men wanted to be her sugar daddy."

"Wasn't it my keen eye that got her drunk and sent her to Dylan's bed?"

"Otherwise, her husband now wouldn't be the young, handsome Dylan."

"As her best friend, I helped her make the right choice."

Hearing this was disturbing. I instinctively looked at Emma.

She was grabbing a drink and pouring it down her throat continuously.

She seemed unhappy.

Grace snatched the glass from her, sounding displeased. "Emma, shouldn't you be thanking me right now?"

"If it weren't for me, your fate would've been getting used by nouveau riche guys hundreds of times."

"Your body would've been ruined, then you'd marry some poor sucker like Liam to take over."

Emma clenched her fists, biting her lip until it bled, but still said nothing.

But I couldn't take it anymore. I raised my hand, showing my diamond ring.

"You're all overthinking it! I'm not interested in secondhand women! I wouldn't even look at debutantes and heiresses. See this ring? I bought it when I got engaged to my fiancée. It matches hers—a pair worth twenty million!"

The moment I finished speaking, the room erupted in laughter.

They looked at me like I was an idiot.

Only Emma's face went deathly pale, looking deeply hurt.

Dylan doubled over laughing. "You? Afford a twenty-million-dollar ring? Liam, ten years later, you're still this pathetic! Buying cheap knockoffs to fool little girls!"

Grace laughed mockingly, leaning in close to look at my hand.

Suddenly, her expression changed!

"Isn't this the 'Stars of Heaven' that was in the news recently?"