Chapter 2

Caroline POV

I pushed the drink cart into the private room. The laughter and conversation stopped abruptly.

Everyone in the room was familiar.

"Isn't this our old school's prom queen Caroline?"

Ruby covered her mouth in mock surprise. "Why are you dressed like that? I thought I was seeing things."

A burst of laughter erupted around the room.

"It really is Caroline! She was like a princess at school. How'd she end up selling drinks?"

"That's what they call karma. She used to be a princess, now she's just trash."

I kept my head down, my fingers digging into the cart's handle.

I forced myself to maintain that stiff smile. "Bosses, would you like me to open some bottles?"

"Open them, of course."

Ruby leaned lazily against the sofa, raising her hand to run her fingers through her hair.

An enormous diamond ring on her ring finger glittered brilliantly under the lights.

"Gavin specifically bid on this at the Sotheby's auction to celebrate my foundation's establishment." Pride flickered in Ruby's eyes. "A few million dollar trinket-I told him not to buy it, but he insisted."

"Gavin really spoils you rotten, Ruby."

"Exactly. Only someone with Ruby's class could pull off wearing it."

I felt that gleam pierce my eyes painfully.

I unconsciously touched the plain gold ring in my pocket.

Years ago, in our rental apartment, Gavin had bought it with money from his part-time job and proposed to me.

He'd said, "Caroline, I'll definitely get you a bigger one someday."

"What are you spacing out for?"

A male classmate pointed at several bottles of Louis XIII on the floor. "Open all of these. And remember, we want kneeling service."

I took a deep breath and slowly knelt down.

My knees hit the marble floor with a sharp stab of pain.

Just then, the private room door opened again.

Gavin walked in.

The air in the room seemed to freeze several degrees.

I knelt on the floor, my line of sight level with his dress pants.

My whole body stiffened. I even forgot to breathe.

Gavin's gaze swept lightly over me kneeling on the floor, not pausing for even a second, as if I were invisible.

He walked over and sat beside Ruby, who immediately hooked her arm through his.

"What took you so long?"

"Had something to handle." Gavin's voice was gentle but distant.

"Caroline's opening bottles for us." Ruby pointed at the floor.

Gavin didn't even turn his head. "As long as she doesn't kill the mood."

The guy beside me, emboldened by alcohol, let his hand wander toward my waist.

I instinctively dodged, and the decanter in my hand tilted. Red wine spilled out, spattering a few drops on the hem of Ruby's white evening gown.

"What are you doing!" Ruby shrieked, jumping to her feet.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry..." I frantically tried to wipe it.

Hearing the commotion, the manager burst in.

Without asking questions, he slapped me across the face and pressed my head down, forcing me to apologize.

"Apologize to Miss Ruby right now!"

My face snapped to the side from the blow, my ears ringing.

Before I could speak, I saw a slender hand reach over.

Gavin held a handkerchief, his movements gentle as he wiped the wine stains from Ruby's dress hem.

Meanwhile, he didn't spare a single glance at me kneeling on the floor with a swollen red cheek.

"The dress is ruined, can't wear it now." Gavin said flatly, casually tossing the handkerchief in front of me. "Throw it away."

The handkerchief floated down lightly, landing beside my knee.

I stared at that handkerchief, my eyes burning dry, unable to produce a single tear.

I silently picked up the handkerchief and, still on my knees, moved inch by inch across the floor, wiping the wine stains from the carpet.

The wine soaked through the hem of my uniform.

No one told me to stop.

Not until the party ended.

I limped out the back door. In the dark alley, a tall figure blocked my path.

Gavin leaned against his car, a cigarette between his fingers, the flame illuminating his cold, hard profile.

"Fifty thousand dollars. Got it together yet?"

Money-that was his opening line.

I leaned against the wall, fighting through the pain in my knees. "Gavin, haven't you ever suspected that what happened back then was Ruby putting on an act? And today, Sam was the one who started-"

"Enough."

Gavin cut me off with disgust, throwing his cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his foot. "Caroline, three years and you still haven't changed. Nothing but lies."

He stepped forward, staring into my eyes. "Your current situation is entirely your own doing."

With that, he opened his car door and drove off into the night.

I stood there, watching his taillights disappear into the darkness.

In front of this man, even my breathing was wrong.

When I got back to the apartment, it was already two in the morning.

Jason was still awake, watching me with dark, sinister eyes.

"Jason, let me put medicine on your wounds..." I pulled out the ointment I'd bought.

"Get lost!"

Jason shoved me away, pointing at my revealing outfit, his voice shrill. "Where did you go dressed like that? To see Gavin again?"

"I was working."

"Working? What job needs that?" Jason smashed the water glass on the table violently. "Caroline, you're a spineless bootlicker groveling to our enemy! You got our parents killed, and now you want me dead too!"

Shards of glass flew, one slicing cleanly across my calf.

I looked at the broken pieces scattered on the floor.

Silently, I crouched down and picked up the shards one by one, not offering a single word of defense.