You Gave Away My Ring, So I Changed the Groom

Seven years together. At our engagement gala for the company's anniversary, my fianc Ethan Brown put that priceless ten-million-dollar heirloom pink diamond on my best friend Chloe's finger---right in front of all the city's elite.

He said it matter-of-factly: Chloe's depression is acting up. She feels insecure. It's just a ring. Be reasonable and I'll buy you another one next time.

My best friend hid in his arms, her smile openly mocking.

Looking at this pair of shameless scumbags, I didn't compromise like I used to.

I calmly took the microphone and publicly announced the cancellation of our engagement. Then I turned and walked toward his most formidable rival seated below---the powerful mogul Ethan Brown feared most, Xavier Holt.

"Mr. Holt, need a Mrs. Holt? How about me?"

Ethan Brown, since you gave the ring to someone else, my groom should change too.

The tenth anniversary gala of Brown Corporation was also the day Ethan Brown would publicly announce our engagement.

I wore a starry evening gown I'd spent half a month designing myself, standing on stage with a heart full of joy, waiting for the man I'd loved for seven years to put the wedding ring on my finger.

But when the attendant carried that rare pink diamond onto the stage, Ethan walked right past me.

He went straight to Chloe, who stood at the edge of the stage clutching her chest, swaying as if about to collapse.

Before all the guests' shocked eyes, Ethan didn't hesitate to take Chloe's hand and slip that pink diamond---the symbol of the Brown family matriarch's status---onto her ring finger.

The hall fell deathly silent.

I stood frozen, feeling like all the blood in my body was flowing backward.

Ethan turned his head, lowering his voice with his usual tone of entitlement: "Summer, Chloe almost fainted backstage just now. The doctor said she has severe depression and desperately needs security right now."

"She was crying, saying no one loves her, no one cares about her, that she can't go on living. How could I just stand by and watch her suffer?"

"Today's just a ceremony. Be the bigger person and don't throw a tantrum. It's just a ring. Tomorrow I'll have my assistant take you to pick out a bigger one."

Chloe leaned against Ethan's shoulder, tears still clinging to the corners of her eyes, but her lips curved into a smug arc.

In a voice only the three of us could hear, she cooed: "Summer, if you really feel you can't save face, that valet at the door is pretty cute. Want me to have him play along with you? You're not picky anyway."

Looking at this disgustingly coordinated pair, I suddenly felt nauseated.

I remembered seven years ago, when Ethan had just started his business and was so poor he couldn't afford to eat.

I gave him all my living expenses. I survived on crackers for a month and ended up in the hospital with a bleeding ulcer.

He sat by my hospital bed with red-rimmed eyes and swore: "Summer, if I, Ethan Brown, ever let you suffer even the slightest grievance, may I die a horrible death!"

But now, the person humiliating me most, trampling my dignity into the ground, was him.

I took a deep breath and met Ethan's warning gaze.

"Didn't you say it yourself? It's just a ceremony."

Ethan's brow furrowed tightly as he grabbed my wrist: "Summer Lynn, what are you trying to do? I'm warning you, there are lots of media here today. Don't you dare embarrass me!"

"Embarrass you?" I couldn't help but laugh coldly.

Who exactly was the one being embarrassing?

Seeing this, Chloe immediately tugged timidly at Ethan's sleeve: "Ethan, this is all my fault. I shouldn't have been scared. Summer has every right to be angry. Go comfort her. I'll just give the ring back to her..."

As she spoke, she pretended to remove the ring, but "accidentally" her eyes reddened.

Ethan immediately pulled her protectively behind him, his eyes full of heartache. When he looked at me again, his gaze held only disappointment and disgust.

"Summer, Chloe is already this sick, and you have to make a scene with her today of all days? Where's your kindness?"

Watching him shield Chloe, that part of my heart that once burned hot for him turned completely cold.

I didn't lose it. I didn't become hysterical.

I simply shook off his hand calmly and walked toward center stage.

I snatched the microphone from the host's hand.

The harsh electrical feedback instantly drowned out the murmuring crowd.

I looked at the sea of people below, my voice cold and clear, every word deliberate:

"Distinguished guests, members of the media, I apologize for interrupting your evening."

"Here and now, I, Summer Lynn, formally announce the dissolution of my engagement to Mr. Ethan Brown. From this moment on, whether he marries or stays single, whoever I marry---we are completely unrelated!"

The moment those words left my mouth, the hall erupted.

Ethan's face turned iron-blue. He strode over, trying to grab my microphone: "Summer! Have you lost your mind? Do you even know what you're saying!"

I dodged to the side, my gaze passing over him to land directly on the man seated at the VIP main table below.

Xavier Holt.

A top business mogul, head of the Holt Financial Group, and Ethan Brown's greatest nemesis in this lifetime.

Today he wore a custom-tailored black suit, lounging lazily against his chair back, playing with a wine glass in his hand. Those deep, narrow eyes watched the farce on stage with an amused, mocking expression.

I lifted my gown and walked down the steps one by one, going straight to Xavier Holt.

Every eye in the hall followed my movement. Even breathing seemed to stop.

I stood before him, looking down at him, a brilliant smile curving my lips.

"Mr. Holt, I hear your grandmother's been pressuring you about marriage lately?"

"How about me? Need a Mrs. Holt?"

Ethan rushed down from the stage, shouting in exasperation: "Summer! Get back here! You're usually such a reasonable person---why are you making a spectacle of yourself today!"

"Of all people, you go to Xavier Holt? You think he'd even look at you!"

I ignored the barking behind me, only staring intently at Xavier Holt.

The air seemed to freeze.

After a long moment, Xavier let out a low laugh, the sound devastatingly seductive.

He set down his wine glass and stood up deliberately.

His six-foot-two frame immediately created an overwhelming sense of presence.

He leaned down slightly, warm breath falling on my ear, his voice low and certain: "Alright."

Then, in front of all the guests, he reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a dazzling blue diamond ring.

It was the "Heart of the Ocean," which had sold for three hundred million at a Sotheby's auction not long ago.

Xavier knelt on one knee, took my hand, and slowly slid the blue diamond onto my ring finger.

"Miss Lynn, I've had this ring prepared for quite some time."

"Now that it's on your finger, I, Xavier Holt, won't be taking it back."

After agreeing to meet Xavier tomorrow, I took a cab back to the penthouse apartment Ethan and I shared.

I pushed open the door. In the entryway hung wedding photos we'd just taken a few days ago.

In the photo, Ethan held me from behind, smiling with deep affection.

I still remembered him solemnly whispering in my ear that day: "Summer, once the tenth anniversary gala is over and your status is established, we'll go register our marriage immediately!"

Those promises still echoed in my ears, yet the person had rotted through completely.

I looked coldly at that photo, then walked forward and yanked it from the wall without hesitation, smashing it hard on the floor.

The sound of shattering glass was especially jarring in the empty living room.

I found a suitcase and started packing my things.

Clothes, laptop, design drafts.

Anything Ethan had bought, I left behind.

About half an hour later, the door's electronic lock beeped.

Ethan walked in carrying an elegant cake box, with Chloe following behind him, holding a beautifully wrapped bouquet of red roses.

Seeing the shattered wedding photo glass all over the floor, Ethan froze.

His brow furrowed instinctively, his tone carrying a hint of superior irritation.

"Summer, have you had enough of this tantrum? We'll have to get the photo reprinted tomorrow if you smashed it."

I zipped up my suitcase, my voice completely flat: "No need to reprint it. Just clearing out the trash."

Ethan clearly didn't catch the deeper meaning in my words.

Or rather, he was so confident in my seven years of love that he didn't believe I would actually leave him.

He strode over and set the cake box on the dining table.

"Alright, stop sulking. Come eat something."

His tone was gentle, as if nothing had happened---employing his usual tactic of humiliating you first, then offering some trivial gesture of kindness.

"Chloe specially went to that popular bakery in the south district and waited in line to buy you mango mousse. You used to love this place, didn't you?"

I released the suitcase handle, pulled out a wet wipe, and carefully cleaned my fingers before turning to look at them.

Chloe held out the roses, her face showing careful, flattering concern.

"Summer, don't be mad at Ethan about tonight."

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have been scared because of my condition."

I didn't take the flowers, just quietly watched her hypocritical face.

"You're right about one thing---you shouldn't have. After all, stealing someone else's fianc is pretty shameless."

Chloe's eyes immediately reddened. Her hand holding the flowers froze in midair as tears started falling, and she looked to Ethan for help.

Ethan's face immediately darkened. He pulled Chloe behind him and looked at me accusingingly:

"Summer, that's enough!"

"Chloe already humbled herself to apologize to you. How long are you going to keep this up?"

He took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, his tone condescending.

"Fine, you were wronged at the gala tonight. But she waited in line for two hours to buy this mango mousse. At least take a bite, won't you?"

As he spoke, he opened the cake box himself and cut a piece to hand to me.

A thick, sickeningly sweet mango smell hit me in the face.

Looking at that piece of cake, I suddenly felt utterly absurd and couldn't help but laugh.

Ethan frowned, his expression confused: "What are you laughing at?"

I looked into his eyes and asked, word by word:

"Ethan Brown, do you still remember that I'm allergic to mango?"