Flipped the Table: No Way I'm Marrying My Cheating Fiancé!

On the day of our engagement, my fiancs childhood best friend showed up in a black funeral dress and a lace veil.

The banquet hall went dead silent.

Marcus, my fianc, quickly pulled me aside to explain.

Nora's baby boy just passed away three days ago. Shes still drowning in grief...

Just be the bigger person, Chloe. Its already a huge favor that she even dragged herself to our engagement party. Don't be so petty.

I stared at Marcus and his precious childhood friend, Nora, completely speechless.

Did he seriously just use the phrase "be the bigger person"?

I wasnt an idiot. If Nora wanted to mourn a freaking dog, that was her business.

Even if she wanted to call that dog her biological father, what did it have to do with me?

But now, Marcus was openly taking her side at our own engagement party. He even had the nerve to tell me not to get worked up over a dead dog...

I grabbed the edge of the VIP dining table and flipped it.

*Crash!*

Champagne glasses shattered, and the expensive cake splattered all over the floor.

Screw this engagement!

The table lay in ruins, food and drinks scattered everywhere.

Everyone in the hall gasped, their eyes locking onto us.

Marcus stared at me, his face a mask of utter disbelief.

He probably never imagined that I, the girl who had always been gentle and submissive for the past six years, would do something so wild.

"Chloe! Are you out of your mind?"

"Today is our engagement party!"

I looked up, my eyes ice-cold as I swept a glance over him. Then, I let out a soft laugh.

"Oh, right. Our engagement party."

"Too bad. I don't feel like getting engaged anymore."

The moment those words left my mouth, Nora, who was standing right behind Marcus, swayed on her feet. It was as if she had just received a fatal blow.

She weakly grabbed Marcus's arm, her eyes instantly welling with tears.

"Chloe... sweetie... is it... is it because of me? Did I do something wrong?"

She bit her lower lip, her voice trembling as she sobbed.

"I... I really only came here today to give you guys my blessings."

With that pathetic, victimized look, she made me look like some kind of heartless monster.

I was too tired to play along with her little drama.

"Your blessings?"

"Tell me, Nora. What kind of sane person wears a literal funeral gown to someone else's celebration to offer 'blessings'?"

My question cut through the room like a knife. Instantly, every guests eyes zipped right to her.

Actually, the murmurs had started the second Nora walked in.

But she had ignored them completely, doing nothing but squeezing herself closer and closer to Marcus.

Under the harsh glare of the crowd, Marcus's face turned a violent shade of crimson.

He instinctively stepped in front of Nora to shield her.

"Chloe! Stop making a scene!"

He lowered his voice, his tone laced with a harsh warning.

"I already told you, Noras baby boy just passed away! She is absolutely devastated right now!"

"You should show some empathy!"

Hearing the word "baby boy," the surrounding guests gasped in understanding.

"Oh... so she lost her son. Thats heartbreaking."

"Yeah, her own child just passed, yet she still forced herself to attend her friends engagement. That is true loyalty."

"Still, though... wearing black to a celebratory party? Its a bit of a bad omen, isn't it?"

The whispers weren't loud, but they were crystal clear.

Hearing the crowd tilt in her favor, a flash of smugness crossed Nora's eyes.

She leaned weakly against Marcuss chest, tears streaming down her face like a broken string of pearls.

"Marcus... its all my fault. I shouldn't have come."

"I just... I just wanted to see you be happy with my own eyes. We grew up together. Youve always been like a big brother to me..."

She cried so delicately, looking completely helpless.

Marcuss heart practically broke for her. He wrapped his arms tightly around her.

Then, he turned to me, his eyes filled with deep disappointment.

"Chloe, apologize to Nora. Now."

"Shes already going through hell. How can you be so malicious and twist her pure intentions?"

Watching this disgusting display of "brotherly-sisterly love," the last bit of warmth in my heart died.

I let out a cold sneer.

"You want me to apologize to her?"

Under everyones bewildered stares, I slowly lifted my chin.

"She chose to put on a funeral dress for a dog, and then she brought her little circus to my engagement party!"

"Marcus, let me ask you. Why the hell should I care about her dead pet?"

The entire banquet hall erupted into a frenzy.

Marcuss face flushed from red to white, then to a sickly green.

I decided to throw more gas on the fire. Taking a step forward, I raised my voice so everyone could hear.

"Everyone, I am truly sorry for the clown show you had to witness today."

"But I think there's something you all should know."

"This 'baby boy' my dear fianc keeps talking about..."

I dragged out my words, watching with satisfaction as the color drained completely from Nora's face.

"...is just a dog."

"Nora wants to treat a dog like her child? Fine. That's her business. I don't give a damn."

"But bringing her funeral attire to my engagement party to curse my relationship? No way in hell."

The moment the truth came out, the chatter in the room doubled in volume.

But I was done listening.

I clapped my hands twice.

Right on cue, two of my familys private bodyguards stepped into the hall.

I pointed a manicured finger at Nora, who was cowering behind Marcus.

"Go."

"Strip that depressing black rag off her."

Nora shrieked, trembling violently as she tried to hide behind Marcus.

"Marcus! Save me! Im scared!"

Marcus finally snapped out of his shock. He shielded her fiercely.

"Chloe! Don't you dare!"

He glared at me with a ruthlessness I had never seen in him before.

"If you go this far today... we are done. Permanently!"

"Done?"

I let the word roll around in my mouth, and then I laughed.

"Marcus, get one thing straight. You are the one who is done."

By now, the guests had fully processed the situation.

"Oh my god, a funeral dress for a dog? Is that girl crazy?"

"There are all kinds of freaks in this world. Treating a dog like a kid is one thing, but wearing black to an engagement? She did that on purpose to ruin the day."

An older woman who did business with my familyknown for her bluntnesssnorted loudly.

"Honestly, sweetie. You call a dog your son, but does the dog even know who its daddy is?"

The roast was brutal and precise.

The crowd fell into a hushed, amused silence.

Nora's face was no longer just pale; she looked like a walking corpse.

But I only had eyes for Marcus.

We had been together for six years.

From college campuses to the corporate world, I thought today would be the beginning of our forever.

But who would have thought he would turn on me at our own engagement party, all for Nora?

What normal man doesn't protect his own fiance?

Was I too blind in the past, or did he just hide his true colors too well?

Suddenly, I realized I needed to re-evaluate his entire history with Nora.

Before today, he had sworn to me a thousand times that they were just childhood friends.

And they indeed kept their distance in public.

But now, the mask was off.

I took a deep breath, pulled out my phone, and sent a text to my dad.

[Dad, the engagement is canceled.]

My parents had just wrapped up a $500 million deal in Europe. Right now, they should be on their private jet back to the country.

Seeing that I wasn't backing down or apologizing, Marcus felt like he had completely lost face in front of everyone.

His expression turned icy cold.

"Chloe, I'm asking you one last time. Are you going to apologize?"

"If not, this engagement is off!"

He thought he could use the engagement to control me. After all, he knew how deeply I loved him.

Behind him, a flash of pure ecstasy lit up Noras eyes.

Too bad for her, I caught it.

I smirked, raising my phone to my ear.

"Fine with me."

I tapped a contact, and the call connected instantly.

"Hey, Mr. Davis."

"Yes, it's Chloe. You don't need to come over for the signing ceremony."

"The engagement is canceled."

Marcuss eyebrows knitted tightly. A wave of confusion and unease washed over his face.

He stared at me.

"Chloe, what the hell are you doing?"

"Why are you calling a lawyer?"

Looking at Marcus's confused and anxious face, I found it hilarious.

"Why am I calling a lawyer?"

I repeated his question, my voice light and airy.

"To handle the aftermath of our canceled engagement, of course."

"For example, the engagement gifts my parents prepared for us."

I paused, my eyes drifting to the pale-faced girl behind him.

"You remember those two 20,000-square-foot commercial retail spaces in the luxury downtown district?"

"My dad was going to transfer them to our names so we could collect the rent as pocket money."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"My dad was going to bring you into his company. Direct entry as a Vice President."

I watched Marcus's pupils dilate in pure shock. I smiled, delivering the final, crushing blow.

"Now, all of that is void."

For a second, Marcus was stunned. But then, as if he had just heard the funniest joke in the world, he burst into loud laughter.

"Hahaha!"

He laughed so hard he almost doubled over.

"Chloe, have you completely lost your mind?"

"To save your pathetic pride, youre fabricating stories about your parents now?"

"Giving us prime retail properties? Making your man a VP? Who do you think you are, a character in a Netflix drama?"

His mocking reminded me of something.

For the past six years, I had indeed been "lying" to him.

But that was my parents' idea.

Years ago, I rejected all the arranged matches my family set up. I insisted on finding true love on my own.

So, my dad made a bet with me. He said that human hearts are unpredictable. Only love without the filter of extreme wealth can show someones true character.

Thus, I became Chloe, the daughter of an ordinary working-class family.

Even when our parents met before the engagement, my parents wore simple clothes and drove a battered old sedan.

I had asked them why back then.

My dad had only said one thing.

"Men change, Chloe. The ultimate test of his character must last until the wedding day."

"Right now, its only an engagement."

Looking back, my dad was incredibly wise.

Unfortunately, Marcus couldn't even pass the engagement test.

Oh well.

Since things had reached this point, there was no need to hide it anymore.

Last night, I had begged my parents to let me tell Marcus the truth today to give him a surprise.

But they had to fly out suddenly for a major international client. They only promised they would make it back in time for the ceremony.

Though they hadn't arrived yet, I was more than happy to reveal the truth myself. I couldn't wait to see the regret on Marcuss face.

I looked at him, speaking clearly and deliberately.

"Marcus, listen carefully."

"I am the sole heiress of the Vance Group."

A three-second dead silence fell over the room. Then, the entire hall erupted into roaring laughter.

"The Vance Group? Haha! The multi-billion dollar multinational conglomerate? This girls lies are getting out of hand!"

"Did Chloe snap under pressure? Just because her last name is Vance, she thinks shes *the* Vance heiress? What a joke."

"I mean, the guy was wrong first, but there's no need to make up such an embarrassing lie. This is painful to watch."

At that moment, Marcuss aunt, Brenda, who had been watching the drama unfold from the crowd, finally stepped out.

She sneered, looking me up and down with utter disdain.

"Chloe, sweetie, I know youre hurt. We might not be rich, but we have morals. You can't just stand there and lie through your teeth."

"The heiress of the Vance Group? How do you even say that out loud without blushing?"

I sneered inwardly.

When we were discussing the wedding budget, Marcuss family cried about how poor they were. Brenda wept, saying Marcuss parents died early and she had a hard time raising him alone.

My heart softened. I lowered my expectations, agreed to a cheap venue, and even promised to support her after the wedding.

And yet, on the day of our engagement, they trampled my dignity under their feet.

I didn't want to waste another breath on them.

"Believe it or not, I don't care."

I swept my gaze across the room, locking onto a few specific corners.

"Some of the guests here today are actually business partners of the Vance Group."

I slowly raised my hand, pointing to a middle-aged man holding a champagne glass not far away.

"For instance, Mr. Donald, the CEO of EastGroup."

Mr. Donald's hand froze mid-air.

I shifted my finger to the other side of the room.

"And him. Mr. Harrison, the Chairman of Apex Realty."

Hearing his name, Mr. Harrison's expression changed instantly.

The guests' gaze flicked back and forth between me and the two business moguls.

The laughter of Marcus and Brenda died in their throats.

I crossed my arms, looking at them with a smirk.

"Is my identity real or fake?"

"Why don't you ask them yourselves?"

"Mr. Donald! Mr. Harrison! Please say something!"

Marcus's aunt, Brenda, practically lunged at the two moguls like a stray cat.

"What shes saying... it's a lie, right? Don't let this crazy girl fool you!"

Mr. Donald and Mr. Harrison exchanged a look, both looking slightly awkward.

After all, this was someone else's family drama.

Eventually, Mr. Harrison put down his glass and spoke in a calm, authoritative voice.

"Miss Chloe Vance did indeed identify us correctly."

He paused, studying me with a look of curiosity.

"However, while we know the Chairman of Vance Group has a daughter, he keeps his private life extremely guarded. We... have never had the honor of meeting her in person."

His response was politically perfect.

He didn't confirm my identity, but he didn't deny it either.

Yet, it was enough to spark the whispers of doubt again.

"I knew it! How could she be..."

"Just because she knows who the local CEOs are doesn't make her a billionaire's daughter. She has some nerve."

The last bit of worry in Marcus's eyes vanished, replaced by deep disgust and mockery.

"Chloe, how much longer are you going to keep up this act?"

Nora whimpered on cue, tugging at Marcus's sleeve with a fragile look.

"Marcus, don't blame Chloe. Shes probably just... in shock. Thats why shes talking nonsense."

What a textbook green-tea bitch.

Watching them play their roles, the smirk on my face only grew colder.

"An act?"

I chuckled, my gaze bypassing them and landing on the two moguls again.

"Then I have a question for you gentlemen."

"Mr. Donald. Mr. Harrison."

"Why did you two bother to show up at a low-end engagement party like this?"

That one question silenced the entire room.

The moguls froze.

The guests were stunned.

True.

EastGroup and Apex Realty were massive names in the business world.

Meanwhile, Marcus's family was barely lower-middle class.

How on earth did they manage to invite these high-profile figures?

Mr. Harrison and Mr. Donald exchanged another look, a sudden realization dawning on them.

Mr. Harrison cleared his throat, an apologetic smile on his face.

"Well, Chairman Vance booked a meeting room on the third floor of this hotel to discuss a bidding partnership with us this afternoon."

"On the phone, he casually mentioned that there was an engagement party on the first floor at noon. He suggested that if we were free, we could drop by to liven up the place."

"We figured anyone who could get Chairman Vance to speak up for them must be a close relative. So, we came."

His explanation plunged the hall into a suffocating silence.

All eyes locked onto me once more.

But a second later, the crowd erupted again.

"Wait! If shes really the Vance heiress, why would the engagement party be in a basic four-star hotel? That makes zero sense!"

"Exactly! And she hid her identity for six years? For what? Because she liked how poor and messy he was?"

"But why would Chairman Vance mention this party then? And if it's his own daughter's engagement, why isn't he here? The math isn't mathing!"

The waves of doubt crashed over me.

This time, the look Marcus gave me was pure, unfiltered disgust.

He took a step forward, pointing a finger directly at my face.

"Chloe, I really misjudged you."

"I thought you were just a bit stubborn, but youre actually a vain, pathological liar!"

"Just to save your pathetic pride, you played everyone in this room!"

He took a deep breath.

"You ruined this engagement party."

"You are paying for every single cent of the bill!"

"From today on, I, Marcus Miller, never want to see your disgusting face again!"

With that dramatic declaration, he turned around, holding Nora protectively as he made a move to leave.

I watched his retreating back, coldness radiating from me. I was about to speak.

Suddenly, the heavy double doors of the banquet hall were slammed open from the outside.

A loud, booming voice echoed through the room.

"Chairman Arthur Vance of the Vance Group has arrived!"

"Make way for our distinguished guest!"