Chapter 1

My fiancé's new plaything was the very same girl my brother had once obsessed over and stolen away.

To win her, the two of them went head-to-head at an auction, practically tearing the place apart.

In the end, my fiancé dropped a small fortune and walked away with the prize.

My brother sneered, taking his frustration out on me:

"You're pathetic. Can't even keep your own man in line."

I said nothing.

After all, Damian and I were just a strategic business arrangement.

We'd agreed long ago to do our own thing and stay out of each other's business.

A few days later.

I was having drinks with my best friend at a lounge.

A young man suddenly burst into the VIP booth.

He walked straight up to me and dropped to his knees:

"Please. Make them let Celeste go."

Turns out, he was Celeste's childhood sweetheart.

Celeste really was irresistible, wasn't she?

Men just couldn't stop throwing themselves at her feet.

I stared at him for a moment, and an idea sparked in my mind.

I rested my heel right on his thigh and smiled.

"Fine."

"But... it depends on how sincere you are."

I couldn't stop Julian.

He stormed toward the marina, his face dark and menacing.

"He gave away your private yacht just like that?"

"I want to see who the hell has that kind of nerve."

I followed behind him, sighing.

"It's fine. It's just a boat."

"He can take whoever he wants out to sea."

Damian had always been reckless, and I didn't feel like starting drama over something so trivial.

After all, our families' alliance was still on the table.

By the time we reached the docks, the yacht that belonged to me was already pulling away from the slip.

On the deck, Damian leaned lazily against the railing.

Beside him stood a woman.

She wore a long white dress, her hair drifting gently in the sea breeze.

I stopped in my tracks.

Julian froze too.

Damian had clearly spotted us from the start.

He didn't even try to hide. Instead, he raised a hand, signaling the crew to steer back to the dock.

The yacht glided back to the pier.

Holding the woman's hand, Damian strolled down the gangway.

Julian stared at her, rooted to the spot.

The man who had been burning with rage a second ago just stood there, motionless.

And the girl looked up, meeting his eyes from a distance.

Instantly, her pupils constricted, and she took a step back.

Silence hung heavy.

Julian finally snapped out of it, his voice low and raspy.

"Celeste?"

Damian scoffed, stepping closer to wrap his arm around her waist.

He clearly knew why Julian had come charging over.

He arched an eyebrow mockingly.

"So, still plan on taking the yacht back for your sister?"

This was the new coastal resort our families were co-developing.

Before the grand opening, both families had gathered here for a preview stay.

The resort had arranged an exclusive luxury yacht just for us.

I was the one who booked it first.

Neither Julian nor Damian had objected back then.

Yet right before we set out, Damian had ordered the crew to take it.

At the time, I thought he just had somewhere urgent to go.

Now everything made sense.

He took the boat just to take his pretty little bird out for a joyride.

Julian dropped the topic of the boat entirely. He grabbed Damian by the collar, his teeth clenched.

"You know damn well she was mine!"

Damian sneered.

"Well, she's mine now."

Julian roared, "You're engaged to my sister!"

"And so what?"

Damian's gaze flicked casually over to me.

Then he looked away, sneering:

"Are you pissed because I made your sister look bad, or because Celeste is on my arm?"

The moment the words left his mouth, they went at each other.

Every blow was vicious.

I hadn't expected Damian to parade his side chick right here at the resort, right under the noses of both our families.

Was he just so obsessed with Celeste that he couldn't bear to leave her side for a single second?

Or did he simply have zero respect for me and the Vance family?

Probably both.

Celeste met my eyes.

Her skin was porcelain, her features delicate and innocent.

She looked no different from how I remembered her back then.

She walked toward me, offering a faint smile as she whispered:

"Back when Julian treated me like that, you just stood by and watched. Now that the blade is turned on you, does it hurt?"

I blinked, caught off guard.

Out of the corner of his eye, Damian noticed Celeste getting close to me.

Landing one last punch on Julian, he pulled away and grabbed Celeste's hand.

As if terrified I was going to hurt her.

Julian's face was bruised, his expression grim.

If they kept fighting, it would blow up into a massive scandal.

I spoke up:

"That's enough, Julian."

Julian exhaled heavily, his dark eyes locked on Celeste.

"This isn't over."