Breaking My Heart for Her True Love

My fiancee fell in love with a broke student she's been sponsoring. She insists on breaking off our engagement no matter what. She turns a deaf ear to all the advice friends and family give her. My father gets so worked up that his blood pressure skyrockets. Meanwhile, my mother comes close to fainting and almost ends up in the hospital. My family becomes a laughingstock among the elite overnight. But no one realizes that we're already discussing countermeasures. My mother pulls out her phone. "Why don't we set you up with the most beautiful woman in Seabrook?" My father says coldly, "End the partnership. Cut off the one-billion-dollar support fees to her family." My lips curl into a smile. "Mind if I handle both myself?" Chapter 1 Three months later, I hosted a dinner party in my honor to formally announce my engagement to Seabrook's most beautiful woman. Those present were all prominent figures, many of whom were childhood friends of mine. I had been so caught up with work throughout the years that I rarely showed up to gatherings like this. So, I had drifted apart from many old friends. I took this opportunity to catch up with the people I hadn't seen in a long time. They all showed sympathy over my past relationship with Vivian Saddler. I smiled with ease. "It's all in the past. If she has found happiness, then I'm happy for her." My friends called me a fool and advised me to be less accommodating. But I knew that my father was about to cut off all financial support to Saddler Group. All I needed to do now was appear generous. Suddenly, the doors to the banquet hall swung open. A familiar figure appeared in the glare of the light. I took a closer look and confirmed that the people at the door were my ex-fiancee and her current boyfriend. The atmosphere around us suddenly grew awkward. Everyone scrambled to comfort me by making small talk. Whispers quickly spread. "What is she doing here?" "She's got some nerve!" "The one next to her must be that gold digger. He's nothing compared to Mr. Griffith!" I waved a hand to signal to my friends that I was fine. Then, I walked up to Vivian with a smile and politely extended my hand. "Welcome, Ms. Saddler. I apologize for not arranging for someone to receive you." Vivian seemed taken aback for a moment before she shook my hand. I graciously introduced her to the crowd, saying, "This is Ms. Saddler of Saddler Group. I believe everyone here knows her. The one next to her is her boyfriend, Wyatt Jefferson, a student she once sponsored…" For a moment, Vivian couldn't tell whether I was being genuine in disregarding the past or intentionally making her look bad. After a few quick greetings, she and Wyatt found seats in a corner. I walked over with some friends in tow. "You seem ill at ease today, Ms. Saddler. We're all friends here. How about a few drinks?" It was clear that Vivian wanted to decline. But my friends didn't give her a chance to do so. Instead, they egged her on. "Surely, you wouldn't leave Mr. Griffith hanging, Ms. Saddler?" The only reason Vivian had shown up to the dinner party was because Griffith Corporation had rapidly developed in the two years since I took over. It had become the most dominant conglomerate in Seabrook. Meanwhile, Saddler Group was still on shaky ground. If my father hadn't been helping them all these years out of respect for the engagement between our families, Saddler Group would've gone under long ago. Early last year, Saddler Group's cash flow collapsed. If it weren't for my father stepping in with one billion dollars to bail them out, Saddler Group wouldn't even be around today. What the Saddler family was most worried about right now was whether or not my father would pull the funding now that Vivian and I had called off our engagement. Three months had passed. While my father had yet to take any action, Saddler Group was already in a state of panic. Many longtime employees of Saddler Group had already jumped ship to Griffith Corporation. Vivian was here today to gauge where I stood and to try to smooth things over with Griffith Corporation. She had no choice but to drink. She downed one glass after another. Beside her, Wyatt's expression darkened. Chapter 2 I raised my glass and gave it a slight tilt toward Wyatt. Vivian quickly grabbed his arm. "Wyatt, Saddler Group is where it is today thanks to the support of Mr. Griffith's family. Have a drink with him." Wyatt came from a humble background. Of course, he wouldn't know how things worked in business dealings. Right now, all he cared about were his emotions. He shook off Vivian's hand and left. Vivian apologized repeatedly, "Mr. Griffith, Wyatt has been feeling under the weather recently. Please forgive him." One of my friends spoke up in my defense. "Who does Wyatt think he is? He turned down a toast from Mr. Griffith?" I waved my hand dismissively and smiled. "Forget it. He's just a kid who doesn't know any better. Given Griffith Corporation's reputation, it'd be beneath me to make a fuss over something so trivial." Vivian repeatedly thanked me, her gaze apologetic. Then, she hurried out after Wyatt. I had never been a fan of these types of occasions. So, after checking in with a few friends, I stepped out into the garden to get some fresh air. That was where I happened to catch Vivian trying to calm Wyatt down. She pleaded helplessly, "Wyatt, we can't afford to offend Griffith Corporation. Please try to understand where I'm coming from." Wyatt, who had climbed his way into high society, replied arrogantly, "Why would Saddler Group be afraid of Griffith Corporation? Saddler Group would be better off without them!" I lowered my head and chuckled. His arrogance and ignorance amused me. It was true that Saddler Group's legacy went back further than Griffith Corporation's own. In terms of years, Saddler Group was three times as old as Griffith Corporation. Griffith Corporation was a business that my father built from scratch. Perhaps it was luck that allowed Griffith Corporation's reach to expand to its current level. On the other hand, ever since Vivian's father took over Saddler Group, its reputation was all that remained. The company had been in decline due to poor management and an obsolete corporate structure. In truth, it had become an empty shell. Vivian's father had originally planned to hand Saddler Group over to me once our families were tied in marriage. But that seemed unlikely to happen now. At this point, they were just barely hanging on and surviving one day at a time. If my father pulled his investment, Saddler Group would never be able to recover. They could even end up drowning in massive debt. Vivian seemed flustered when she noticed me approaching. "Please don't take it the wrong way, Mr. Griffith. Wyatt didn't mean anything by it." Hearing my ex-fiancee constantly referring to me as "Mr. Griffith" while making excuses for another man felt a bit strange. Still, I no longer cared. Instead, I comforted her. "Wyatt is just getting started with business matters. Give him some time. He'll adjust." Vivian seemed surprised. Wyatt screamed at me, his expression resentful, "Quit pretending to be the nice guy, Lucian Griffith! I know you're still hung up on Vivian. But her heart belongs to me now!" Without giving me a chance to respond, Wyatt stormed off. I gave Vivian a helpless smile. "Kids really are more interesting than business types like me. How cute." Vivian relaxed a little and joked, "You're no ordinary businessman, Mr. Griffith. You're the textbook definition of an intimidating CEO." I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, you seem to think quite highly of me, Ms. Saddler!" Vivian gave a bitter smile. "I was the one who didn't know how to cherish what I had… How have you been lately?" I smiled at her as gently as I used to. "Me? I'd say I'm doing slightly better than you." Chapter 3 Just then, the host's voice rang out inside the banquet hall. I glanced at Vivian. "The banquet's about to start. Let's go." This banquet was meant for my engagement announcement. I wasn't going to hold it up for Vivian's sake. On the way back to the banquet hall with her, a smirk tugged at my lips. The show was just getting started. I stood at the center of the stage as Yvonne Stauffer, the most stunning woman in Seabrook, descended the spiral staircase in a couture gown. She stepped up onto the stage and gently took my arm. I gazed at her with nothing but love in my eyes. That affection was perhaps more than I had ever shown Vivian in the past. I lightly patted her hand to reassure her, then turned to face the guests. "I'd like to introduce my fiancee to everyone. This is Yvonne Stauffer." Yvonne smiled shyly as she raised her hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet everyone." The guests erupted in applause. "She's so much better than Vivian Saddler!" "Honestly, Vivian had no idea how good she had it. Mr. Griffith could've had anyone he wanted. She really blew it!" I cleared my throat. "I'll be sending out wedding invitations soon. I hope everyone will be able to attend." Amid the cheers, my eyes found Vivian in the audience. Her expression had changed drastically. It was as if she had been struck. Just as I expected, I hadn't even made it home before I received a text message from Vivian. "I didn't think you'd be getting married so soon, Lucian. Congratulations!" I calmly adjusted my glasses. "I won't be around to look after you anymore. Take care of yourself. Your back acts up when it rains, so remember to apply a hot compress when it happens. You always suffer from migraines too. Don't forget to keep your medication by your bedside…" I replied with a message I had prepared long ago. There was no reply from her for a long while. Perhaps she was reminiscing about the kindness I had once shown her. I didn't think much of it. After getting home and taking a shower, I went straight to bed. When I checked my phone the next morning, I realized that Vivian had sent me a text in the middle of the night. "I was the one who failed you. If I were given a second chance, I'd marry you. But I guess it's all too late now…" I stretched. Everything was going exactly as planned. "Let the past stay in the past. After all that time together, we can still be friends even if we can't be lovers." Vivian seemed to have not slept a wink. Before I could even put away my phone, she replied to my text. "Yeah! We'll always be the best of friends!" I shook my head. Vivian was too easy to fool. It was no wonder Wyatt had her eating out of his hand. I must've been too sincere with her! She was the kind of woman who followed whoever said the right words to her. I set my phone aside and looked at Yvonne, who was still asleep beside me. A deep sense of peace settled over me. In terms of family background and beauty, she far outshone Vivian. Yet, she was somehow more innocent and kinder than Vivian. We had only known each other for three months. But things between us felt effortless when I was with her. Perhaps she was the one for me. Chapter 4 I heard that Wyatt and Vivian got into a fight after the banquet. He accused her of still having feelings for me. Perhaps Vivian had once been completely bewitched by him, but after his outburst at my engagement party, she was bound to start thinking about me again. After all, I had always been the one running after her. It was possible that she still naively believed I would go back running to her as long as she looked back. But with my engagement announced out of the blue and seeing the immature boy by her side, how could Vivian not regret her choice? … Two days later, while I was in the office handling some documents, the secretary suddenly entered to inform me that Vivian was here. I smiled. "Guests are always welcome. Let her in!" Vivian walked in with uneasy steps. "I hope I'm not disturbing you." I closed the file. "Not at all. I just finished my task. I'll take you to that restaurant you love in a while." Surprise crossed Vivian's expression. I awkwardly scratched my head. "I'm sorry. That was a force of habit. I forgot you have a new boyfriend now." Vivian immediately responded, "It's alright. I have time. Let's catch up as old friends!" I lowered my head and adjusted my glasses. My smile slipped from my face. I had already known that she'd agree. After our engagement was called off, she had a huge fight with her family. She had gone against her family's wishes to be with Wyatt. The Saddler family knew well what kind of crisis this would bring to Saddler Group. Vivian was the Saddler family's only daughter who was raised spoiled. Her parents loved her so much that they had never punished her. However, Wyatt wasn't so lucky. Mr. and Mrs. Saddler blamed everything on Wyatt. They claimed that it was he who seduced Vivian and caused her to make such a terrible mistake. They even declared he wouldn't get a single share from Saddler Group, and neither would they offer him a position at the company. To outsiders, he appeared to be an attractive young man who had climbed the social ladder. But only he knew how miserable his life had become. He could've secured a position at a reputable company with his capabilities. There was plenty of room for him to grow. But now, no company in Seabrook would hire him out of respect for me. These days, he acted more like a parasite who was completely dependent on Vivian for survival. If she left him, he would have nothing. Given all this, his current state of anxiety and paranoia made a lot of sense. But his biggest mistake was drowning his sorrows in alcohol. He ended up sleeping with a hostess in a moment of drunken lust. Vivian seemed completely unaware of the matter. She was entirely focused on how to get closer to me again. Seeing the anticipation written all over her face, I couldn't help but think, "What a foolish woman. Thank God I didn't end up marrying her." Although it was my father who decided to pull the investment from Saddler Group, he gave me full control over how it was carried out. The reason I hadn't acted yet was because I had been waiting for the right moment. And now, it seemed that moment was fast approaching. Once Vivian received Wyatt's scandalous photos, I would use the excuse that it demonstrated a negative public image and withdraw all support from Saddler Group. I just hoped that Vivian wouldn't accuse me of being ruthless then. After all, she was the one who had betrayed me first. She had caused my father's blood pressure to skyrocket, and my mother had almost ended up hospitalized when she nearly collapsed. All I was doing was returning the favor. Chapter 5 I stretched languidly after finishing my work. My eyes were drawn to Vivian, who was still ensconced on the couch, waiting for me. She looked up from her phone. "Done with work?" I nodded. Vivian said gently, "You've worked hard. I never realized how exhausting your day-to-day life could be. You know, this is the first time I've seen you working. You look quite handsome." I gave a wry smile. In the past, I would always make sure to fix myself up to look more presentable before meeting her. I didn't want her to see me tired. I also always tried to make as much time as possible for her. But I never received a shred of understanding in return. Now, she was acting gentle and considerate to get back on my good side. She would probably never know that I had been busy finalizing the arrangements to sever all business ties with the Saddler family during the two hours she spent waiting for me. I threw on my coat. Before I could say a word, Vivian scrambled to her feet. "Are we leaving now?" I nodded and had the chauffeur prepare our ride. Vivian and I locked eyes. However, neither of us said a word the entire way there. The silence between us was almost unsettling. Then suddenly, her phone rang, breaking the silence. Vivian reached to end the call on reflex, but I caught her arm. "We're still a distance away from the restaurant. You might as well pick up." She looked confused but nodded. "Okay." As soon as she answered the call, panic suddenly bled into her countenance. My guess was that she finally found out about Wyatt's scandal. After ending the call, she immediately tried to call Wyatt. But no matter how many times she tried, there was no answer. Her hands tightened around her phone as she frowned. "Did something happen?" I pretended to ask in a concerned tone. It was only then that Vivian remembered that I was beside her. She quickly composed herself. "I won't be able to join you for dinner tonight, Lucian. Let's do it another day. My treat!" I smiled gently. "Of course. If you have something to take care of, go ahead. Do you need a ride?" Vivian quickly turned me down, seemingly flustered. "It's fine. Just drop me off somewhere. I'll call for a cab." I said nothing more and inclined my head to signal the chauffeur to pull over. Once Vivian got out of the car, I watched through the rear-view mirror as she stood by the roadside, frantically trying to make more calls. Her anxious expression made it obvious that no one was answering her calls. I dialed up one of my men. "Spread the news. I want to see it in the headlines tonight! Deliver the prepared divestment plan to Saddler Group first thing in the morning!" Given Griffith Corporation's reach, it wouldn't take more than an hour for the entire city of Seabrook to find out. By then, it wouldn't change a thing even if Wyatt were to get down on his knees and beg. The chauffeur asked cautiously, "Where to now, Mr. Griffith?" I stared out the window. "Go pick up Yvonne." The truth was that I had never intended to have dinner with Vivian tonight. I had everything arranged long before Vivian had even shown up. I also knew that she would find out what Wyatt had done at 6:30 pm sharp. The reservation for the restaurant had always been made for me and Yvonne. Vivian just happened to walk into the line of fire, and I simply wanted to see her reaction when she received the news with my own eyes. Chapter 6 Just as the car entered Yvonne's neighborhood, I caught sight of her in the distance skipping joyfully in my direction. As soon as she got in the car, she happily took my hand and kissed me on the cheek. "Thank you for making time to have dinner with me even though you've been so busy these days." I was rather taken aback. With Vivian, she wouldn't have expected anything less from me. But now, the woman who was leagues better than her genuinely appreciated the gesture. I thought to myself, "Maybe this has to do with how someone is raised." Vivian was raised spoiled. She was both wilful and brash, believing that the world should revolve around her. I patted Yvonne's head. "I'm sorry I haven't spent much time with you lately. Why don't we go on a trip abroad once I'm done with work?" Yvonne enthusiastically agreed, "Yes, yes! I want to go to Sagamore!" Perhaps a truly healthy relationship was about mutual understanding and making the effort to be there emotionally. The longer I spent with Yvonne, the more I felt that everything I had done for Vivian had been a waste. After we arrived at the restaurant, I texted the chauffeur and had him check on Vivian. He sent me a video shortly after. In it, Vivian was kneeling outside the gates of the Saddler's residence. It took a while before Mr. and Mrs. Saddler came outside. Mr. Saddler immediately started berating Vivian, "This is all because your mother and I have spoiled you rotten! Couldn't you have picked a better man? "Our relationship with Griffith Corporation is already on shaky ground because of you. And now, with Wyatt's scandal, Saddler Group's stock price is tanking. Our stocks will crash if Griffith Corporation withdraws its investment. The company will face immediate bankruptcy!" "You've had it too good for the past 20 years. And now, you're giving it all up for some troublemaking pretty face!" The more he yelled, the angrier he got. He raised his hand and slapped Vivian across the face. "Tell Wyatt to get back here immediately!" Vivian was crying till she was out of breath. "Dad… I can't reach him…" Mr. Saddler only grew more furious at her response. "So, he won't face the consequences of his actions. Now, he's hiding like a coward. Wasn't he acting all high and mighty before?" There was nothing Vivian could say. All she could do was continue making calls. Vivian called me just as I finished watching the video. "Have you seen the news, Lucian? Please help me. Please help Saddler Group…" Back in the day, hearing Vivian cry like this would've softened my heart. But things were different now. I no longer loved her. I was also the one who orchestrated the entire situation. Vivian had come to me, sounding all innocent. But all I said was, "I'm sorry, I can't help you. I have to consider Griffith Corporation's future as well." Vivian choked on her sobs. She was unwilling to accept my answer. "I know I made a mistake, Lucian. I'll do anything you ask, okay? I'll break up with Wyatt tomorrow. Please, I'm begging you…" I remained indifferent. "I'm having dinner with my girlfriend right now. I'll arrange for someone to deliver the divestment contract first thing tomorrow. This is my personal time. I suggest you stop harassing me, Ms. Saddler." I thought that would be the end of it. I hadn't expected to see Vivian waiting anxiously in the lobby of my company the next morning when I arrived. The moment she saw me get out of the car, she rushed over and grabbed my arm. I shook her off. "Ms. Saddler, please mind your behavior in public. If you have something to discuss, please come upstairs." When she saw that I had relented, she timidly followed close behind me.