Chapter 4: The Wedding Is Off

Bastian's face contorted with rage.

He dropped Gina's foot, stormed over, and snatched my phone, smashing it into the basin of water.

"Meredith, when are you going to stop?"

Gina immediately piped up. "Bastian, if you don't get her under control, she's going to ruin everything for us."

That seemed to be the final straw.

He grabbed my arm.

"If you still want to marry into my family, you'll drink Gina's foot-washing water right now, and you will promise to never interfere with my friendship with her again."

I had never been so humiliated in my life. Tears pricked my eyes.

"Bastian, do you really think I'm that desperate to marry you?"

"Let me be clear. We're done."

Gina clapped her hands, her laughter sharp and cruel.

"Perfect. The bachelor party just turned into a breakup party."

"Let's all celebrate! Bastian is a free man again."

"Too bad for some people. After leaving my best friend, she'll probably never find anyone this good again." The words were barely out of her mouth when someone kicked her out of the way.

When Bastian saw who had just walked in, the color drained from his face.

"Dad, Mom, can't you give me any space?"

"These are all my friends. I-"

He was cut off by another slap across the face.

"Bastian, we told you."

"As long as you treated Meredith well, the Wilson family assets would have been yours."

Mr. Wilson's voice was ice. "But you chose to treat her like this, all for this so-called friend."

"From this moment on, you are no longer a son of the Wilson family."

Bastian clutched his cheek, his expression one of pure disbelief.

"Dad! Mom!"

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson's faces were like stone.

"We don't have a son who can't tell right from wrong."

The room fell silent as Bastian's friends began whispering, no doubt speculating about who I was and where I came from.

Tears welling in her eyes, Gina rushed forward. "Mr. Wilson, Mrs. Wilson, I know you've never liked me."

"But I have never wanted to take anything from Bastian."

"Why do you have to control your own son like this? Why force him to stay away from me?"

Seeing her act, Bastian immediately straightened up.

"Meredith, don't think you can hold me just because you've won over my parents."

"I won't marry you until Gina forgives you."

"Gina, come with me."

He took her hand and started for the door.

As she passed, Gina deliberately slammed her shoulder into mine.

Once they were gone, Bastian's friends quickly scattered.

Soon, only Mr. and Mrs. Wilson and I remained.

They were silent for a long time.

"Meredith, we had hoped you could make that boy settle down."

Mrs. Wilson's voice was low. "We thought we could finally feel at ease handing the family business over to him."

"We never imagined it would come to this."

"You've always had a good head on your shoulders," Mr. Wilson added. "After this, we can't ask you to stay."

I understood.

If I were truly after their money, I could swallow my pride, stay, and become the future Mrs. Wilson.

But my family was just as well-off as theirs.

And my life certainly didn't depend on Bastian.

There was no reason to stay and endure this chaos.

I thanked them, walked out of the bar, and sent a text to Thayer Sinclair, a man who had pursued me for a very long time.

[I'm done here. That marriage proposal you mentioned before-is it still on the table?]