"Hey, Axel or whatever your name is," Fabian said with a condescending smile, "why don’t I show you Aria’s home? You know, Aria and I have known each other since we were children. We have so many memories together in this place, don’t we, baby?"

He tried to drape his arm around Aria’s shoulder in a familiar, possessive way, but she immediately shrugged him off.

Fabian’s face twitched with barely contained anger, but he kept the fake smile plastered on, refusing to cause a bigger scene in front of the entire royal circle.

The public rejection was clearly stinging his ego, but he was smart enough to know that losing his temper here would only make him look worse.

He wanted to look like some kind of sigma male in front of the public.

"No, Fabian. You don’t have to take the trouble," Aria said with a sweet, almost mocking smile as she looked at him. "I’ll show Alex my home myself... starting with my room."

Fabian’s face twisted for a split second, looking like he was ready to murder someone. He quickly forced a polite, strained smile, trying to maintain his composure in front of the growing crowd of curious guests.

"Oh, come on, baby. I could do this much for you," Fabian said, his voice tight as he tried to sound generous.

"If he wants to be my personal attendant, why don’t you let him be, babe?" I said calmly, clearly asserting my dominance over the situation—and over Aria—in front of everyone watching.

Fabian shot me a cold look at that.

"But Alex, I wanted you to meet my mom," Aria replied, looking at me with a slight pout.

"I’ll be back soon," I said, giving her a reassuring nod. "Why don’t you let your ex show me around?"

Fabian looked like he was one second away from throwing a punch, his jaw clenched so tightly I could see the muscle twitching. But he forced another fake smile, refusing to cause an even bigger scene in front of the entire elite crowd.

"Alright then," he said through gritted teeth. "Let’s go for a little tour."

Aria hesitated for a moment, clearly reluctant to leave me alone with Fabian and his two goons. She gave my arm one last squeeze before nodding. "Okay... but come back soon," she said softly, her eyes lingering on me with a mix of concern and affection.

She finally turned and walked away toward the main hall, her pink dress flowing gracefully as she disappeared into the crowd.

As soon as Aria left, Fabian’s grip on my shoulder tightened painfully, his fingers digging in like a vice as he started steering me through the crowded hall.

His touch was no longer pretending to be friendly, it was threatening, a clear warning that he was in control of the situation now.

"You’ve got some nerve showing up here," he hissed, his eyes burning with barely contained rage. "Do you have any idea who I am? Who my family is?"

"Why, you don’t?" I said, mocking him.

He moved me through the sea of elegantly dressed guests, forcing a path with his presence alone. People parted slightly as we passed, some casting curious or uneasy glances at the obvious tension between us.

Fabian’s goons followed close behind, their broad shoulders and cold stares making sure no one got too close or tried to interrupt.

He led me out of the main hall through a side exit, the cool night air hitting us as we stepped into the adjacent garden.

The garden was vast and beautifully manicured, with tall hedges, blooming flowers, and soft pathways lit by dim, antique lanterns.

Because all the guests were inside enjoying the banquet, the garden was completely empty and quiet, the only sounds being the faint music drifting from the hall and the gentle rustle of leaves in the breeze.

Fabian kept pushing me forward until we reached a secluded spot deeper in the garden, a small clearing surrounded by tall hedges that blocked most of the light from the main path. The lighting here was even dimmer, casting long shadows and creating an isolated atmosphere.

He finally released my shoulder and stepped back, his face no longer hiding his anger. The fake smile was gone, replaced by a cold, venomous glare.

Fabian hissed, his voice low but filled with rage. "Who the hell do you think you are? Some lowlife who can just waltz in and steal my fiancée?"

Fabian’s two goons moved swiftly behind me and locked my arms behind my back, their grips like iron vices as they held me firmly in place. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

I didn’t struggle.

I simply stood there, staring Fabian down with a calm, almost amused expression.

Then he punched me hard across the face.

The blow landed squarely on my cheek, snapping my head to the side with a sharp crack. A burst of pain flared through my jaw, and I could feel the warm trickle of blood starting to drip from the corner of my split lower lip.

I slowly turned my head back to face him... and started laughing.

"Hahahaha..." The sound came out low at first, then louder, genuine amusement mixing with the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

Fabian’s face twisted in confusion and rage as he watched me laugh like the punch had been nothing more than a joke.

I was wondering what his face would look like when I told him the truth, that I had taken his fiancée’s virginity, the same girl who was supposed to stay pure for this motherfucker.

"What’s funny, bitch?" Fabian snarled, stepping even closer, his voice low and venomous. His expensive cologne mixed with the faint smell of alcohol on his breath as he loomed over me.

"You’re trying so hard, buddy. It’s so funny," I said.

"Sir, let us take care of him," one of the goons who wasn’t holding my arms behind me said.

"No, no—he’s mine," Fabian said as he punched me again.

Fabian took a step closer, his eyes narrowing. "You think you can embarrass me in front of everyone? In my own fucking house?"

"That’s not your house," I said, spitting a small wad of blood onto the grass beside me, my voice calm and mocking despite the situation.

"Yeah, it’s mine, bitch," Fabian snarled, stepping closer. "I’m gonna marry this Aria bitch, and all of this will be mine." His face was red with fury as he threw another punch, this one aimed straight at my stomach.

The blow landed hard, knocking the air out of me for a second. I grunted but kept my smirk, refusing to give him the satisfaction of showing pain.

"You don’t know how much I have invested in this relationship," he snarled, jabbing a finger toward me. "Just to get her fortune one day. And I know everything about Aria. We practically grew up together. I know her favorite food, her fears, her secrets — everything."

"Did you know Aria has a mole just above her pussy?" I asked calmly, my tone almost conversational as I looked him dead in the eyes.