"I don’t pick up trash."

For a moment, everyone shot Mia Kane a knowing look. No one noticed that Chase Lockwood had breathed a sigh of relief.

But Vivian Lynch, who was next to him, caught it, and her heart skipped a beat.

Mia Kane forced herself to stay calm. Even though he had just publicly humiliated her, he was telling the truth. Theirs was just a contract marriage, set to end once Grandpa passed away.

He’s a prominent figure. He’d never fall for someone like her.

But even so, she still felt humiliated.

During the next round of the game, Mia didn’t know if she lost because she was distracted or because Adrian Preston had suddenly bumped into her.

Either way, she lost.

Adrian Preston smiled at her. "Miss Kane, looks like your luck isn’t so good today. Truth or dare?"

"Truth." Mia was unsure of Adrian’s intentions, so she answered cautiously.

"That kiss just now... did you like it?" Adrian’s sharp eyes were deep as he stared at her intently. "Don’t even think about lying. I used to be a cop. No lie gets past me."

Mia’s heart skipped a beat.

Is Adrian trying to make things difficult for her? Now she was sure of it. He bumped into her on purpose just now, making her lose.

This man... he acts like a carefree flirt, but he’s completely inscrutable. She’s suddenly starting to regret impulsively proposing marriage to him.

"It was unpleasant."

Mia didn’t dare tell the truth. Besides, no one could prove whether she was lying or not.

If she said she’d enjoyed it, she didn’t know what Adrian would think, but the others would definitely see her as wanton and shameless.

"Oh, is that so?"

Adrian didn’t press her further, and the game quickly moved on to the next round.

Mia’s only thought was to get the Peace Pendant as soon as possible. Not wanting to stay any longer, she excused herself to the restroom and left the private room.

She sent Chase Lockwood a text: Where’s the Peace Pendant?

Soon after, Chase Lockwood also left the room.

The two met downstairs. Chase Lockwood lit a cigarette, and through the thin wisps of smoke, she couldn’t read his expression.

She held out her hand. "The Peace Pendant."

He took the Peace Pendant off his neck with one hand. Mia reached out to take it, but unexpectedly, Chase Lockwood suddenly let go.

With a crisp crack, the Peace Pendant shattered into two pieces.

"My Peace Pendant!" she cried out, crouching down to pick up the pieces. "Chase Lockwood, this is the only thing my grandmother left me! How could you... how could you..."

"So it broke. What about it?" Chase Lockwood’s malicious and hateful voice reached her ears. "Mia Kane, I investigated the men around you. There’s no one sketchy. You were just trying to trick me with your words, weren’t you?"

"What? Is President Lockwood so obsessed with me that you went to the trouble of investigating me?"

The next second, Chase Lockwood grabbed her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze. "You’re overthinking it. What belongs to me, Chase Lockwood, can be broken or thrown away by me, but no one else is allowed to touch it. Understand?

"Don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to. Trying to seduce Adrian Preston to stand up for you? Too bad you’re barking up the wrong tree. He’s not someone you can manipulate! Trying to use him to provoke me? Save it."

With that, Chase Lockwood strode away.

Mia stood frozen, trembling all over, clutching the Peace Pendant tightly. Its fractured edges pierced her palm, and blood slowly seeped out.

Just as Chase Lockwood walked back inside, he ran into Vivian Lynch, who had followed him down.

"Chase..."

"Why did you come down? You should’ve put on more clothes. It’s cold down here."

All the harshness vanished from Chase Lockwood’s expression. He gently took off his jacket and draped it over her.

"Chase, if you can’t let go of Miss Kane, then I’ll step aside. I’ll let you two be together."

Vivian Lynch blinked her big eyes and looked at him earnestly, her words sounding sincere and heartfelt. But her heart was inexplicably in her throat.

Chase Lockwood let out a disdainful laugh. "You’re overthinking it. Why would I be hung up on a substitute? Having you is like having the whole world."

"But just now, when she kissed Mr. Preston..."

"We break up one minute, and the next she’s trying to seduce one of my own guys just to get a rise out of me. I admit I lost my cool for a moment, but it’s not because I have feelings for her. It’s about my pride. She made me lose face in public, and that was humiliating, that’s all."

"Is that all?"

"Of course." Chase Lockwood pinched the tip of her nose, his eyes full of affection. "If she’d picked anyone else, I wouldn’t have cared. But she’s too calculating. She chose someone close to me to deliberately provoke me and get entangled with me again. Why would I ever give her what she wants?

"Don’t worry, I won’t even spare her a second glance from now on. Come on, let’s go home."

Chase Lockwood silently added in his heart, I just couldn’t stand Mia Kane slapping me in the face in public. That must be it!

Mia stood not far away, watching Vivian Lynch lean happily into Chase Lockwood’s arms as the two left intimately. Her heart felt like it was being sliced by a knife.

Mia collapsed to the ground, tears streaming silently down her face.

A Peace Pendant is supposed to ensure peace and safety. But the person she hoped it would protect had just ruthlessly shattered her Peace Pendant.

Chase Lockwood... that bastard...

Just then, a pair of leather shoes stopped in front of her.

Adrian Preston extended a hand. She looked up and saw that all traces of his usual casualness and amusement were gone. His eyes were cold, completely devoid of warmth.

"Isn’t this what you brought upon yourself?" he said coldly, looking down on her. She’s the one who came chasing after him, only to be humiliated. Who else is there to blame?

"Adrian... my Peace Pendant is broken." Mia opened her palm, her tear-filled eyes looking up at him hazily. All she knew was that her Peace Pendant was broken.

When Adrian Preston saw her injured palm, his brow tightened. "To the hospital."

Mia followed stiffly behind him, like a puppet.

At the hospital, a doctor quickly bandaged her hand.

Adrian had already wiped the Peace Pendant clean. "You came here for this?"

"It was a keepsake from my grandmother. It’s supposed to bring peace and safety, so I gave it to Chase Lockwood..."

"He must be really important to you," Adrian sneered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Mia Kane, even though we’re a fake couple, I expect that during our contract period, you’ll act appropriately and draw a clear line with your ex."

"I know..."

"Good that you know." He paused for a few seconds. "I’ll find someone to fix it for you."

"Really?" A spark immediately lit up in Mia Kane’s eyes.

"Yeah. I’ll do my best," Adrian said, turning his head away unnaturally to avoid her gaze. "It’s already in the worst possible state."

Adrian hadn’t been drinking, so he drove, with Mia in the passenger seat.

"Mia Kane, you were lying, weren’t you?"

"Huh?"

The out-of-the-blue question confused Mia. She turned her head to meet Adrian’s deep-set, sharp eyes, which seemed to hold a vortex that could pull a person in.

Being stared at by him like this made Mia’s scalp tingle. She felt like a rabbit being targeted by a hawk.

"My kiss... was it unpleasant?"

Mia’s mind went blank as she realized what he was talking about, and her cheeks flushed instantly. How does he still remember that?

"I... I wasn’t lying. It was unpleasant. Your kissing technique... is average."

"Average?"

Adrian raised an eyebrow, a wicked look flashing in his eyes.