His voice was firm yet icy as he opened, "Ladies and gentlemen." "I appreciate you coming here this evening. I must make a significant announcement.
My chest began to swell with excitement. It was this.
But what he said next broke my heart.
"I've decided to end my engagement to Kate."
The room echoed with gasps. The world began to blur, and my heart fell.
"What?" I moved closer and whispered. "What are you doing, Simon?"
He looked away from me, his face unreadable. "I apologize, Kate, but this is best for you."
Whispers engulfed me like a thick mist, and tears pricked my eyes. Every glare and every critical look weighed heavily on me.
"Please, Simon," I pleaded, my voice cracking. "We can discuss this."
However, he turned away, leaving me to stand by myself in the humiliating limelight.
Later that night, I sat still in my car, mentally reliving the events of the previous evening. How could he harm me like this?
The memory of his cold attitude stung, but then, another picture flashed-Vanessa. Constantly watchful, constantly close.
Unbidden, as though my mind wanted answers, the flashback occurred.
Vanessa had said, "Simon," with a tone of fake worry in her voice. "You must consider your future. Kate is preventing you from moving forward.
His brow had been creased in struggle. Vanessa is someone I adore. I can't just-
She abruptly interrupted, "You have to." Do you want to be taken seriously by the board? Will you give it all up for a girl with no connections, or do you want to be the head of this company?
Simon hesitated, but only for a moment. I could see clearly that he had been torn.
Vanessa, a skilled manipulator, lowered her voice. "Simon, this is not personal. It's business. Instead of someone who undermines your reputation, you need someone who enhances it.
Suddenly, Simon had made up his mind.
"All right," he had answered in a flat voice. "I'll stop it."
Leaning against my apartment door, I slammed it shut as the cries I had been suppressing all night erupted.
Now, the glitzy dress I was wearing felt like a cruel joke, a reminder of the life I believed Simon and I were creating. I threw my heels across the room after ripping them off.
"What am I doing wrong?" I spoke softly into the void. "What made me insufficient?"
Only my doubts were echoed by the quiet, which provided no answers. I buried my face in my hands and slid into the couch.
My future ambitions, my fashion design profession, and all ofmy dreams seemed so distant now. In his absence, everything felt pointless.
I could still hear the nasty rumours from the gathering.
"She could never compete with Simon."
"What exactly did he perceive in her?"
I curled up, feeling the weight of sadness and shame weighing down on me, tears streaming down my face.
A tiny voice, barely discernible above the din of my sorrow, murmured from deep inside that I couldn't give up.
The following morning, as the sun shone through my window, I sat there and gazed at my phone in blankness. News of the broken engagement was all over social media. My name was linked to pity and controversy everywhere.
However, Vanessa was already moving pieces on her chessboard while I was moping over my heartbreak.
She smirked contentedly as she browsed through her phone while standing in her immaculate workplace. She whispered, "Everything is going exactly as planned."
An assistant across from her gave a tense nod. "Ma'am, what comes next?"
With a malicious glimmer in her eyes, Vanessa reclined on her chair. "Kate must be removed from Simon's life. She will lose all that is important to her, not just him.
The helper paused. "How about Simon?"
Vanessa grinned more broadly. "Simon will have no choice but to rely on me. He will realize that I am the one person who can assist him in achieving success.
She opened a folder on her desk as she was speaking, exposing a list of names and intricate plans-people she would control and lies she would fabricate to make sure Kate never recovered.
Her tone became cold. "Ensure she understands her role. Kate Bennett will be sorry she ever entered our planet.