Left at the Altar, I Left Him With Nothing

Some people were annoyed by my defiance and advised Anton. "If you ask me, you're way too soft on your staff. Who gave a secretary the nerve to cause trouble at your wedding?

"If I were you, I'd fire her on the spot and teach her a lesson about her place."

The dinner hall buzzed in agreement.

Anton turned to look at me as if he were genuinely reprimanding an employee. "I can't possibly keep you as my secretary now that you've caused such a scene.

"But considering your years of service for the company and the fact that you've put in the time, even if you've achieved nothing, I'll transfer you to a branch office. I won't actually cut off your livelihood and starve you.

"If you keep pushing your luck, I won't hesitate to fire you."

His approach earned him a round of applause.

"Anton surely is a generous, big-hearted boss. He's even willing to give a woman like her a chance."

Instead of appreciating his so-called magnanimous act, I let out a cold laugh. "Fire me? Well, go ahead. I'd like to see you try."

Someone immediately threw sarcastic jabs at me. "Of course, she's not afraid of getting fired. After all, even if she does get fired, she can always sell her body, right? A secretary doesn't earn much anyway."

As soon as the words were out, every face wore the same knowing, meaningful look.

A shirtless greaseball leered at me and was practically drooling. "How much do you charge, sweetheart? I can't compete with those rich guys, but at least give me a discount since I'm from Mr. Solomon's family. Won't you do that for me?"

My expression was terrifyingly dark as I glared at Anton. "Anton, are you sure you want to keep hiding our relationship and just keep watching them humiliate me?"

He paused, then turned his head away. "Callie is my wife, so I have a clear conscience toward her.

"We can still end this peacefully if you leave now."

Callie wore the smug look of a petty winner as she chimed in, "Myrtle, I know you caused all this trouble because you're bitter. And now, you've ruined your reputation and gained nothing.

"Usually, a generous man like Anton wouldn't mind you extorting some money from him, but you shouldn't have caused trouble on our wedding day.

"Even after all your slander, he's merciful enough to let you keep your job. Isn't that right? Doesn't your conscience hurt at all?"

As she spoke, she shed tears of heartache for Anton, who immediately grabbed a tissue and wiped them away.

Watching their performance made my blood boil, so I raised my foot and kicked her squarely in the lower back.

With a yelp, she fell straight into Anton's arms.

"Myrtle, have you lost your mind?"

Seeing that she was hurt, Anton snapped. His eyes blazed with fury as he marched forward and slapped me hard across the face.

When I crashed into the dining table, my clothes were instantly soaked in greasy broth and food stains. The worst part was the searing heat. The scalding liquid left large, blistering burns across my skin since I was wearing thin summer clothes.

Anton didn't bother to spare my injuries a single glance. Instead, he shielded Callie in his arms and barked at me, "Apologize to Callie, or I won't let you off!"

Triumph flashed in Callie's eyes.

Gritting my teeth to fight against the searing pain, I forced myself up on trembling arms. The raw, angry burns on my exposed skin gaped like open wounds. It almost felt like they were mocking the so-called love I had invested in all these years.

As the burning sensation in my wounds intensified, my eyes grew colder. "Anton, you hid your relationship with Calle and dated me for three years.

"On the very day of our destination wedding, you married her in the hotel I gave you. And now, are you demanding that I apologize to her?

"Is it because I gave you everything you asked for all these years that you started thinking you could climb over me, step on my head, and do whatever you want? Believe it or not, but I can make you lose everything right now."

For a moment, Anton was stunned by my words.

Whispers ripped through the hall.

"Did she just say that she dated Anton for three years, that today was supposed to be their wedding, and that she gave him this hotel? Is that true?"