Not Yours to Control

I forced down the emotions swirling inside me, unwilling to keep arguing with them. It was pointless.

I glanced at the pastries on the table in the reception room and asked calmly, "Weren't you all waiting for me? I'm a little hungry. Could you pass me one of those pastries?"

The air went still. The silence was so deafening that you could hear a pin drop.

The group exchanged startled glances before bursting into raucous laughter.

Selena laughed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. "Seriously? You think we're waiting for you? Do you really think you're that important?"

She shoved the pastries even farther away and pointed at the welcome sign. "Take a good look at this. We're waiting for Mrs. Fields. Do you even know who that is?"

Of course I knew. That woman was me.

Everyone else jumped in to agree.

"Vivian, stop dreaming. You think you can sneak a pastry meant for Mrs. Fields? You're not even worthy of carrying her shoes!"

"Rumor has it that although William is ruthless in business, he's the ultimate romantic when it comes to his wife. He refused to get married until she agreed to be with him."

"Everyone says if you want to get on William's good side, you should butter up his wife. She's his favorite person in the world…"

I could not help but curl my lips into a faint smile as I listened to their chatter.

After three years of marriage, William had become more than a business legend. Every woman wished her boyfriend were like him, and men could not hope to match him when it came to the love he showed his wife.

Selena, who loved digging up gossip about powerful businessmen, flaunted what she knew. "I heard that William once spent five million on a giant pink diamond just to win his wife's heart. The diamond symbolizes a once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. It drove women all over the world absolutely mad with envy!"

She paused for a moment, then suddenly caught sight of the diamond ring on my finger and let out a sharp cry. "Wait, that's the one!"

The room instantly fell silent again. Everyone held their breath and turned to look at my ring.

Hayden suddenly grabbed my hand, scrutinizing it with a mocking sneer.

"Not a bad knockoff," Hayden scoffed. "Who gave you this? Some broke loser trying too hard?"

I shook off his hand and gave a faint smile. My fingers gently brushed over the ring.

It was the proposal gift William had given me on our very first Valentine's Day together.

It was not the most expensive piece he had ever given me, but it was irreplaceable to me.

To me, it was a symbol of his love. To them, it was something they could not even dream of touching.

Realizing I was not the least bit flustered, Hayden's pupils tightened with a sudden flash of fury. Without warning, he lunged forward, seized my hand, and tore the ring off my finger with a brutal yank.

Before I could react, he had already taken it from me.

Selena took the ring from Hayden and held it up, turning it over as she examined it.

"It's definitely nicer than the knockoff I bought, but at least I have some dignity. I'd never wear a fake in public and make a fool of myself.

"Or are you claiming that you're the guest from abroad, the legendary Mrs. Fields?"

Her words set off an uproar of laughter.

To them, it was utterly ridiculous.

William Fields was a world-class business leader known for his sharp instincts and decisive judgment.

As for me, I was nothing more than the worthless ex Hayden tossed aside three years ago.

They could not even put us together in the same sentence.

Selena tossed the ring lightly in her hand, flipping it up and catching it with careless ease. "Vivian, I really like this knockoff of yours. Sell it to me. Whatever you paid for it, I'll give you double."

Afraid she might scratch the diamond, I quickly said, "Give it back. That ring was a gift from William…"

Before I could finish, Hayden's palm flew across my face, snapping my head to the side. Blood filled my mouth.

"Shut your mouth!" With his jaw tight, he hissed in a low, furious voice, "Who gave you the confidence to keep William's name in your mouth? Do you want to get me killed with your lies?!"

His lackeys glared at me as though I had committed some unforgivable crime.

"Do you have any idea what you're saying? This is our only chance to make a good impression on Mrs. Fields! The head office is sending people down to inspect soon. Are you trying to ruin Hayden's career?"

"He fought tooth and nail to become an executive. Do you think a pathetic ex like yourself can pose as Mrs. Fields?"

I wiped the blood from my lip and slowly turned back to face Hayden.

Perhaps my gaze was too cold and sharp as he actually flinched. A hint of unease flickered across his eyes.

Selena noticed and immediately shrieked, pointing at me, "Vivian, you ungrateful woman! Hayden's already agreed to take you back, yet you're still pushing your luck?!

"Even if you still hold a grudge against Hayden, you can't stoop this low just to get revenge on him!"

Her words dragged me back to three years ago.

Back then, no matter what I did, Selena always managed to twist my intentions and belittle me in front of Hayden.

In the beginning, Hayden stood up for me, even lashing out at Selena on my behalf.

Over time, he began to echo her words, turning his anger to me.

Just like now. Hayden's face hardened, and his voice was harsh with disappointment. "You pathetic, jealous woman!"

However, his gaze lingered on my clothes. Unlike before, he did not pile on the insults.

After a moment's hesitation, he pulled out a bank card and flicked it at me.

"I'll let this slide just once for the old times' sake. There's $500,000 on this card. The password's your birthday. Take it and buy yourself some decent clothes. And if you're not willing to deliver meals for the kid, I'll help you find some other respectable work in a few days.

"Relax! I'm an executive now. That kind of money is nothing to me."

I glanced at the bank card, then at his smug face.

With everyone staring in shock, I slowly pushed away the card he offered and took my ring back from Selena.

"Keep your card. I'm not short on money," I said indifferently, "If you've got that much to spare, go donate it to children in need."