Chapter 3: Chapter 3

650 words

<html><head></head><body>Zephyr Ashcroft's lips curled into a mocking smile. It was as if he had heard the biggest joke of his life. "You've been chasing after me since you were eight, saying you liked me." "Every birthday wish was to marry me by the age of twenty." "Now that you're finally of age, you're willing to switch to someone else?" Seraphina Vance leaned softly against his shoulder, her voice dripping with sweet mockery. "The identity of the Valrose heiress is something many would fight to marry." "Even if every man in the world lined up to propose," Zephyr pinched her cheek, "she would still only choose me." The two of them walked away together. Before leaving, Zephyr tossed out a command, "Have the cheongsam altered and sent to the Ashcroft residence. Change the cufflinks to square diamonds, no engravings." The old tailor shook his head as he watched their retreating figures. "Miss Valrose, this..." "If she likes it, let her have it," I picked up my paintbrush again. "Make the cufflinks as they were. The groom isn't him, so he has no right to dictate." The evening birthday banquet was a whirl of clinking glasses and laughter.  Seraphina arrived an hour late, followed by Zephyr's personal bodyguard. The bodyguard carried a red plastic bag, which he threw heavily at my feet. "Were you waiting anxiously, Miss Valrose? I wanted to return it right after the concert." "But Zephyr insisted I stay in the car a little longer..." "You're so magnanimous, surely you won't mind, right?" The bag opened, revealing the priceless cheongsam crumpled into a ball. The red silk was stained with blotches of white, glaring and nauseating. The room fell silent instantly. Some were indignant, while others waited for the drama to unfold.  "She can tolerate this? She must really love Zephyr." "What's the use of love? Zephyr only has eyes for Seraphina." "The Valrose heiress is throwing herself at him to this extent. The family fortune will soon bear the Ashcroft name." I glanced at it indifferently, "Throw it away." Seraphina's attempt to flaunt fell flat. She glared at me, gritted her teeth, and walked to the end of the room. Half an hour later, her Weibo post topped the trending list. "The happiest thing is wearing the cheongsam my lover gave me and listening to my favorite concert." The accompanying photo showed them kissing, fingers intertwined. Marketing accounts quickly dug up my past confession posts, creating a comparison chart for public humiliation.  Zephyr liked the most popular post. "Astrid Valrose throwing herself at Zephyr" instantly exploded across the internet. I deleted my account and contacted the PR department. Ten minutes later, all related hashtags disappeared without a trace. The day before the engagement gala. As soon as I arrived at the company, I was forcibly escorted into a car by Ashcroft bodyguards. In the Ashcroft living room, Seraphina was crying pitifully. Zephyr was gently comforting her, but his expression turned cold the moment he saw me. "Astrid Valrose, you're ruthless! Blocking all her accounts? You know she relies on this for her livelihood!"  I frowned, "I only removed the trending topics, I didn't touch her accounts." "Who else could it be? You're just jealous!" The sound of crisp heels echoed from the staircase. Mrs. Ashcroft looked down at me from above. "Not even married yet and already defying your husband. Such fine upbringing from the Valrose family." Mr. Ashcroft lounged leisurely, a far cry from his previous deference. "Since you insist on marrying, we reluctantly agree." "But the dowry must be at least half of the Valrose fortune." I was about to refuse when a sharp pain shot through my knee. The bodyguard forced me to kneel on the ground. Mrs. Ashcroft gracefully raised her hand, and a servant brought over a tea set. "A cup of daughter-in-law tea in advance isn't too much to ask, is it?"  </body></html>