I Funded His Empire, Then Crushed It

At the celebration party, Julian Vance ate a scone that his female colleague Chloe had already bitten into without a second thought. That night, Vivian calmly called off their engagement. He accused her of making a scene over nothing and dismissed her with absolute certainty, saying she wouldn't last a week without him. She didn't come crawling back. The next day, she told her parents the engagement was off. Julian blocked her on everything, playing his usual silent-treatment game, waiting for her to break first. Seven days passed. She never hit "Add Friend." The company threw Julian a birthday dinner. Vivian went. Chloe was practically attached to him, whispering and laughing like they were the only two people in the room. Julian walked over and demanded his gift. In previous years, Vivian would spend months preparing—one year, she spent nearly twelve months hand-crafting a replica of his favorite comic book spaceship. This year, she said two words: "I forgot." He exploded, accusing her of throwing a tantrum. Chloe played peacemaker with false sympathy, every word dripping with condescension. Vivian brushed Chloe's hand away. "What I admire most about you is how you say such pretty words while actively trying to steal someone else's fiancé." This time, she wasn't throwing a tantrum. She was truly walking away.