Chapter 3: The Expulsion of the Ashfords
Brooke crossed her arms, her diamond ring flashing defensively. "Ethan, this is absurd. How was I supposed to know what that was? It looked like old junk. Regardless, the way this maid handled it was completely unprofessional. She should have gone through the proper channels instead of disrupting your party."
"This isn't my party," Ethan said, his voice terrifyingly calm. "This is a corporate networking event you created to feed your own vanity. My mother’s final words to me were sitting in an archive because my 'proper channels' are full of people like you who only value what can be bought and sold."
"Ethan, be reasonable," Brooke said, stepping closer, trying to lower her voice so the nearby reporters wouldn't catch every word. "Think about the press. The magazine is doing a cover story on our engagement. We are the face of ColeTech's future."
"There is no engagement," Ethan said clearly.
The entire ballroom seemed to hold its collective breath. Brooke froze, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"The engagement is over," Ethan repeated, his voice echoing off the crystal chandeliers. He reached out, took Brooke’s hand, and firmly pulled the multi-million-dollar diamond ring off her finger. He didn't toss it; he dropped it into a nearby champagne flute with a soft clink. "You have thirty minutes to pack your things and leave my house. And take your lifestyle photographers with you."
"You can't do this to me!" Brooke shrieked, her aristocratic mask completely shattering. "My family built your social standing in this town! You're nothing but a tech geek from Ohio without us!"
"Then I’ll gladly go back to being a tech geek from Ohio," Ethan said coldly. "Security, escort Miss Ashford and her guests out of my home. The party is over."
The jazz music stopped. The security guards, who had long disliked Brooke’s arrogant treatment of the household staff, moved forward with immense satisfaction. Within twenty minutes, the grand mansion was cleared of its glittering guests, leaving behind only the remnants of an abandoned feast and an empty, silent ballroom.
Ethan turned back to Grace, who was still standing by the corridor, looking overwhelmed by the absolute destruction of the Cole-Ashford alliance.
"Grace," Ethan said, walking over to her. He looked deeply exhausted, but the tension in his shoulders had finally evaporated. "I want to apologize to you and Lily for what happened tonight. My home should have been a safe place for her."
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"Mr. Cole, you didn't have to ruin your engagement for us," Grace said softly, her heart aching for the loneliness she saw in his eyes.
"I didn't ruin it for you, Grace. I saved myself from a lifetime of misery," Ethan said, looking down at the letter in his hand. "Please, take the rest of the week off with full pay. And tomorrow... I would like to invite you and Lily to have breakfast with me. Not as my staff. As my friends."
