Blurb：
After nine failed engagements with Amanda, Lucas faces yet another rejection—this time over a modest pave diamond ring. While Amanda lavishes Brandon with a five-carat pink diamond worth millions, Lucas is accused of materialism and greed. Tired of the endless tests and comparisons to Brandon, Lucas questions Amanda’s double standards. As past betrayals resurface, he realizes the engagements were never about sincerity but manipulation. Will the tenth engagement end in another cancellation, or will Lucas finally break free from Amanda’s games? Dive into a story of twisted loyalties, hidden motives, and a love triangle where nothing is as it seems.
Content：
I’ve been engaged to my fiance nine times, and every single time, she’s come up with some new way to test my sincerity.
She kept postponing the wedding, accusing me of being a gold digger.
For the tenth engagement, I wore the tiniest diamond ring I could find, and even my suit was rented.
Amanda just glanced at me and sneered,
“Brandon was right about you. Lucas, you’re so vain. Daring to wear such a large diamond.”
“When will you drop this greedy act and love me sincerely like Brandon does? Only then will I marry you.”
With that, she stormed off, dragging Brandon along.
I stared at the empty seats where our parents should’ve been at the head table.
I dialed Eleanor’s number,
“Eleanor, this alliance between our families has to happen.”
“How about you be the bride instead?”
A low voice replied from the other end,
“Are you sure? You don’t think I’m too old for you?”
Faced with a glittering array of jewelry, I finally picked out the smallest diamond ring, one made of pave stones.
As the clerk helped me try it on, Amanda, who was busy choosing a ring for Brandonscowled and said disdainfully,
“Brandon was right, Lucas. You’re such a materialistic person, daring to wear something that flashy.”
“Don’t think getting engaged gives you a free pass to spend my money recklessly. I only invest in people who deserve it.”
I blinked in confusion, my eyes drifting to the ring on Brandon’s finger. There is a whopping five-carat pink diamond from South Africa on his hand.
Priced at eight million dollars.
Truth was, Amanda’s mother, Mrs. John insisted on buying the engagement gifts since I was marrying into their family. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have needed her opinion; I’d have just bought what I liked.
Brandon admired the ring on his finger,
“People should not so obsessed with money. Amanda’s wealthy, but she can’t be wasteful like you.”
I quietly slipped the ring off, my chest tightening with frustration,
“Amanda, you call my little pave ring materialistic, but what do you call buying Brandon a five-carat diamond?”
“You’ve said this nine times now. Postponed the engagement nine times. This is the tenth. Do you want to cancel again and send me home to ‘reflect’?”
Amanda’s face darkened with irritation as she scoffed,
“Brandon works hard handling my business, he deserves a reward. What can you, a pretty face with no accomplishments, possibly offer compared to him?”
She said it as if stating a simple fact.
The past replayed in my mind. Ever since she hired Brandon, that hotshot PhD from overseas, as her assistant, our engagements kept getting postponed.
Every time we went ring or suit shopping, Brandon tagged along.
And every time, they’d criticize my choices as too extravagant, saying I failed the test and needed to delay the wedding.
The first engagement, I picked a pair of matching bands costing sixty grand, but Amanda threw a fit, slapping the ring into my hand and yelling about how shallow I was.
Then she turned around and gave those same rings to her and Brandon.
The second time, I went for a simple gold band and booked a basic suit, but Brandon called it showy, and Amanda walked out on me.
The third time…
Each time, Amanda would justify it with,
“As a illegitimate child, I’m always overshadowed by my older sister. My husband needs to be not just capable, but humble and hardworking.”
“Brandon says any man who’s materialistic before marriage will be useless after.”
Thinking about it now, my heart ached. Nine times she called me a gold digger. Spending a few thousand on an engagement was considered greedy? Did she really think I was that dumb?
I recalled the last time, when she had me choose the wedding venue. Considering the reputation of our both families, I picked a five-star hotel, and Brandon and Amanda immediately mocked me,
“See, Amanda? I told you he hasn’t changed. He actually dared to book a five-thousand-dollar-per-table banquet.”
That day, Amanda announced I’d failed the test and postponed the engagement.
Then she turned around and reserved eight tables at the same hotel for Brandon’s birthday party, an expensive champagne buffet was also arranged.
Amanda kept rambling, telling me to learn from Brandon. That I should stop being vain and competitive, focus on my career instead.
She handed the ring back to the clerk,
“This time, you’ve disappointed me again. I, Amanda, have ideals and ambitions. If you can’t shake this materialism, we’ll just postpone the engagement.”
“We’ll talk about setting a date when you’re worthy of me.”
She then asked the clerk to wrap up that five-carat diamond ring.
The two clerks exchanged glances, shooting me looks of pity.
The actual fianc, not even worth a ring costing a few thousand.
Seeing Amanda’s smug expression, I gave a cold laugh,
“Amanda, let’s make a bet. See if I’ll still be ‘materialistic’ by the eleventh engagement?”
Amanda glared at me impatiently,
“You need to fix not just your greed. You’re too clingy in a relationship. Otherwise, after marriage, if another woman is nice to you, you’ll just run off with her.”
I slowly took the ring back and held it up to her,
“You’re right, Amanda. I probably would run off with any woman I meet. Let’s hold off on the eleventh engagement until after I’ve cured my ‘simp’ heart..”
Amanda’s face twisted in anger, and she shoved me hard in the chest,
“Lucas, you’re not just a gold digger, you’re actually a player too!”
“Listen up, I demand a full STD screening before the wedding. If you’ve picked up some nasty disease, forget about marrying me.”
I stared at her in shock, stumbling back against the counter,
“You’re disgusting, Amanda. Demanding I get tested? Who’s the one with issues here?”
My eyes flicked over to Brandon.
Brandon’s face immediately flushed red with humiliation and anger,
“Amanda, I’ve worked so hard to support your business achievements, and your fianc dares to suspect me like this? I’ll resign tomorrow to spare myself this humiliation!”
Amanda exploded, slapping me across the face,
“You dare to control and interfere, to be jealously petty like this, before we’re even married? You ha ve embarrassed me in public!”
“Apologize to Brandon right now, or forget about ever marrying me.”
I stumbled and fell to the floor. Brandon rushed over to fake-help me up, whispering quickly in my ear,
“Lucas, you’ve been dumped nine times and still have the nerve to bark like a dog.”
“Truth is, Amanda’s into me now. We’ve already had sex together! She’ll never marry you.”
He yanked me to my feet, pretending to be concerned,
“Mr. Williams, I’m just trying to help you become a better partner for Amanda. But look at you, a grown man wearing a necklace? That’s just tacky.”
Amanda’s eyes landed on my neck, and she grabbed my wrist,
“Give this necklace to Brandon as an apology. My husband needs to be generous, not some vain, jewelry-wearing man.”
My heart sank. She knew perfectly well this necklace was the last thing my late mother left me.
Before she died, Mom clasped it around my neck,
“Lucas, let this necklace be my stand-in. Whenever you see it, think of me. I’ll be watching from heaven, waiting to see you happy and married.”
That day, I sobbed my heart out, and Amanda knelt before my mom, swearing she’d love me forever and take care of me.
Now she was demanding I to apologize to her mistress and hand over my mom’s only keepsake as a peace offering.
Amanda dug her fingers into my shoulder, tugging at the necklace like it was nothing,
“Your mom’s dead anyway.It’s just a dead object. If it can make amends to Brandon, it’s serving some purpose.”
Before I could pull away, she’d ripped the necklace off and handed it to Brandon.
Brandon took it, squinting as he inspected it, and moved to put it on.
Furious, I bit Amanda’s arm, broke free from her grasp, and lunged for the necklace,
“Brandon, give it back or I’ll kill you!”
Brandon dodged nimbly, his face full of disgust,
“Some dead woman’s junk. It’s just bad luck to wear it.”
With a flick of his wrist, he threw the necklace onto the marble floor.
With a clear, sharp sound, the necklace shattered into several pieces on the ground.
I stared at the fragments, tears instantly streaming down my face.
I crouched down, gathering the fragments one by one, clutching them to my chest. My heart felt like it was being torn apart.
Amanda’s doting voice cut in,
“Brandon, you’re right.I wasn’t thinking clearly. A dead person’s belongings are bad luck. Who would want his cheap necklace anyway?”
“Later, we’ll hit the jewelry store. I’ll buy you something nice to make it up to you.”
I glared at them through red-rimmed eyes, mustering all my strength to charge forward, jabbing the broken necklace into Brandon’s neck. Blood gushed out instantly.
Brandon crumpled backward, clutching his throat as he fell into Amanda’s arms.
The store erupted in chaos,
“He’s killed someone! How could he kill over a piece of jewelry? How savage!”
Trembling, I fought to keep my voice steady,
“Amanda, you bastards! If you don’t pay for my necklace, I’ll kill you!”
For a moment, Amanda looked stunned, then terrified.
She scrambled back, holding Brandon tight, shrieking,
“Call the police! This lunatic is trying to kill someone!”
She then grabbed a tray from the counter to shield herself, shouting hysterically,
“No wonder your dad prefers your brother over you! You’re a jinx! Serves your mother right for being fooled to death by your father…”
Instant, searing pain shot through my heart.
She knew my weak spots, knew exactly how to make me hurt beyond words.
She cared about Brandon, so she stabbed me with words sharp as knives.
When the police arrived, she rushed over, pointing at me,
“Officer, he just threatened to kill me and my boyfriend…”
She caught herself, flushing awkwardly,
“my friend, I mean.”
Then she gestured dismissively at me,
“Officer, he’s always been jealous, chasing after me to get married. He can’t stand me being around other men, he becomes violent and abusive.”
“Today, he tried to murder someone in public. You need to lock him up for a few years, teach him a proper lesson.”
I trembled, swallowing the metallic taste in my throat.
In the interrogation room, the officer looked at me with disdain,
“You’re supposed to be from a good family, and yet you harass a woman like this? Resorting to violence and attempted murder when she refuses you?”
I curled my lips into a scornful smile. I was the one harassing her?
My dad was a a social-climber guy who married into money.
Through sheer cunning, he took control of the family business in ten years.
By the time Mom realized, he already had a five-year-old love child on the side.
My mother pleaded, cried, fought. In the end, my father simply moved in with his mistress and stopped coming home.
He held the real power in the company. My mother, the delicate, love-struck heiress, was powerless to reverse it.
In the end, for my sake, my mother swallowed her pride and begged him back, tolerating the affair.
Two years later, my mother was diagnosed with late-stage ovarian cancer. After six months of agony, she faded away, arranging my marriage to Eleanor.
Eleanor’s mom and hers were childhood friends. Though Eleanor was three years older, she was sharp and steady. She was the only one who could protect my shares.
Otherwise, by the time I came of age, my father and the love child would’ve taken everything.
After my mother died, Amanda was there for me, comforting me, taking me on trips, promising I wasn’t alone.
Back then, she handed me a lifeline in the darkness, giving me hope again.
But Eleanor was always cold and stern, even a smile from her felt intimidating.
So I started thinking about switching fiances.
As Amanda and I grew closer, I begged my father to change the arrangement to her.
The reason I give was that Eleanor was too old for me.
After my eighteenth birthday, my father and Amanda’s father agreed to the swap.
Eleanor’s mom came to see me, warning that Amanda took after her mother and wasn’t reliable.
But I thought she was just biased, favoring her own daughter, and snapped back that Amanda’s kindness beat some old woman any day.
Now I see. They were trying to protect me. But I inherited Mom’s lovesick heart, falling for sweet talk hook, line, and sinker.
At least I’m awake now.
Much later, Amanda showed up with Brandon in tow.
Facing the police, she was icy,
“We won’t mediate. Press chargeslet the law decide how many years he serves.”
Brandon held his head high, looking down on me with contempt.
After a moment’s thought, I texted Eleanor.
Eleanor reassured me she’d fly back immediately and told me not to worry.
Soon, Amanda took a call, her face darkening as she came back in,
“Lucas, we’ll mediate. But you have to promise not to hurt Brandon again.”
Brandon tugged her arm indignantly,
“Amanda, you said you’d send him to jail! Why back down? Are you softening?”
“If that’s how it is, I’m leavingI don’t want to end up dead.”
Amanda panicked, blurting out,
“You think I don’t want him locked up? My sister calledtold me to drop it.”
Then she glared venomously at me,
“Lucas, are you cheating on me with my sister behind my back?”
She slapped me hard across the face,
“You’re disgusting, hitting on my sister? Have you no shame?”
The officer held her back; she snarled at me,
“Kneel and apologize to Brandon, or I don’t care who intervenesI won’t mediate.”
“I’ll take this to Dad and expose your dirty secrets.”
Seeing her rage, thinking of Mom’s wishes and Eleanor’s tough love, I couldn’t make things harder for them.
I walked up to Brandon and bowed my head,
“I’m sorry, Brandon. I lost my temper. I apologizeplease forgive me.”
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