Chapter 3

Harper Vance POV

"No, I have changed my mind. I don't want to break it now!"

"Harper Vance! Are you playing with me again?!" Lucian Blackwood roared on the other end of the phone.

"Lucian Blackwood! Listen to me! Bianca isn't who you think she is! She's a liar! She..." I felt desperate to explain to him.

"You’re accusing her again! She wandered for two years because of you, suffering so much. Why can't you be kinder to her? When did you become so heartless?"

"I..."

Before I could finish, Lucian Blackwood hung up.

You don’t even have the patience to hear me out, Lucian Blackwood.

I stared at myself in the rearview mirror, my eyes blurred with tears.

That evening, I went alone to a French restaurant Lucian Blackwood and I often visited as children.

However, someone had already reserved the window seat we used to sit at.

I walked closer, only to see Lucian Blackwood and Bianca sitting there.

Lucian Blackwood was gazing at Bianca with tenderness, carefully cutting a piece of cake and placing it on her plate.

Bianca looked radiant in her opulent red dress, her face glowing with the happiness of the evening. Her eyes sparkled as she laughed, a playful, almost mischievous glint to them.

So, he was here to celebrate Bianca’s birthday!

Huh…In these three years together, he had never celebrated my birthday.

It was clear that Bianca had already taken my place, even though we hadn’t officially broken the mate bond.

I wanted to turn and leave, but Bianca called out to me just in time.

"Harper Vance, today’s my birthday. Lucian Blackwood made this strawberry ice cream cake himself for me. Why don’t you join us and have a taste?"

Seeing the provocative look in Bianca's eyes, a wave of competitiveness surged in my heart. Without a second thought, I walked over to their table and confidently sat down.

"I don’t like sweets," I remarked.

"Oh, I don’t know about that." My sister grinned, teasing me as she scooped a spoonful of cake. "Lucian Blackwood loves them, though."

She brought the spoon up to his mouth, and without missing a beat, Lucian Blackwood leaned in, accepting the bite.

My eyes narrowed slightly. It wasn’t just that he ate it—it was the way he did so, the way he let her feed him. He wasn’t like this with me, not once in all the years I had known him.

The knot in my stomach tightened as I glanced at the red ruby necklace glistening on my sister’s neck, catching the light from the chandelier above.

"Look, Lucian Blackwood gave me this necklace. Isn’t it beautiful?" Bianca said, tracing her fingers over her necklace.

I looked at her fair neck, where a ruby necklace sparkled under the light.

"It’s beautiful. But don’t forget, Lucian Blackwood used our shared marital assets to buy it. I think I’ll take it back now!"

I grabbed the necklace around her neck and tried to pull it.

Bianca screamed, unprepared for me to be so brazen.

"What are you doing?!" Lucian Blackwood roared and grabbed my wrist. "Apologize to Bianca right now!"

"No, I will not!"

Bianca, looking pitiful, tried to push Lucian Blackwood's hand away. "Lucian Blackwood, it’s fine! Don’t be upset. Harper Vance might just be in a bad mood today."

"Bianca, you're too kind. Does it hurt?" Lucian Blackwood gently touched the red mark on Bianca's neck, his face full of concern.

He then turned to me, his expression furious.

"Today, you must apologize to Bianca!" He roared.

“I will not!” I replied sternly.

He raised his hand to hit me, but then he slowly lowered it.

He wanted to hit me?!

My lips twitched as I held back my tears and rushed out of the restaurant.

But I didn’t expect Lucian Blackwood to chase after me.

He caught up quickly, his hands grasping my shoulders with a force that made my body freeze.

"Get in the car," he ordered.

"Why are you following me? Go back and stay with Bianca!" I rubbed my arm, which he had grabbed too tightly.

"I'm taking you back to apologize to Bianca!"

"Hahaha." I suddenly burst into laughter, tears spilling out. "Lucian Blackwood, are you blind? I love you so much, but all you care for and love is that woman with a venomous heart.”

"Harper Vance, if you want to stay as my mate, you better treat Bianca with respect! I don’t want to hear you slander her again!"

"Ha…As if it matters if we break or stay as a mate. Have you ever fulfilled your duties as a mate?"

I pushed open the car door to leave, but he yanked me back inside and pinned me against the seat.

"If that’s the case, I’ll fulfill my duties as your mate right now!" He leaned down and began kissing me.

"Lucian Blackwood, what are you doing? If you love Bianca, then go f* her! I’m not your sex toy!"

"My relationship with Bianca is pure and innocent. She’s nothing like you—so shameless!"

He sealed my lips with his, silencing me completely.