Chapter 5

Carter's POV

Chloe wasn't hiding.

She had simply erased me from her life.

The Vance Foundation's charity gala went on as scheduled. The flowers from our wedding had been repurposed into a stunning spring garden theme. Chloe stood at the entrance in a simple, elegant black gown, helping her mother greet the guests. She wore light makeup, her smile wasn't overly bright, but she looked completely composed.

That was the night I crashed.

I didn't have an invitation. The security guards stopped me at the door. My face burned with humiliation. "I'm Chloe Vance's fiancé."

The guard's voice was completely professional. "Your name is not on the list, sir."

Those words felt like a physical slap to my face.

In the past, whenever I attended Vance family events, everyone treated me like the co-host. Chloe would always register my name in advance, have a driver waiting, and wave at me from across the crowd.

Now, my name wasn't even on the list.

Liam walked out of the ballroom, his tuxedo jacket draped casually over his arm. His voice was flat. "Mr. Sterling, tonight is a charity event. Don't make things difficult for the staff."

I glared at him. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm the co-host," Liam said, showing his badge. "I have more right to stand here than you do."

Furious, I raised my hand to shove him. But a voice called out from behind him. "Carter."

Chloe walked over. She didn't run, but her presence immediately made me freeze.

"You're finally willing to see me," I said, holding back my anger. "Come home with me."

Chloe replied, "I'm not going back."

"Are you still throwing a tantrum?" My eyes were bloodshot. "Just because Iris is pregnant, you're going to throw away all our years together?"

"It's not because she's pregnant," Chloe said, looking at me calmly. "It's because you cheated, and then expected me to clean up your mess."

My breath hitched.

People at the entrance were starting to look over. Victoria rushed over, sighing deeply. "Chloe, if you and Carter have a fight, do it in private. Why make a scene in front of everyone? This is very disrespectful to us elders."

Helen Vance walked out of the ballroom, her face incredibly cold. "Oh? My daughter was humiliated by your son and his mistress right before her wedding, and we haven't even complained. Yet you're the one who feels disrespected?"

Victoria was completely silenced.

Chloe handed me a jewelry box. "Your engagement necklace. It's returned. The cancellation papers are inside too. Whether you sign them or not doesn't change the outcome."

I didn't take it. "I don't agree to this."

Chloe placed the box into the hands of a nearby staff member. "Then my lawyer will handle it."

She turned and walked back inside.

Liam didn't follow her immediately. Instead, he looked at me. "She made herself clear. If you keep harassing her, you'll only embarrass yourself."

I clenched my fists. For the first time, I felt like a massive iron door had shut between Chloe and me.

Inside the hall, Chloe stood gracefully next to her mother. When some guests subtly brought up the wedding, she didn't dodge the question.

She just smiled and said, "If it's not the right fit, it's best to stop. Cutting losses early is better than dragging out a mistake."

When those words reached my ears, I was already being escorted out of the side door by security. Some business associates passed by. They initially wanted to say hello, but when they recognized me and Victoria, they quickly looked away.

Victoria couldn't stand the humiliation and muttered, "Look at her. She made us look so bad."

But I was only looking at Chloe through the glass. She was talking to a donor, looking elegant, her back straight. There was no crying, no emotional breakdown, no messy revenge.

She wasn't trying to humiliate me.

She had just stopped covering for me.