The Bold Proposal

Valerie swept her gaze over the faces trapping her on the stage. Her father, Wallace, practically steamed with rage, his fists clenched at his sides. Her stepmother, Rowena, and her half-sister, Bridget, barely masked their glee, their eyes shining with the thrill of the ongoing disaster. Montgomery offered nothing but disappointed head shakes, projecting the image of a weary patriarch, while Miranda sneered at the mess unfolding on her pristine floor. Chloe glared daggers, her arms crossed tight.

And Donovan? He stood frozen like a useless statue, clutching Roxanne—the girl who was supposed to be Valerie's closest confidante. Roxanne pressed her face into his chest, whimpering pitifully.

This toxic circle used to be her entire universe. Now, that universe had shattered, leaving her standing alone in the debris.

She wiped a stray tear from her cheek. The lingering numbness faded, replaced by a sharp, icy resolve. She grabbed a nearby microphone from its stand. Her voice rang out crisp and clear across the grand hall, cutting through the murmurs.

"I hereby announce that the marriage contract between Donovan Prescott and Valerie Kensington is canceled."

A heavy silence slammed into the room.

"We have nothing to do with each other from now on," she declared, tossing a cold glance at her former fiancé. "I wish you both happiness."

She dropped the microphone onto a cocktail table with a dull thud and spun on her heel, marching toward the stage steps.

"Hold up!" Wallace lunged forward, grabbing her arm with a punishing grip. His face flushed an ugly, mottled crimson. "You think it's just up to you?"

His fragile ego, forever bruised from years of being the Kensington family's live-in son-in-law, flared. Her public rebellion humiliated him. "You and Donovan were a done deal before you could walk. Don't even try to ditch this without my say-so!"

Montgomery rushed over, stepping between them with a fake, pacifying smile. He needed to salvage the PR disaster. "Valerie, let's cool it, alright? Donovan messed up. We'll make him apologize to you. But this marriage isn't just your call. It's a business arrangement between our families. Don't go having a public meltdown."

Montgomery turned and barked at his son. "Donovan! Drop the mistress right now!"

Donovan flinched, looking like a deer caught in headlights. He didn't push Roxanne away.

Roxanne seized the opening. She pushed Donovan away with a weak, theatrical shove. Tears streamed down her flawless makeup. "Go after her, Donovan," she choked out, her voice trembling just loud enough for the front row to hear. She played the selfless victim with masterful precision. "It's all on me. I'm no match for Valerie. I'm so sorry, Val. Forgive me, please. Don't leave him because of my mistake."

Through the entire performance, Donovan remained glued to the spot, silent as a ghost. He made zero effort to reach out, zero effort to stop Valerie.

Valerie yanked her arm out of her father's grip.

Wallace bared his teeth. "Stop making a colossal scene over nothing!" he demanded, spittle flying from his lips. He needed the Prescott alliance. Without it, his corporate standing meant nothing. "Donovan and his folks are offering a reasonable apology. What more do you want? This is a business deal! Who else is going to put up with your drama? You gotta see where your bread's buttered!"

Valerie stared at the man who was supposed to protect her. The last shred of affection for him withered and died. Her voice carried a chilling calm. "He deserves better than me. I'll find someone else, no biggie."

Wallace let out a harsh, barking laugh, maximum disdain contorting his features. "Who else would even look at you?"

Valerie didn't flinch. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin high, and walked away from the stage.

The wealthy elite filling the banquet hall didn't offer a shred of sympathy. Instead of pitying a bride whose fiancé and best friend had just stabbed her in the back, the guests fed eagerly on the spectacle. They parted like the Red Sea, creating a gauntlet of hostile stares. Whispers buzzed through the room, mocking Valerie for her supposed unhinged reaction.

The murmurs bit into her skin, but she kept moving. She needed to escape this suffocating circle. She took another fast step, but her ankle wobbled.

The towering killer heels betrayed her. Valerie lost her footing. The opulent chandelier spun above her as she pitched forward, bracing for a humiliating faceplant onto the hard marble floor.

She didn't hit the ground.

A pair of strong, steady hands caught her by the arms, pulling her upright with effortless ease.

"Watch your step," a magnetic voice resonated just above her.

Valerie gasped, steadying her trembling legs before looking up. She found herself staring straight into a pair of deep, calm blue eyes. The stranger possessed striking features—a sharp jawline, dark brows, and an aura of collected chill that sharply contrasted with the chaotic room.

She stood frozen for a split second. Her late mother's voice echoed in her head: *Play it cool, Valerie. Always roll with the punches.* She had played by those rules her entire life. She had swallowed her pride, tolerated her step-family's toxic jabs, and accepted Donovan's flaws. What was her reward? Public betrayal and a father desperate to sell her off for corporate gain. They just wanted to exploit her future wealth by tying her to Donovan.

A reckless, impulsive spark ignited in her chest. She wanted to spite every single person in this room. She decided right then she would much rather throw her entire life and fortune away on a complete stranger than let her greedy, abusive family touch a single dime of it.

Valerie took a deep breath. She met the handsome stranger's gaze, locking onto those blue eyes.

"Hi," she said boldly. "Are you single?"

The man's brow twitched in mild surprise, but he gave a slow, deliberate nod.

The surrounding guests let out loud, collective gasps. Valerie ignored them all. She laid everything on the line.

"I'm Valerie Kensington. I'm twenty-two. I have forty percent shares in Kensington Multimedia and will inherit all the inheritance left by my granddad and mom when I turn twenty-five." She paused, her voice steady and loud enough for the front rows to catch every word. "But for now, I'm penniless. I need to marry someone. You in?"

The peanut gallery erupted into shocked, vicious whispers. The high society crowd unleashed their harsh judgments without holding back a single thought.

"Holy cow! Did Valerie just lose it?" a guest scoffed loudly, waving a champagne flute in disbelief.

"Totally shameless!" a woman sneered, turning her nose up. "Just grabs a guy and pops the question? Right here? And after Donovan's folks bent over backwards to get her to forgive him!"

"She's unhinged. No wonder Donovan looked elsewhere," another voice chimed in.

They successfully cemented Valerie as the villain of her own ruined engagement party. The crowd watched with bated breath, waiting for the handsome stranger to shove her away and complete her public destruction.