At our high school reunion, my fiancé, Alpha Yuri Remington's ex-mate, spilled wine all over my shoes.
Alpha Yuri, who's usually the picture of calm and charm, told his ex to get on her knees and lick them clean.
I opened my mouth to stop him, but a stream of bullet comments floated across my vision:
[OMG, spare us the fake sympathy, side chick! The male lead's all tough talk, but he's totally whipped for the female lead. Dude's heart is shattered inside.]
[Reunited after years apart, forbidden fling, CEO heartthrob vs. femme fatale-every trope is hitting me right in the feels!!]
[This fiancée side character is such a buzzkill. Can't wait for the female lead to make her move and ruin her!]
My heart skipped a beat.
I glanced at Alpha Yuri, who was lounging on the couch,
idly playing with my fingers, his touch light but deliberate.
"No licking? Fine. These heels are custom-made by Y Brand, one-of-a-kind worldwide, worth three million bucks."
"You can always pay up instead."
The private room erupted in cheers and jeers.
"Alpha Yuri's such a simp for his she-wolf! Dropping millions on shoes like it's nothing. Bet someone's kicking themselves now, huh?"
"Didn't she become bound to some rich family? Can't even cough up a few mil?"
"Rich family? Total scam! They dumped her anyway. Bet she could strip down right here and still get no takers."
[Female lead's face is pale. Why are these NPCs so vicious?!]
[She ruined the side chick's shoes on purpose to get the male lead's attention. How does this idiot not see her heart?!]
[She thinks he's still her lapdog, like back in the day, ready to come running with a snap of her fingers?]
My eyes drifted past the comments, locking onto Willa Garrett.
The she-wolf who broke Alpha Yuri's heart years ago and walked away without a backward glance.
She met my gaze, her eyes brimming with humiliation and resentment.
Alpha Yuri slipped off my stained shoes, gently wiping my feet with a towel.
His voice was casual, almost bored.
"Willa, if you can't pay, maybe hit up that bankrupt ex-mate of yours."
Willa's eyes reddened, her body trembling slightly.
"Fine, I'll strip then. If that's what makes you happy, I'll strip until you're satisfied!"
"I never said anything about stripping-"
Alpha Yuri didn't get to finish.
Willa, in front of everyone, shrugged off her jacket.
Underneath was a champagne-colored sleeveless dress, clinging to her curves, accentuating every inch of her stunning figure.
Her hand reached for the zipper at the back, then froze.
Biting her lip, she looked at Alpha Yuri, tears welling up, ready to spill.
[Heartbreaking! She's betting everything, gambling on whether he'll cave.]
Alpha Yuri gave a cold smirk.
"Willa, same old tricks. Don't make promises you can't keep."
[Heh, male lead's still hung up on how she said she loved him, then became bound to someone else, isn't he?]
[Someone spill the tea on their past! I skipped episodes, plz help.]
[Back then, male lead was fighting his half-brother for the family fortune. His stepmom sent the female lead to seduce him, steal his company's core secrets, and tank his business. He nearly went bankrupt.]
[Before she left, she told him if he rode the rollercoaster he's terrified of, she'd stay. He got on, and she walked away without looking back.]
[Whoa, that's some serious bad blood. Can they even love each other after that?]
[Yo, look past the surface. Male lead talks big, but his eyes haven't left her once!]