Nathan Prescott opened his mouth to protest, but Alexander Blackwood silenced him with a single glacial word.

"Enough."

Nathan clenched his jaw, frustration burning in his eyes.

But Amy Sinclair turned to the waiter with a cool smile. "Whatever was broken—whether by me or Ms. Langley—just charge it all to Mr. Blackwood's account."

She tilted her head toward Victoria, her voice sweet but laced with steel. "After all, Ms. Langley is Mr. Blackwood's precious darling, his golden girl. If she broke it, I'm certain he wouldn't hesitate to cover the cost. And as for me..."

Amy shifted her gaze back to Alexander, her lips curving. "As Mrs. Blackwood, I believe I have every right to put it on my husband's bill, don't I?"

The moment the words left her lips, the room erupted in murmurs.

"Good heavens—Mrs. Blackwood? She's actually married to Alexander?"

"I heard whispers about Alexander and some woman making waves recently... but I had no idea he was married!"

"Five years, apparently. Just never had a public ceremony. Kept it quiet, but people in the industry knew."

"So those two, going on about true love and destiny... what was that about?"

"What do you think? The usual story. Men never change..."

Disapproving glances darted between Alexander and Victoria, the whispers growing louder.

Seeing the situation unravel, Victoria bit her lip and stepped forward.

"This is my fault. I didn't catch the bracelet Ms. Sinclair handed me, so... I'll pay for it."

Nathan looked stunned. "Victoria! She did that on purpose! Why should we pay a single penny?"

"Nathan!" Victoria shot him a sharp look, her expression solemn. "I dropped it. Ms. Sinclair isn't to blame."

She turned to Amy, bowing deeply.

"Ms. Sinclair, I apologize for what happened earlier. Please accept my regrets."

Though she spoke humbly, her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, the perfect image of a wronged woman.

Amy let out a soft, mocking laugh. "Ms. Langley, that bracelet is worth five million. Do you honestly think you could afford it even if you sold everything you own?"

Victoria managed a fragile smile. "I... I'll find a way."

Nathan, unable to stand by, stepped forward like a gallant knight. "I'll pay for Victoria!"

Amy arched a brow, amused. "By all means, go ahead."

Nathan reached for his wallet—then froze. His funds were tied up in investments. There was no way he could cover the cost.

Alexander, well aware of Nathan's predicament, smoothly intervened. "Nathan, why don't you and Victoria head home? I'll handle things here."

...

Once the crowd dispersed, Alexander turned to Amy, his gaze icy.

"Amy, did you really think I wouldn’t notice you dropped that bracelet on purpose?"

Amy's expression remained serene, almost amused. She met his eyes with a faint smile.

"I always assumed Mr. Blackwood had terrible vision. Seems I was wrong—you do have sharp eyes after all."

The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable, but what surprised him was how brazenly she admitted it, as if she had nothing to lose.

His jaw tightened, voice frigid. "You still deny you're targeting Victoria at every turn? What would you call this?"

Amy's smile didn't waver. "Isn't that exactly what Ms. Langley has been doing to me all along? Does it sting now that the roles are reversed?"