Chapter 1 The Lunch that ended it all

Veronica’s POV:

I have given so much to Chase Pemberton over the last three years. He is my fiancé, my childhood friend, and the son of my father’s best friend.

Since my teenage years, my father has always spoken highly of the Pemberton family, and like any other elite girl in Manhattan, I hopelessly crushed on Chase.

But I didn’t want to be just another girl. I wanted to be the one for Chase.

So, I molded myself into everything he liked. For the past three years, I’ve lived with him, cooking his favorite meals, taking care of his needs, and never once letting the maids touch his laundry… I was the one who ironed his clothes. Because I wanted everything to be perfect for him!

Because I was going to be his wife soon, And the entire Manhattan knew about it.

More than anything, my father, who is usually critical and toxic… was finally proud of me because I was going to marry Chase.

That was all I ever wanted in my life: to get my father’s love and validation.

I thought my entire life was settled.

So it came as a complete shock when one day, I decided to surprise Chase at his office with lunch I’d made for him… and overheard his phone conversation with his assistant while he was in his cabin.

“Seriously, I’m bored of looking at Veronica. She’s just a maid to me now. She was good at the start, but now she has stopped exciting me in bed and has become more like my personal maid. She just... doesn't turn me on anymore.”

I stood frozen, hearing that.

“At least she’s gullible enough to control. Some days I drug her with sleeping pills and bring my hookups home… she has no idea about it.”

Then I heard him laugh.

No. No, this can’t be true. Maybe I’m hallucinating… maybe I misheard him.

But what he said next made my head spin.

“Tonight, I’m gonna try banging her best friend, Penny. She’s hot… totally my type. It’s been a while since I’ve been with a girl like her. But it might be tough to seduce her… she’s too loyal to Veronica, she could refuse to sleep with me.”

Penny? My best friend, Penny!

I couldn’t stand another second of it. I stormed inside.

“So this is what you’ve been doing?” I said, holding the lunch I’d prepared for him. “You’ve been womanizing behind my back… and you drug me to bring your hookups home?”

Chase just looked at me… There was no remorse in his expression.

“Well, what do you expect, Veronica? I have my needs. None of this concerns you. Now that you know, I don’t have to pretend or drug you anymore.”

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

“Tell me this is a prank! Tell me you don’t really mean this!”

He didn’t answer.

“So this is what our relationship means to you?” I asked, clutching the lunch box tighter in my hand, my fingers brushing over the engagement ring I’d proudly worn for the last six months… the same ring I had flaunted to the paparazzi.

“Oh, come on.” He raised his voice, making me flinch. “What do you even expect me to do? Give you flowers every day like some stupid teenage boy? Write love letters saying you’re the ‘apple of my eye? Come on, Veronica. Be practical. I'm bored with you already! I need some spice outside if I'm going to function! So, can you please not stand here and waste my time? I’ve got work to do.”

Tears clouded my vision. “So you really are planning to hit on Penny… my best friend out of all people?”

He exhaled sharply. “Yes. And what are you going to do about it, huh? I already told you to leave. If you stay here any longer, I might slap you.”

I was too dazed to comprehend that Chase was actually threatening me with violence.

“Fine.” I swallowed hard, fighting the lump in my throat and the tears I was suppressing. “I’ll leave now. But I’ll never come back to you… ever again.”

My entire body burned with anger as I threw the lunch box at him. The turkey sandwich I’d spent two hours preparing splattered across his expensive suit.

He looked at me, bewildered… as if he couldn’t believe I’d actually done it.

But I didn’t stop there. I removed my engagement ring and threw it at him.

“VERONICA!” he yelled at the top of his lungs. “Are you insane?”

“No, I’m not. You’re the crazy one here, Chase. But you’re a damn good actor for hiding your true face from me. I really fell for that fake version of you.” I wiped the tears from my face. “Goodbye, forever. Keep womanizing every girl in Manhattan… I couldn’t care less.”

I turned on my heels to leave.

“Stop right there!” he shouted behind me. “Don’t you dare think you can walk away from me, darling. Because even if you do… don’t forget that your father still ‘loves’ me. He won’t let you break this engagement.”

“Why do you even want me when you can keep womanizing…” I paused mid-sentence as realization struck. Then I turned back to him, smirking. “Okay… now I get it. This is about the business deal between our fathers, isn’t it? They’ve been partners for years, and you don’t want that deal to end because it would cause you losses.”

Suddenly, I felt powerful… for the first time. “But listen to me, Chase. I don’t want your business anymore. And I’m going to tell my father what you did.

He’s going to cut all ties with your family completely.”

Chase only chuckled at that, wiping his hand on the gravy I’d spilled over him. “Keep dreaming! Your daddy loves me more than he loves you.” He smirked, and in that moment, he looked like a completely different person from the one I used to know.

“And you…” He pointed his index finger at me. “You’ll never get a better husband than me in this entire city! I’m one of the most eligible bachelors in Manhattan.”

“Oh, don’t be so delusional, Chase. Every other man in New York City is already better than you. You’re just a piece of shit masquerading as a man.”

I should leave, but I stand still in the doorway and take a deep breath. He can’t just insult me… and my dedication… and get away with it.

I turn back and say, “I will marry someone richer, more handsome, and better than you… and you’re going to see it with your own eyes.”

I threw down the challenge in his face before leaving Pemberton Industries for good.

And just like that, my entire existence turned upside down.