Page 176 of King of Sin
Vincent had been one of her closest friends, someone she trusted completely, and she had truly believed they were about to begin a new chapter together.
The moment the ring had settled onto her finger, she had immediately wrapped both hands around his arm. Her eyes had sparkled with happiness as she looked up at him.
"From now on, you'll be my man."
She could still remember how happy she had been when she said those words.
At the time, Vincent had only glanced at her before giving a small, careless wave of his hand.
"It's just an engagement, Juliet."
His tone had been casual and dismissive, as though the moment wasn't nearly as important as she thought it was.
Juliet hadn't argued with him. She had simply smiled and told herself that he wasn't as expressive as she was.
Even so, the excitement inside her had dimmed slightly.
She remembered lowering her eyes to the ring on her finger, quietly tracing it with her thumb as she tried to ignore the small disappointment settling in her chest when she realized he didn't share the same happiness she was feeling.
The memory faded.
Juliet blinked and returned to the present.
A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she looked at the man standing across from her.
He was the same Vincent who had placed that ring on her finger.
The same face.
The same voice.
The same person.
Yet somehow, he looked completely different to her now.
It was as though the man she had once liked had slowly disappeared over the years, leaving behind someone she no longer recognized.
Straightening her posture, Juliet smiled faintly before lifting her hand and giving him the same dismissive wave he had once given her.
"You should forget about it."
Her voice was calm and easy, carrying none of the emotion he had expected.
"It's boring to force people into relationships and marriages."
Vincent's expression tightened immediately. His jaw flexed, but before he could interrupt, Juliet continued.
"Besides, don't you like women who aren't like me?"
She tilted her head slightly and looked at him with genuine curiosity.
"We fought all the time. I got jealous. You were always annoyed with me, and half the time you looked like you couldn't stand being around me."
A small shrug lifted her shoulders.
"To be honest, Alexa seems like a much better match for you."
The more she spoke, the darker Vincent's expression became.
