My Revenge Engagement Broke the Internet

A week before our engagement, Robert Lockman dropped a bombshell—our ceremony wouldn't happen as planned. Instead, it was being pushed back another month.

"Diana's first solo concert falls on the same day," he explained, as if that justified everything. "It's a huge milestone for her, and I can't miss it. What's the difference if we get engaged a little later? We're still getting married, aren't we?"

This wasn't the first time. It was the third.

The first time, Diana had fallen ill overseas, panicked, and begged him to come. The second, she'd impulsively booked a trip, and Robert had raced after her like a knight chasing a damsel in distress.

And now, this.

I set my phone down and turned to Anthony Norton—my childhood friend and the crown prince of Royal City. "Need a fiancée?" I asked.

On the day we were supposed to exchange rings, Robert was too busy wrapping Diana in a celebratory embrace at her concert banquet to notice—until footage of Anthony and me announcing our engagement flashed across every screen in the city. His face darkened, his knuckles whitening around his glass.

Anthony studied me, his gaze steady. "Are you sure about this? Can you really let him go?"

I shrugged. "Three strikes, Anthony. Three times he's chosen her over me. Maybe the universe is screaming what I refused to hear—we were never meant to be. You can't thaw a heart that's already frozen solid."

A slow smile curved his lips. "Then let's make it official. The Nortons don't do quiet engagements. I want the whole world to know who you are."

For the first time in years, I felt a flicker of certainty. "Alright," I said.

Back at the apartment, I was packing when Robert stormed in. His eyes landed on my suitcase, and he scoffed. "Running away again, Trudy? Four years of this drama—don't you ever get tired?"

"It's just a postponement," he snapped, frustration sharpening his tone. "Not a breakup. Stop overreacting."

"I'm not running," I said evenly, folding another sweater. "Just organizing." But inside, I knew—this time, I wouldn't come back.

He yanked at his tie, already moving on. "Good. While you're at it, prep the guest room. Diana's staying here—it's closer to her venue."

"Fine," I said without looking up. "Julie can handle it tomorrow."

My calmness threw him. His voice softened. "Look, I know you're upset. Go pick out jewelry tomorrow—my treat. I've just been swamped with Diana's return. Her place is a wreck, so I've been helping her settle in."

"Don't bother," I said, the weight in my chest crushing. "I'll keep myself busy."