A faint smugness appeared on his face as he turned his attention back to the people surrounding him, continuing his conversation as though Juliet wasn't worth acknowledging.
As though he hadn't spent the last half hour searching for her.
Amara nearly choked on her drink.
"Did you see that?"
She stared at Vincent in disbelief before turning back toward Juliet.
"I bet he thinks you'll come running to him."
Her voice dripped with annoyance.
"He probably thinks you're going to do what you always do—walk over there first and start talking to him."
Crossing her arms tightly over her chest, she shook her head.
"I've told you so many times to stop giving him so much attention."
A frustrated sigh escaped her.
"But every single time, you defended him." Her voice rose slightly as she mimicked Juliet. “He's my fiancé. There's nothing wrong with paying attention to him.”
Amara scoffed loudly.
"Look where that got you." Her narrowed gaze shifted back toward Vincent. "He's become so arrogant that he doesn't even think he needs to show you basic respect anymore."
The more she spoke, the angrier she became.
Her grip tightened around her glass.
"Even after seeing you here tonight, he didn't make the slightest effort to come over and greet you." Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Honestly, Juliet, I still don't understand why you're even marrying him."
The frustration on her face was impossible to hide.
Meanwhile, Juliet remained perfectly calm. There wasn't the slightest trace of anger, sadness, jealousy, or disappointment in her expression. Her eyes remained clear and tranquil.
She simply listened.
Then, without warning, her gaze drifted back toward Vincent.
Amara immediately noticed.
Her eyes widened.
"Wait." Turning sharply toward Juliet, she straightened. "You're not planning to go over there, are you?"
Before she could finish speaking, Juliet calmly placed her champagne glass onto a nearby server's tray.
Then she began walking across the ballroom.
Directly toward Vincent.
Amara froze.
For a second, she genuinely thought she was imagining it.
Then panic immediately flashed across her face.
