Almost instantly, his phone emitted a soft notification sound.
Vincent looked down at once with a smug smile, assuming Juliet had replied.
Instead, a message appeared on the screen informing him that the text couldn't be delivered. He had been blocked there as well.
For a moment, Vincent simply stared at the screen. Then his grip tightened around the phone.
"Unbelievable."
"What now?" Nolan asked cautiously.
"She blocked my messages too."
Nolan let out a slow breath.
The rest of the drive passed in silence.
Vincent remained staring out the window, lost in thought, until he suddenly spoke.
"The charity auction the day after tomorrow."
Nolan glanced at him briefly. "What about it?"
Vincent's gaze remained fixed on the passing streetlights outside.
"I'll attend with Alexa."
Nolan's hands tightened around the steering wheel.
"You can't be serious."
Vincent finally turned toward him.
"Why not?"
Nolan looked incredulous.
"Because you've attended every major event for years with Juliet. If you suddenly show up with Alexa immediately after canceling the engagement, people will take it as confirmation that you and Juliet are over."
Vincent's expression remained indifferent.
"That's fine."
Nolan stared at him for a long moment, genuinely at a loss for words.
"Vincent, think about what you're doing."
A cold look appeared in Vincent's eyes. He shifted in his seat and turned his head toward the window, watching the city lights blur past as Nolan drove through the nearly empty streets.
"Juliet needs to understand that she can't do whatever she wants."
Nolan frowned. "What does that even mean?"
Vincent leaned back against the leather seat and loosened his tie with an impatient tug. The image of Juliet smiling at another man inside Cassian Han's house continued to replay in his mind, making his expression darken further.
"It means exactly what I said," he replied flatly. "She thinks she can ignore me, block my number, disappear, and stay at another man's house without consequences."
Nolan shot him a disbelieving look. "Consequences? Vincent, you canceled your engagement."
