"That’s true." The murmurs in the crowd grew louder, and Zac’s face darkened. That damn birthday party two years ago. His greatest humiliation. It was all because he had been too careless back then—too arrogant. He hadn’t even noticed Arthur recording, hadn’t realized the video was being projected onto the big screen for everyone to see. Ever since then, every time he was on the verge of restoring his image, someone would bring up that disaster and ruin everything. Zac gritted his teeth hard, his grip on his phone tightening until his knuckles turned white. Ashley, seeing that he still hadn’t made a move, urged him impatiently. "Well? Are you going to call or not? Or do you not have Mr. Ivan’s number at all and you’re just pretending?" At that, Tia immediately looked offended. With the righteousness of a delicate girl standing up against injustice, she said stubbornly, "How can you say that? Zac is the most honest and kind person I know. If he says he has it, then he has it. Don’t slander him!" Ashley burst into laughter, completely unbothered. "Honest and kind? Tia, did you forget about Zac’s birthday party two years ago when he tried to frame Arthur? You call that honest and kind? If Zac counts as honest and kind, then everyone in this room must be a saint." Her words immediately set off another round of heated discussion. "Yeah, exactly. If you want to call it some ruthless rich-family scheme, that’s one thing. But honest and kind? That’s a stretch." "I remember that day. Before Arthur exposed the truth, Zac actually had the nerve to put on this heartbroken act, saying Arthur stole his clothes and that if he was broke, he could’ve just asked for money." "That was disgusting." "I always thought Tia was just blinded by love, but now I’m starting to think maybe we were the ones who misjudged Tia." Zac’s face instantly turned green. Tia’s face went deathly pale. She had only wanted to defend Zac. Weren’t these the same people who used to idolize her as the number one beauty? Wasn’t her word supposed to be law? Every time she gave them that soft, pitiful look, they would always take her side—no matter what. So why… why was it different this time? Ashley. It was all because of Ashley. Ashley had ruined everything. Tia’s gaze turned icy as she glared at Ashley, resentment flashing in her eyes. But before she could say anything, Zac suddenly pinched her—hard—where no one could see. At the same time, he leaned in and whispered viciously in her ear, "Tia. If you don’t know how to keep your mouth shut, then don’t say a damn word. You looking for a beating?" If it weren’t for the crowd, he would’ve punched her right then and there. Stupid girl. Why did I ever choose her over Ashley? Tia’s body went stiff. The pain burned into her skin, but what terrified her even more was the murderous tone in Zac’s voice. It had been so long since Zac had last hit her. So long that she had almost forgotten—almost convinced herself—that he wouldn’t do it again. But he would. And if they weren’t surrounded by people right now, she knew he would’ve hit her much harder. Tia took a deep breath, forcing herself not to react. She had broken off her engagement with Arthur in front of everyone and chosen Zac instead. If she backed out now, she would be slapping her own face. And besides, Arthur was the one who had rejected her first. The entire upper-class circle knew about it. If she left Zac, who else would take her? She had no better options.Her family had never been as powerful as the true elite. Ever since she was young, she had felt the pain of being looked down on—of always standing just outside the circle, never truly belonging. She refused to spend the rest of her life feeling that way. Zac was her only chance. So no matter how much it hurt, no matter how humiliated or furious she felt, she had no choice but to endure. She quickly lowered her head, using Zac’s body as cover, and whispered, "I’m sorry, Zac. It’s all my fault. I said the wrong thing. I didn’t mean to. Please forgive me." Her voice was so soft that only the two of them could hear. To the others, however, it looked like an intimate exchange between a sweet, devoted couple. Ashley rolled her eyes. "Are you two just stalling for time? If you’re such close friends, making a simple phone call shouldn’t be a big deal. If he really likes you that much, proving your claim should be easy, right?"