---- Chapter 10 Katerina POV: | knelt on the pavement, cradling my bruised cheek and listening to the faint sounds of the party from inside the hotel. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. | was supposed to be the victor, the one who won the man and the money. Instead, | was on the ground, humiliated, with a broke, broken man who couldn't even look at me. "This is all her fault," | sobbed, trying to get Connor's attention. "She planned this all along. The divorce, this wedding... it was all a trap to make you look like a fool and steal your money." The guests were starting to leave the garden party, whispering and pointing at us. Their words were like little daggers. "Isn't that Connor Tate? | heard his company is in trouble." "And that's the ex-wife, Harley. She married Killian Copeland!" "Good for her. She deserves better after he cheated." The humiliation was unbearable. | tried to pull Connor to his feet. "Let's go, Connor. We can't stay here." He shook me off, his eyes still glued to the hotel doors. He was still hoping she would come out, that she would change her mind. The fool. ---- A man with a sneer on his face walked past, talking loudly to his companion. "Copeland finally tied the knot. Can't believe he married Tate's cast-off. She's damaged goods." Killian's bodyguards, who were still standing by the door, moved with terrifying speed. They grabbed the man, and one of them spoke into his wrist. "Mr. Copeland, there's a man here insulting your wife." A voice crackled back, cold and clear even from a few feet away. "Break his legs. And make sure his company is bankrupt by morning." The man screamed as they dragged him away. The crowd scattered, their faces pale with fear. Connor finally looked at me, a flicker of his old self returning. "This is a sham, isn't it? A fake wedding. Copeland would never marry a woman with her background." He was clinging to the last shred of his delusion. "Connor, let's just go home," | pleaded. Just then, Harley and Killian appeared in the doorway, preparing to leave. Harley kissed Killian, a long, deep kiss that was meant for us to see. It was a final, brutal confirmation. "Mrs. Copeland," she said to Killian, her voice loud enough for us to hear. "I like the sound of that." Connor's face crumpled. "No," he whispered. "No." He made one last, desperate attempt to reason with her, pushing past ---- the guards. "Harley, please. It's not too late. We can fix this." Harley just looked at him with cold pity. "There is nothing left to fix, Connor. Goodbye." She and Killian swept past us, getting into a waiting limousine that purred like a panther. As the car pulled away, | saw Harley look back at us through the tinted window, a small, satisfied smile on her face. She had won. She had taken everything.