Doreen was upset by his rejection but didn't give up. "Okay, then maybe tomorrow night or the night after..."

"I'm sorry. I'll be busy for a while, and I don't believe in premarital relations. I hope you can understand that."

Roscoe's response was nearly blunt, leaving Doreen feeling humiliated.

Doreen's cheeks turned a deep red. After all, she was a wealthy young woman, accustomed to popularity, but Roscoe always treated her coldly.

“Roscoe, how dare you!" Doreen's anger finally erupted. Her voice was arrogant as she declared, “You're nothing but a lowly bastard, yet you act superior in front of me. Marrying me would be your lucky break. You should be thanking me. Yet you dare show such an attitude! Who do you think you are!"

Roscoe appeared to have anticipated her outburst. Doreen had never been one to keep her temper, yet she posed as fragile and weak around him, which he found utterly disgusting. He responded indifferently, "I apologize for that, but you really shouldn't degrade yourself."

Hearing this, Doreen's expression shifted, and she quickly asked, “What do you mean?"

In a burst of frustration, Doreen let the words slip. The charade was wearing on her, yet beneath it all, she still cared deeply for Roscoe. The thought of him wanting to end their engagement filled her with dread.

Roscoe's voice was measured as he spoke. “If you believe I'm unworthy, don't settle. Maybe you should find someone who meets your standards."

“How dare you!" The words escaped Doreen before she could catch them.

Roscoe's suggestion that she look elsewhere ignited a fury in her, rendering her momentarily speechless.

"Oh, this really hurts..." Doreen whispered, clumsily trying to steer away from the tense subject. Publicly switching grooms after announcing the wedding date would be a scandal, not to mention humiliating.

Plus, her heart was set on Roscoe. If only he could show her a little more tenderness, her anger might have been quelled. A slight compromise on his part could smooth everything over. But his aloofness persisted.

With a calm detachment, Roscoe stated, “Perhaps it's time to reconsider our engagement."

Doreen was startled. She hadn't expected him to continue discussing breaking up. Wasn't this the moment for him to offer reassurances?

“Roscoe, it wasn't always Like this between us. You used to love me deeply. Doreen's voice broke as she feigned vulnerability, reminiscing about a past that had never been."

Their entire relationship was a fabrication, a plot devised by others to ensnare Roscoe.

Doreen had once confided her concerns to Jarrod, who had cryptically promised that things would improve. She was skeptical until Roscoe's father approached her with a proposition that she could marry Roscoe if she followed his guidelines in dealing with Roscoe.

As Roscoe regained consciousness, vulnerable with some memory loss, Doreen played the part of the caring fiancée. She concocted elaborate stories of their supposed past love, stories he accepted as truth due to his amnesia.

Yet, Roscoe always seemed detached toward Doreen. His demeanor around her was often cold.