Chapter 2
Ryan had the mansion doors locked. Wrapped in his coat, I sat frozen in a corner.
In a haze, I remembered a winter years ago, when I had the flu. He’d stayed by my bed, making hot cocoa, even warming my feet in his arms. He said, “Evelyn, I know you’re afraid of the cold Every winter, I’ll keep your feet warm.”
But just three months ago, after I miscarried and lay in the hospital weak and shivering from blood loss, Ryan dragged me out to a ski resort because Sophia wanted to ski. I stumbled agair and again on the slopes, my body breaking down further, leaving me in constant pain every time the weather turned cold.
“Evelyn, what are you daydreaming about?” Sophia strolled over with a glass of red wine “accidentally” spilling it over me. “Oops, sorry! But it doesn’t matter, Ryan bought that coa anyway. If it’s dirty, he’ll just buy you another one.”
Her words had barely left her lips when she suddenly shrieked, clutching her neck. “My diamond necklace! The one Ryan gave me! It was here just now–I only stepped into the restroom, and now it’s gone!”
The room fell silent.
Sophia’s eyes swept toward me, full of provocation. “Just now, only Evelyn was packing he suitcase. Did you sneak it in while no one was looking? After all, with your brother needing money for surgery, you must be desperate.”
“I didn’t take it!” I shot to my feet.
“Who would believe you?” Jason chimed in instantly. “You’ve been after Ryan’s money from the start. Now that you’re leaving, of course you’d want one last score! Search her suitcase!”
Ryan frowned, glancing at my luggage. “Evelyn, open it. If you didn’t take it, I’ll clear your name.” My heart sank. Hidden in the lining of that suitcase was a signed divorce agreement. Back when he first brought me to the Hayes family, he had handed it to me himself, his fingertips warm as he said, “Evelyn, I know you love your freedom. If one day you ever feel wronged, take this and leave–I’ll never stop you. But I’ll spend my life treating you well, never giving you a reason to use
it.”
But now, he had long forgotten.
Terrified they would find it, I clutched the suitcase desperately. “You can’t search it!”
‘Guilty conscience?” Sophia lunged for the case. “Ryan, look at her reaction–she definitely took
t!”
Before I could explain, Ryan snatched the suitcase from me and unzipped it.
His friends crowded around, sneering at my clothes and belongings.
‘Look at these rags–flea market trash, and she brought them into the Hayes family?”
‘And what’s this piece of junk–oh, a soda tab ring?”
The soda can tab ring Ryan had once given me as an engagement token was tossed into the trash by Sophia.
I stared at Ryan, searching for a flicker of recognition, but his face remained cold.
3:59 am P
Just as they were about to reach the lining, Sophia suddenly pulled out a necklace and shrieked, “Here it is! My necklace! Evelyn, how could you steal from me?”
It wasn’t hers. It was my mother’s keepsake: a silver necklace with a tiny crescent moon
pendant.
I lunged forward and snatched it back. “This isn’t yours! It’s my mother’s!”
“You’re lying!” Sophia turned to Ryan with tears in her eyes. “When Ryan gave it to me, the pendant had a diamond. She must’ve pried it out!”
Ryan gripped my wrist, forcing me to look up. His voice was like ice. “Evelyn, return the necklace to Sophia.”
“It’s my mother’s keepsake!” I fought against him. “Ryan, you were there when my handed it to me on her deathbed! You said you’d help me keep it safe!”
mother
He wouldn’t meet my eyes. He yanked the chain hard. With a snap, it broke, the silver moon falling to the ground,
Sophia stomped on it instantly–the delicate silver warped, the engravings shattered.
“You’re insane!” I shoved her.
She cried out and deliberately stumbled backward, crashing into the champagne tower.
Glasses shattered, red wine and ice splashing over me. Shards cut into my arm, blood instantly mixing with the wine as it ran down.
Ryan didn’t spare me a glance. He rushed to Sophia, holding her trembling body. His voice shook. “Sophia, are you okay? Are you hurt?” He called for the butler. “Get a doctor, now!”
His friends all swarmed to console Sophia. No one asked if I was hurt. No one cared about the ruined keepsake on the floor.
I crouched down, picking up the bent silver moon, my fingertips smeared with blood and wine.
The music in the mansion still played, but the last shred of hope in my heart shattered completely.
I couldn’t stay here any longer. All I needed was to buy back my father’s painting at the upcoming auction–then I’d take my brother and leave.
