The moment Stevvi mentioned the “simple wedding dress,” Patsy knew exactly which one she meant.
It was that one Cornell had personally arranged back in college—a collaboration with a world-class brand, designed exclusively for Patsy. She wore that very dress at their wedding.
From the fabric to the design, Cornell had supervised every detail himself. Even the tiny diamonds on it—he had set them in one by one with his own hands.
The dress was simple, yet brimming with love. She remembered asking him back then why he didn’t make her a big, sweeping gown.
His answer had been “Because if you ever try to run away from the wedding, you’ll be able to run faster.”
But Patsy knew that wasn’t the real reason. Deep down, it was his selfishness talking.
He didn’t want the dress to be something she could only wear once. If the dress were less cumbersome, she could put it on more often.
That way, everyone would know whose wife she was—that the one-of-a-kind dress belonged to her alone.
Yet now, it seemed that the dress was about to have a new owner.
Her eyes flickered slightly before she heard Cornell answer.
“Of course, you can have it. But you’ll need to ask its former owner first.”
The sarcasm in his tone didn’t escape Patsy. Calling her the “former owner” meant her opinion no longer mattered.
He was only using that dress as a weapon to mock her.
If this had been before, she would’ve begged him not to give it away. But now… now, she couldn’t care less.
Before Stevvi could even ask, Patsy answered.
“Take it,” she said evenly. “I don’t want it anymore.”
The calmness on her face stirred something strange in Cornell’s chest.
For the past two years, he’d tortured her in every way he could think of. Every time, she’d cry until she couldn’t breathe, desperately explaining her side of the story over and over.
But these past two days, she seemed like a different person. She didn’t cry, and she didn’t try to explain to him anymore.
After a moment’s thought, he convinced himself this was just another ploy. She must be trying to trick him—get him to soften up and fall for her again.
His expression darkened at the thought, his voice laced with venom.
“How generous of you. Why don’t you throw in the amethyst set, too? And the ring. After all, you don’t seem to care anymore.”
Patsy had only one ring—their wedding band. She closed her eyes briefly, and then she slid it off her finger.
“Sure.”
The way she agreed so swiftly made Cornell’s face turn so thunderous that it was almost ugly.
“If you’re that willing,” he sneered, “then give her Connee’s bracelet, too. I’m sure Stevvi loves that piece. Don’t you, Stevvi?”
Stevvi’s fingers dug into her palm as she forced a smile. “Yeah…”
Patsy froze, her voice sharp with panic. “That bracelet’s worthless. Just… return it to me.”
Cornell’s lips curved into a cruel smile.
“I can give it back,” he said softly. “On one condition—you come to the party tonight.”
Her fever still hadn’t broken, but for the bracelet, she nodded.
What she didn’t expect was that the party would be nothing short of a death trap.
“Cornell, what are you trying to do?”
The sight before her made her scalp prickle with terror—a Tibetan mastiff in a steel cage, bared teeth glinting under the light.
The scene dragged her back to those two years of hell. She couldn’t live through that again.
But Cornell’s next words sealed her fate.
“Almost forgot to tell you—the theme of tonight’s party is beast fights. Stevvi’s afraid of dogs, so… you’re up.”
Forgot? No, his tone said he never intended to tell her at all. And Stevvi? She looked anything but scared. She was practically buzzing with excitement.
As drool dripped from the mastiff’s jaws, Patsy’s entire body went rigid. Every instinct screamed for her to run.
She forced her voice to stay calm.
“You only told me to come to the party,” she said coldly. “You never said anything about this. Give me the bracelet. I’m leaving.”
