It was in December, in the middle of the winter and Kelly carried a wooden bucket to the riverbank so she could wash the dress at the river.
When her hands dipped into the icy river, she shivered violently, but the bone-chilling cold was still unable to match the frost that entered her heart.
“They all say George spoils you, but I don’t see it now.” A saccharine voice came from behind her. Kelly did not have to turn around to know that it was Amanda.
Without changing her expression or opening her mouth, Kelly kept scrubbing Amanda's underwear.
Amanda seemed to be in a good mood. She kept on talking while nibbling on a roast of sweet potatoes. “Look at you, your fingers are red and swollen from the cold. You must be miserable, aren’t you?”
Then she gloated, "Just now, George bought me this roasted sweet potato to cheer me up. It’s so warm and delicious.
When she saw Kelly refused to engage and kept her head down while washing her clothes, Amanda grew bored. Then she glinted with malice as she sought to provoke her. “Imagine that, the adopted daughter of a military general is no better than a stray dog.”
"Look at this …."
Kelly turned her head. At that time, Amanda's hand went to her neck and pulled out a jade pendant dangling on a red cord.
Kelly gasped. It was the same amulet that she had given to George. Her expression turned angry instantly and she lunged forward to snatch it back. “That’s mine! You have no right to wear it!”
Irritation flickered across Amanda’s face. “This worthless trinket? Even beggars wouldn’t take it!”
With a spiteful grin, she yanked the red cord off her neck and hurled the amulet into the river. The jade pendant disappeared beneath the water and it instantly created a ripple on the surface.
Amanda smirked triumphantly. “I’ve thrown away your precious treasure. What can you possibly do about it? If you dare run to George and tattle, I’ll jump into the river and tell him you pushed me in. Who do you think he’ll believe?”
Kelly's heart ached as if it was slashed by a blade. Of course, Amanda was George's beloved and it wasn’t surprising he had given her the amulet. However, that amulet was more than just a trinket for her, it was more important than her own life! So, without any hesitation, Kelly jumped into the freezing river.
Amanda was frozen in shock. Her mind was racing with fright. The river was deadly cold in the winter. A plunge like that could easily spell disaster. One could easily freeze to death because of the cold and by jumping, Kelly would probably lose her life.
Amanda's face which was initially filled with fear changed into a sinister one. She really hoped Kelly met her demise at the bottom of the river. Then she slipped away from the riverbank.
"No one will know I was there if I did not say anything. Kelly, consider yourself unlucky!”
Yet as she had just walked a few steps away, Amanda came face-to-face with George.
“Is Kelly over there? I think I just heard her voice,” he asked, his brows furrowed.
Panic surged through Amanda's heart, but she quickly stepped in front of him. “No, she’s not there!”
“Kelly probably was sulking somewhere to get your attention. Let’s check over there instead,” she suggested, as she steered him in the opposite direction, all the while she was silently praying he wouldn’t uncover the secret buried in the river.
Meanwhile, Kelly was swimming at the bottom of the river. She was frantically searching for the amulet.
The icy river was too cold. It sapped her strength and numbed her hands and feet. Her movement became slower and heavier.
Was it time to give up? No! She couldn't. That amulet was her mother’s only keepsake. It was a treasure beyond measure.
With her heart full of despair, Kelly groped around the bottom of the river. She thought she was going to die in this river when suddenly her finger touched the pendant.
The moment she grabbed the amulet, Kelly quickly swam upward. Yet, the moment her head broke through the water, her ankle was ensnared by underwater weeds and she could not move.
"Help!" she yelled
