Damien walked over, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, so she suddenly has stomach problems now? Funny how she was fine this morning, but the moment she has to apologize, she suddenly falls ill. Do you take us for fools?"
"So this was all just a joke to you."
I was about to explain, but Bianca cut me off.
"Since she refuses to apologize, then let’s give her the treatment she deserves."
She suddenly grabbed a pair of scissors and marched toward my mother. My heart pounded in terror as I struggled against the security guards holding me back, but I could not break free.
Snip!
With a sharp snip, Bianca cut through my mother’s dress, then yanked at the fabric with all her strength, tearing it apart.
"Cassandra Sinclair, tell her to stop!"
This kind of humiliation was worse than death for my mother.
She wept as she struggled to cover herself, her frail body trembling. She was in so much pain, yet she no longer had the strength to resist.
At this moment, despair consumed me.
I had wanted her to come to this engagement party happily, never imagining she would be humiliated like this.
Cassandra Sinclair, I really misjudged you.
More and more people gathered to watch, but Cassandra remained indifferent, leaning into Damien’s embrace, completely ignoring my pleas.
My mother’s face was filled with shame. She looked at me one last time before collapsing from the pain.
Perhaps sensing the coldness in my eyes, Cassandra suddenly left Damien’s arms.
She glanced down at my unconscious mother and finally told Bianca to stop!
I kicked the security guard away and rushed over, my hands trembling as I stroked my mother’s face.
I was terrified something had happened to her. Without a second thought, I picked her up and ran, but Cassandra followed and blocked my path.
"Nate, I have my reasons for what happened tonight."
"Take your mother home first. I’ll explain everything later."
Just as she turned to leave, I called out to her. "Cassandra, I don’t care what your reasons are. My mother has fainted for real. We don’t have a car. Please, drive us to the hospital."
At this moment, nothing else mattered, only my mother’s safety.
Just as Cassandra was about to agree, Damien walked over and pulled her into his arms.
"Cassie, don’t go. Don’t leave me to face all these distinguished guests alone."
At his words, Cassandra hesitated. Then, in the end, she chose to stay.
No matter how much I begged her, it was useless. She did not even look back before turning around and walking away.
If she could be this cold-blooded and indifferent, then I had no reason to beg her anymore.
I carried my mother in my arms and left. The party was held halfway up the mountain, making it difficult to get a taxi.
By the time I finally managed to get one and rushed to the hospital, my mother had already stopped breathing.
The doctor said we were too late. If she had arrived earlier, she could have been saved.
That night, I held my mother’s lifeless body and cried until dawn.
Looking at her face, frozen in regret, the guilt in my heart grew even heavier.
I had always thought that nothing in life was irreversible, but at that moment, I wished more than anything that time could turn back.
Just then, Damien updated his social media. He and Cassandra were wearing engagement rings, kissing intimately.
[I can finally marry the most beautiful and perfect woman in the world!]
I saw that Cassandra had liked the post, allowing him to flaunt their happiness.
Frustrated, I took out the couple’s ring she had once given me and threw it out the window. Then, I left a comment under Damien’s post. [Wishing you a happy marriage. May you grow old together.]
After that, I turned off my phone.
I quietly handled my mother’s funeral on my own, then brought her ashes back to our hometown for burial.
Once everything was settled, I returned to the city.
There were still things I needed to take care of.
When I turned my phone back on, I saw hundreds of missed calls from Cassandra.
