It happened in the art studio. The ceiling light fell without warning. I instinctively raised my right hand to shield myself. That was the moment everything changed. Because my boyfriend, Bruce Dagney, didn’t have money, he took me to a shady clinic for treatment. They botched it. My right hand was ruined—permanently.
I missed the finals of the National Ink Painting Competition. Worse, I missed the once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a disciple of a grandmaster.
Left with no choice, I continued working three jobs a day just to survive. Six months later, during a routine food delivery, I stumbled upon a truth that shattered me. I saw him—my boyfriend—and overheard a conversation between him and one of his friends.
“Bruce, that girl Sandra Hunson only had a minor fracture in her right hand. You actually had someone amputate it?”
“Hmph. It should’ve been destroyed anyway. Since she’s still alive, her right hand was the price she had to pay.”
“I promised Kate I’d help her win the ink painting competition and remove any threats in her path. I won’t allow anyone to stand in her way.”
It hit me like a slap in the face. The love I had once bragged about, the relationship I believed in—it was all a cruel joke. My boyfriend, was nothing but a wolf in human skin.
Fine. If that’s who he really was, I wanted nothing more to do with him.
——
Then I heard his friend teasing him.
“Kate already has access to great teachers. But Sandra—she was your girlfriend. That master was her only shot. If she ever finds out what you did, all hell will break loose.”
“No one’s going to tell her,” Bruce said casually. “And besides, I only got close to her for Kate.”
Then, raising an eyebrow, he added, “Oh, and give her your family’s latest experimental ointment.”
His friend hesitated. “That formula hasn’t gone through clinical trials. If it goes wrong, it could affect her nerves. She might suffer chronic pain, constant tremors—”
I stood frozen by the door, my heart pounding wildly. Tears welled up in my eyes. Then came the blow that finally broke me.
“You keep saying there’s no data—well, now we have a perfect test subject. If something goes wrong, even better. That way, she’ll never pick up a brush again. Not even with assistive tools. She won’t be a threat to Kate ever again.”
“Damn, you’re ruthless. After all this time, you still won’t let her go. Sandra had real talent. What if more talented painters come along? Are you going to eliminate every single one for Kate?”
Bruce cut him off, clearly annoyed. “What else can I do? It’s just bad luck on Sandra’s part. She’s the demon in Kate’s heart. If she had died, fine. But since she survived, the only way to free Kate is to make sure Sandra never paints again. That’s the only way she can move on and reach new heights.”
After a moment, he added nonchalantly, “Besides, I’ll make it up to her. She only lost a hand. I’ll make sure she’s taken care of for the rest of her life.”
I couldn’t hold back anymore. The tears that had been threatening to fall finally spilled over. I forced myself to calm down. I placed the food delivery at their door and walked away in a daze, pushing my scooter with trembling hands. I glanced at my right arm—the arm that now ended in emptiness. I bit my lip so hard I tasted blood.
Six months had passed. Sometimes it still felt like I could draw with that hand. Like everything had been just a terrible dream. But now I knew the truth. That accident in the studio hadn’t been an accident at all. The falling light? It was staged. By the man I loved. He did it all to help his childhood sweetheart eliminate her only serious competition. Me.
My right hand wasn’t beyond saving—but he made sure someone cut it off anyway. To Bruce, I was never a girlfriend. I was an obstacle. A threat. A loose end that needed to be eliminated. I still remember waking up after surgery. Bruce had wrapped me in his arms, his expression full of fake worry and affection.
“You scared me to death. I was so afraid something would happen to you. Thank God you raised your hand to block it. If it had hit your head, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable.”
“I’m just glad you’re okay. I’m so, so glad.”
He held me close, trembling as if he’d almost lost me. Back then, I thought he truly loved me. Now? Now I know the truth. And all I feel is cold. Cold to the bone.
