"People who are dirty—"
"I, Jade Elizabeth Davis, don't want them either."
Hazel froze abruptly. Her hand, still tugging at the zipper, stopped midair as the color drained from her face.
A heavy cardboard box was carried in. Inside was a full box of pork-quality stamps.
I nodded slightly to the bodyguards.
One of them picked up a stamp, dipped it thoroughly into the ink, and pressed it down onto Hazel's calf.
Hazel screamed.
Stamp after stamp fell—onto her arms, her neck, her face—leaving behind glaring crimson marks.
She cried. She begged.
In the end, only broken whimpers remained.
One hundred stamps. Not a single one missing.
When the last stamp was pressed down, Hazel collapsed onto the floor, her entire body covered in grotesque red lettering.
I wiped my hands and spoke calmly. "I forgot to tell you—this ink is specially made. It won't wash off."
"It'll stay with you for the rest of your life."
"I was just joking with you, Miss Garcia. You're not angry... are you?"
Still crying and screaming, Hazel was dragged away by the bodyguards.
Just then, the familiar sound of a car engine came from outside.
Andrew was back. He wore the gentle, coaxing smile he always used on me.
"The auction ended and I rushed straight back. Look—guess what I brought you."
Inside the jewelry box lay a priceless emerald necklace.
Andrew stepped closer, circling his arms around my neck as he lifted the necklace to put it on me.
"You said you liked this kind of design."
"The moment I saw it, I thought it would suit you. Come—try it on."
As he leaned in, a fragrance drifted unmistakably toward me.
Sweet, cloying gardenia.
The scent Hazel wore.
A wave of nausea surged up inside me, and I shoved Andrew away instinctively.
At that moment, Hazel suddenly rushed in, stumbling as she threw herself into Andrew's arms.
"Andrew!"
"Jade is insane! She had people stamp ink all over my body!"
"Didn't you say you'd protect me forever?!"
Andrew's breathing faltered.
Looking at Hazel's pitiful state, his tone sank. "Jade, when did you become like this?"
"So... vicious?"
"Hazel is still so young. You've done this to her—how is she supposed to face people in the future?"
His voice grew harsher. "Is destroying her the only way you'll be satisfied?"
I watched the way he shielded Hazel, and remembered the youthful vow he once made before the Buddha.
He said he would earn an unimaginable fortune—and marry Jade in glory.
I forced down the ache in my chest and steadied my trembling voice.
"Then did you ever think—if marks like that stayed on my face, what would I do for the rest of my life?"
Andrew opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Seeing him hesitate, Hazel burrowed deeper into his arms and screamed hysterically.
"Andrew! I'm already pregnant with your child!"
"You can't let her treat me like this! Take me away—please, take me away!"
It felt like a thunderbolt struck me.
I stood frozen, watching the flash of uncontrollable joy pass through Andrew's eyes.
He carefully lifted Hazel into his arms, holding her as gently as if she were a priceless treasure.
Joy overflowed from his eyes and brows.
"Our child? That's wonderful! We're going to the hospital right now."
Cradling her, Andrew hurried toward the door.
As he passed me, his steps never slowed. He only tossed back a single sentence. "Jade, you should calm down."
"And learn properly how to be a Martin family wife."
Just as Andrew prepared to leave with Hazel—more than ten impeccably dressed lawyers strode in swiftly, blocking their path.
The middle-aged man at the front placed the notice of equity freeze in front of Andrew.
"Mr. Martin. According to the prenuptial agreement you signed with the eldest miss..."
He pushed the document forward. "All shares you hold in Martin Group have been frozen."
