“Yeah, she got dumped by his ex-fiancé, stabbed in the back by her best friend, lost her mom, ended up looking like this, and somehow, she still managed to marry a man like Mr. Bondi—a total wife-worshipper. I guess you could say her suffering finally paid off.”
‘Paid off?’
Sue’s phone rang again. It was a familiar number.
She picked it up, saying, “Professor, I’ve made up my mind. I’ll come see you in a week.”
Margie Hyndman, who had been bracing for another rejection, was overjoyed. “Really? You’re finally willing to leave that man of yours and join me as a lawyer for Doctors Without Borders? If you say yes, there’s no backing out!”
“Yeah, I won’t change my mind.”
Afraid she might, Margie immediately booked her a flight for a week later.
[Ticket’s booked. Everything’s ready for you. Don’t you dare chicken out this time!]
[I won’t.]
At that moment, a sleek Maybach pulled up beside her.
“Sue, the housekeeper said you left last night. Where did you go?”
Irwin’s concern seemed genuine. He even draped a coat over her shoulders.
Sue curled her lips slightly and answered calmly, “I missed my mom, so I went to see her.”
When he felt how cold her hands were, Irwin’s heart ached. “It’s my fault. I didn’t give you enough security. Next time, I’ll go with you.”
“There’s no need.”
‘You don’t deserve to.’
Her expression turned icy as she pulled her hand away, got into the car, and finally let her exhausted eyelids close.
By the time she woke up, she was already at his parents’ place.
Then, she remembered—it was Lucia’s birthday party today. The entire city’s elite had been invited.
Naturally, Ava, Lucia’s god-granddaughter, was on the guest list.
Sue watched as Lucia placed a pearl bracelet on Ava’s wrist, looking at her with a tenderness Sue had never seen before.
“Ava, this bracelet is a family heirloom. I’m giving it to you now. May it keep you safe and protected.”
Ava accepted it with a dazzling smile. “Oh, thank you, Grandma! I wish you health and happiness for many years to come!”
The old lady chuckled. “You sweet talker, always knowing the right thing to say! Not like Sue, who does nothing but make me mad all day!”
At the mention of Sue, Lucia’s mood soured instantly. Even Irwin wasn’t spared from her irritation.
“Look at you, idiot! You insisted on marrying that useless girl who can’t even eat, drink, or relieve herself without an artificial heart! Five years! She’s still not as useful as a damn hen that can lay eggs!
“If you hadn’t threatened to die, that lowly woman would never have stepped foot into my family!
“But Ava is different. She comes over every few days just to make me happy. I just wish it had been her that you married!”
The old lady kept going, spewing every cruel word she could think of, hurling them all at Sue.
Finally, Ava played peacemaker. “Grandma, don’t mention her on such a happy occasion. She’s bad luck.”
Lucia reluctantly let it go but still turned to Irwin, unwilling to drop the topic.
“Tell me the truth, Irwin. Who do you like more—Ava or Sue?”
In that moment, it felt like an invisible hand was squeezing Sue’s heart, suffocating her.
Holding her breath, she waited.
Irwin smiled.
“I only feel guilty toward Sue.”
That fragile hope inside her instantly shattered.
For some reason, she found it funny.
After a long pause, she gathered herself and slowly walked downstairs.
The party hall was filled with relatives and guests draped in jewels and luxury. These were high-society elites.
And then there was Ava, standing out in her globally limited-edition dress.
