Sevlene’s POV
When I woke up again, I was lying in a hospital bed again.
My phone was filled with missed calls and messages from Cortey.
[Sevlene, where are you? I searched the entire party hall but couldn’t find you.]
[Did you get hurt? Please reply as soon as you see this.]
[You’re not making a drama again, are you? Ignoring my messages on purpose? If you keep this up, I’ll really get angry.]
His patience was quickly wearing thin—worry turning into irritation.
It hadn’t always been like this. Before, if I accidentally fell asleep and didn’t reply for an entire night, he would only be concerned something had happened to me. Even if he was abroad on business, he would catch the next flight back just to make sure I was safe.
I guessed people would really change in no time.
Swallowing the bitterness in my chest, I finally sent a reply.
[I’m fine. I’ll be home soon.]
By the time I got back home, it was already late in the evening.
Cortey was still at the company. But the living room door was left open.
When I stepped inside, I froze.
Charlee was lounging lazily on the couch, toying with a opal bracelet in her hand.
The blood in my veins turned cold.
That bracelet… It was my mother’s keepsake. Before she passed, she had asked the doctor to give it to me.
I could never bring myself to wear it, so I had locked it away in the safe.
How… How the hell could it be in that manipulative woman’s hands?
I didn’t care about anything else. My body moved on instinct as I lunged forward to snatch it back.
“That’s my mother’s. Give it back!”
But Charlee slipped away nimbly, climbing onto the couch and holding the bracelet high above her head.
“This?” she sneered. “Daddy gave it to me. Last night, I was so shaken up I simply told him I liked your bracelet. Just like that, he smashed open your safe and took it out for me.”
She tilted her head, eyes full of mockery. “Sevlene, do you still not get it? Cortey doesn’t love you anymore. He’s in love with me now.”
My voice trembled with urgency.
“I know. I have no intention of fighting with you. I’ll leave him soon. You two can be together.”
Her lips curled as she tucked the bracelet away, studying me with malicious amusement.
“Who asked for your blessing? I don’t want to be ‘given’ to him. I want to snatch him. That’s what makes it fun.” She gave a cold laugh. “We come from the same kind of background, so why did you get to meet a good man like Daddy while I was nearly sold off to old men as their plaything?”
She spat the words like poison. “You’re obviously not better than me in any way. You don’t deserve the position you’re in. Being his wife? It should have been me.”
With a twist of her wrist, she flaunted the bracelet. Her smile turned wicked.
“You want it back so badly? Too bad. I’m not giving it to you.” Taunting me, she laughed maniacally.
Rage surged through me, breaking past the dam I had tried so hard to hold. My hand shot up before I could stop myself.
The slap rang sharp and loud across her cheek.
And in the next second, Cortey’s furious voice cut through the air.
“Sevlene! What the hell are you doing?!”
I turned. He was standing in the doorway, his expression thunderous as he stormed toward me.
“I’ve warned you before—don’t upset Charlee. If her emotions fluctuate and her health index drops, how will she continue to donate blood to your mother?”
His tone dripped with accusation. “Besides, your mother isn’t even dead yet. There will be plenty of chances for her to give you things in the future. It’s just a cheap bracelet. Why can’t you let Charlee have it? We’re husband and wife—she’s my daughter, which makes her your daughter too.”
My heart clenched. He didn’t even know. He didn’t know my mother had already passed away.
There would be no more gifts to receive from her. Ever.
I furrowed my brow, forcing out each word like ice.
“Don’t try to dress this up as something noble. You know exactly what kind of relationship you two have. Now give me back my mother’s bracelet!”
Perhaps it was my words that ignited his anger. His face darkened as he snatched the bracelet from Charlee’s hand.
Then, right in front of me, he hurled it to the floor.
The gemstone shattered instantly, splintering into pieces that scattered across the floor.
His cold and merciless voice rang in my ears.
“You’re just jealous of how well I treat Charlee. That’s why you insult her. I told you—she’s someone very important to me. You dared slander her, so I destroyed what was most important to you in return.
“Sevlene, I hope you’ve learned your lesson from this. Charlee is here to join our family—not to be your punching bag.”
With that, he took Charlee’s hand and led her away.
That bitch threw me a triumphant look over her shoulder, her eyes full of smug victory.
But I had no energy left for anger.
My knees gave way, and I sank to the floor. One by one, I began picking up the fragments of the shattered opal.
Sharp edges cut into my skin, leaving tiny trails of blood, but I felt nothing.
All I knew was that I had to gather every single piece and tuck them safely into my pocket. I was terrified… that if I was one second slower, I would lose them forever.
