It took her a long time to come back to herself. Slowly, she crawled forward and closed her fingers around the necklace.
The broken shards bit into her palm, blood welling between her fingers, but she didn't seem to feel it. She only squeezed tighter.
Hilda's mind had never been so clear.
Grief drove into her heart like a thousand needles, puncturing it full of holes, and pain seeped out in place of blood.
Her left hand, the one Jasper had stepped on, throbbed and swelled. The slightest twitch of her fingers sent agony shooting up her arm.
She stayed there for a long time before she managed to get to her feet. Then she limped toward the exit.
Taxi after taxi slowed down, took one look at her, and pulled away. No one would take her. So Hilda walked, one unsteady step at a time, still in her heels.
"Hilda, it really is you!"
A car screeched to a halt beside her. Jasper scrambled out, panic written across his face.
The necklace had been circling his mind for a while. The instant he placed it, cold sweat broke over his skin. He'd abandoned Vivienne on the spot and bolted.
Now his face was contorted with anguish as he cradled Hilda's swollen hand with excruciating care.
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry. I didn't know it was you."
"Does it still hurt? You're hurt this badly. Let me take you to the hospital, okay?"
His tears fell onto the battered skin of her palm.
"Why were you at tonight's gala? You should have told me. If you had, I never would've—"
"Never would've what?"
Hilda wrenched her hand free. "Don't touch me. You make me sick."
Jasper's breathing turned ragged. His expression crumbled, inch by inch.
"Families like mine, this is how it works. You know I don't have a choice. But no matter what happens, you're the only one I've ever loved!"
"Marriage is just a title. Everything with anyone else is fake. You're the only thing that's real."
As he spoke, he pulled a necklace from his pocket, identical to hers. "See? I carry it with me everywhere."
"Grandma wanted us to be happy together. Hilda, please don't be angry anymore."
Hilda held out her hand to him.
Joy surged through Jasper. He thought she'd softened. But the next second, the smile froze on his face.
"Jasper, give me back the necklace my grandmother gave you."
"It was something she left for me and the person I love. Seeing it in your hands now just makes me sick."
Jasper fought against it, clinging to her as he sank to his knees on the pavement, stripped of every shred of pride.
"Hilda, you're just saying that because you're angry, right? Hilda, you promised me. You promised you'd never break up with me."
"Please, I'm begging you, don't leave me."
But Hilda didn't flinch. A flash of revulsion crossed her face, and it cut through Jasper like a blade.
He'd been born with a silver spoon. He'd never wanted for anything his entire life. Women lined up at the crook of his finger. What Hilda had, countless others would kill for. Why couldn't she just let this go?
He shot to his feet, his voice dropping, edged with fury.
"Hilda, why can't you try to understand me?"
"You keep saying you want a wedding. Of course I want to give you one, but I can't! I have parents too. I have responsibilities!"
"I've already promised you that you're the only woman I'll ever love. Why won't you just believe me?"
Hilda didn't hear a word. Her voice was flat, mechanical. "Give it back."
Jasper's jaw clenched so tight the muscle twitched. He let out a cold laugh, then hurled the necklace into the busy road.
"No!"
Hilda screamed and lunged toward the traffic. Jasper yanked her back hard.
"Hilda, I'll say it again. I love you. I can give you everything except the title. If you won't think about yourself, at least think about your grandmother."
"I'll be waiting for your answer. Just say yes, and the wedding goes ahead next week as planned."
Then he got in his car and drove off without looking back.
Hilda was stubborn. She never backed down. He'd have to find another way to make her bend.
Jasper dialed his secretary.
"Cut off the medical funding. Transfer her grandmother to a standard ward. Don't do anything else unless I say so."
The secretary listened, confused. He'd been called away by a phone call from Vivienne the day the ambulance arrived and had no idea what had actually happened to Hilda's grandmother.
After a moment's thought, he picked up the phone and called the hospital.
