They just wanted to bleed me dry.
Since that was the case, no amount of explaining would make a difference.
I tossed my bag aside, dropped into a chair, and crossed my arms over my chest.
Then I stared right at them.
"You want money that badly? Too bad. I'm not paying."
Zoey clearly hadn't expected me to dig my heels in. She jabbed a finger in my face and let loose.
"You conniving little tramp! You melt down my gold and have the nerve to sit there looking smug? I have never in my life met anyone this shameless!"
"If anything happens to Chad's father, his ghost will haunt you! He'll come for you every single night!"
I didn't flinch. I fired right back.
"You keep saying I stole it. Then call the cops."
Zoey's face contorted, the loose skin on her cheeks quivering with rage.
When nobody made a move to call, I pulled out my phone to do it myself.
The screen hadn't even unlocked before Chad smacked it out of my hand.
His face was twisted with fury, and he roared at me.
"You actually have the gall to call the police after what you did? You have no shame, so I'll have it for you."
"The second they show up, your life is over. You really that eager for the whole world to find out you're a thief?"
Oh, how generous. I was supposed to thank him for looking out for me.
Chad went on. "You destroyed the evidence, so just pay up. Pay the money, and I'll let it go. We can pretend none of this ever happened."
He wanted to pretend it never happened. Nobody asked if I agreed.
This was never going away. Not for me.
He paused, then played what he clearly thought was his trump card.
"Otherwise, the wedding is off!"
My eyes went wide. Not because I was devastated about losing the engagement. Because I was stunned that Chad actually believed I was desperate to marry him, that the wedding was some kind of leverage.
Zoey jumped in, beaming with approval.
"That's right, son! Our family doesn't welcome women of low character. Can't let our future children inherit those rotten genes of hers."
I took a deep breath, nodded, and smiled.
"Fine. Then I'll be going."
Neither Chad nor Zoey had expected that. Their threat hadn't landed. Not even close.
The wedding falling through was a blessing. At least now I'd seen their true colors before it was too late.
I pushed past the slack-jawed crowd and stepped out of the jewelry store.
Zoey's shrill voice pierced the air behind me.
"Stop her! If she won't pay, take every piece of jewelry off her body!"
"Family's dirt poor but she's decked out like a princess. She's obviously sleeping with some rich old man behind my son's back!"
The words had barely left her mouth when a brutal grip seized the back of my head.
My whole body was yanked backward, dragged back inside.
The villagers caught sight of the ring, the watch, the bracelet on my wrists, and the earrings glinting on my earlobes. Their jaws dropped.
"That watch brand... I've seen it on TV. One of those is worth more than an apartment in the city!"
"Look at that bracelet. I've never seen anything that beautiful in my entire life."
"And her bag, plus whatever's inside it. That's gotta be worth a fortune!"
Zoey pushed her way closer, her eyes locked on the pigeon-egg diamond on my finger.
Now she was absolutely convinced I'd been sleeping with some wealthy sugar daddy.
"Cheating on my son and still acting this bold!"
"Squeezed all that money out of some old man, and she won't even cough up two hundred grand."
The more she thought about it, the angrier she got. Her voice went shrill as she barked orders.
"Strip every valuable off her! I'll set a few pieces aside for everyone to split!"
The villagers' eyes went bloodshot with greed, their ugly faces pressing in around me, shoving and jostling to get closer.
