Chapter 6
Ray’s frown deepened as he looked at me, but it didn’t last long. The next second, he let me go, striding toward Christine.
In one smooth motion, he pulled her close and placed a tender kiss on her forehead. Christine clung to him, her tear–streaked face lifting into a smug, victorious smile as she leaned into his chest.
“Christine, calm down,” Ray murmured soothingly, his hand brushing over her hair. “I know you’re stressed, but please try to relax, for the baby”
Christine sniffled dramatically, tilting her head to meet his gaze. “Then promise me,” she said, her voice trembling, “promise me that for the rest of your life, you’ll only care about me. No matter who your wife is on paper, no matter how many sons she gives you, the Palmers‘ inheritance will belong solely to me and our baby.”
95% 12:20
1/7
wall
Chapter 6
Ray hesitated, his jaw tightening. His gaze flickered toward me for a fleeting moment, searching for a reaction. I stood frozen, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response. Finally, he nodded cautiously, his hand tightening on Christine’s shoulder.
fey
Satisfied, Christine leaned into him with a coy smile, her triumph plain to see. I turned away, my heart pounding with fury and headed back to my room to continue packing. But as I moved, something shiny on Christine’s wrist caught my eye–a green jade bracelet.
My breath caught in my throat. No, it
couldn’t be….
stopped in my tracks, whirling around. Where did you get that bracelet?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.
Christine’s smug smile faltered and she mysinstinctively hid her wrist behind Ray.
nce This?” she said, her voice turning sweet and dismissive. “Oh, it’s just some old trinket. Ray thought it suited me, so he
95% 12:20
317
Chapter 6
gave it to me. Why?”
A chill ran through me. I didn’t want to believe it, but my instincts screamed otherwise. Without another word, I ran to my room and yanked open the vanity drawer where I kept my grandmother’s bracelet, a cherished family heirloom passed down to me before she died. My worst fears were confirmed–the drawer
Was
empty.
Tears of anger blurred my vision as I rushed back downstairs. My voice trembled with rage as I yelled, “Give it back to me!”
Christine flinched, her face pale, but she quickly recovered. “It’s just a cheap
bracelet,” she said with a dismissive laugh. “Why are you making such a big deal out of it?”
Ray stepped between us, his face darkening. “I gave it to her,” he said, his tone cold. “She needed something for tonight’s event and I thought this would work. Why are you being so petty?”
95% 12:20
317
Chapter 6
“Petty?” My voice cracked, my hands. trembling as I clenched them into fists. “That bracelet was my grandmother’s! You had no right to take it, let alone give it away!”
Christine rolled her eyes, attempting to step back, but I lunged forward, grabbing her wrist to snatch back the bracelet. She shrieked, pulling away dramatically and collapsing into Ray’s arms, sobbing as if I’d assaulted her.
Ray’s expression twisted with fury. “Have you lost your mind?” he yelled, raising his hand. The sharp slap across my face echoed through the room, the sting spreading across my cheek like wildfire.
Before I could recover, Ray yanked Christine closer, whispering soothing words as she clung to him. Then, with calculated anger, he grabbed the jade bracelet from her wrist and hurled it to the
ground. The fragile jade shattered into. pieces, scattering across the floor.
95% 12:20
4/7
Chapter 6
I fell to my knees, my hands trembling as I carefully picked up each shard of my grandmother’s bracelet. The room felt suffocating, the air heavy with Christine’s mock sobs and Ray’s muttered
reassurances. When I looked up, I caught Christine smirking at me over Ray’s shoulder, her eyes glinting with triumph.
Ray’s voice broke the silence, dripping with disappointment. “I always thought you were kind. But trying to harm Christine, who’s carrying my child… you disgust me.”
I looked up at him, my eyes burning with unshed tears. “So what now?” I asked, my voice hollow.
“If you keep this up,” Ray said, his tone clipped, “I’ll have no choice but to reconsider the wedding. My future wife should be dignified, not a petty, jealous
woman.”
Christine, ever the opportunist, clutched her stomach and let out a weak cry. “Ray… my stomach hurts…” she whimpered,
969% 12:20
5/7
hapter 6
handsaning heavily against him.
ach shar
let. Ther
ay’s expression turned panicked and he cooped her up without hesitation. “We’re Bavy M
ping to the hospital,” he said over his
muttere
boulder. “Think about what I just said,
I looked
t me over
san.”
inting we door slammed shut behind them,
ence
ays the
to ham
ving me alone in the silence. My lection in the window stared back at me
woman hollowed out by betrayal and miliation.
hild… ya…
ny eyeste
at now the next few days, I was a model of edience. I didn’t cry or argue. I
Ray sa
operated with the wedding preparations, wering the assistant’s endless questions choice choi
I even attending fittings for the dress I’d ing. Mying. M
not a phot
er wear.
the day of the wedding, Ray stood at the ur, surrounded by guests and an opulent pportunpor
blay of flowers and decor. The music out about
lled and everyone turned expectantly she wishe
05% 12:20
6/7
Chapter 6
toward the aisle.
But I wasn’t there.
At that very moment, I was at the airport. My phone buzzed incessantly, flooded with missed calls and messages from Ray. His words alternated between anger and desperation.
