Chapter 3
I stood up, stepping closer to her. “‘Chloe, were you trying to kill me?’”
“‘I wasn’t!’” She shook her head wildly, tears streaming down her face. “‘Seraphina, how could you think that of me? We grew up together…’”
“‘Enough,’” I interrupted, disgusted. “‘Mr. Davies, call the police.’”
Chloe instantly fell to her knees. “‘Seraphina, please, I really didn’t mean to!’”
Julian rushed in, seeing Chloe on her knees, and immediately helped her up.
“‘Chloe, what’s wrong?’”
“‘Julian…’” Chloe was crying pitifully, tears streaming down her face, and as she rubbed her eyes, she deliberately exposed the burned spot on her wrist. “‘Seraphina says I tried to harm her, but I really didn’t. I just saw her eat so little at lunch and worried about her health, so I specially made her some pastries. I had no idea about any mango protein allergy…’”
Julian’s eyes immediately landed on her red, swollen hand, filled with concern. He turned, his face ashen, to look at me.
“‘Seraphina, are you insane? Chloe was kind enough to make you pastries, and you accuse her of trying to harm you?’”
“‘The evidence is clear,’” I pointed to the pastries. “‘She added mango protein to them, trying to make me die from an allergic reaction.’”
“‘Nonsense!’” Julian roared. “‘Chloe is so kind, how could she do such a thing? She already said she had no idea.’”
“‘I know you’re still angry and trying to find an excuse, but aren’t you being a bit too obvious this time? Don’t you feel ashamed?!’”
Seeing him so fiercely protective of her, a chill ran through me.
“‘Julian, get out of my room.’”
“‘What did you say?’”
“‘I said, get out.’”
Afternoon, I tried to get myself together to try on my custom-designed wedding gowns. When I opened the door, the ten neatly arranged gowns were gone, only empty racks remained.
“‘Miss Sterling!’” The store assistant immediately rushed over. “‘Mr. Julian said you weren’t feeling well, so he took them back on your behalf…’”
I took a deep breath. “‘Where did they go?’”
“‘They seemed to have gone to that photography studio on the back street.’”
When I arrived at the photography studio, what I saw was Chloe, giggling and sweetly snuggling up to Julian’s arm, posing for photos in my wedding dress. The other nine gowns were carelessly thrown on the sofa, some even on the floor.
“‘You look so beautiful,’” Julian murmured, gently caressing Chloe’s face.
I spoke coldly, “‘Take off the dress.’”
They sprang apart in alarm. Chloe’s eyes immediately turned red.
“‘Seraphina, we were just…’” Julian began to explain, but I cut him off directly.
“‘Take it off.’”