Chapter 2
“Oh… the doctor said my baby wasn’t developing well, so Liam gave me the bracelet to wear for good luck. If you don’t like it, Alice, I can give it back to you.” Chloe started to take the bracelet off.
“Enough!” Liam immediately stopped her, his expression filled with tenderness. “It’s just a broken bracelet! Alice Summers, when did you become so petty?”
A broken bracelet? Even after three years, I thought I had forgotten everything from the past, but a bitter ache still twisted in my heart. This emerald bracelet was the only thing my parents left me, a family heirloom of the Summers family, blessed by a spiritual master long ago. Years ago, I fell ill with a strange ailment. No matter how many local or international specialists examined me, they couldn’t find the cause. My parents cried for days, frantic, and finally, carrying this bracelet, they went to a remote spiritual retreat in the mountains. They kneeled every step of the way, from the foot of the mountain to the spiritual temple at the top—three thousand steps in all. Finally, they persuaded the master to consecrate the bracelet. But on the highway back, a large truck crashed straight into their car. My parents died instantly. When I woke up, all that was left were two memorial plaques… I cried myself unconscious in the funeral home, finally collapsing, overcome by despair. At that last moment, Liam held me tightly.
“Alice! Your parents died for you! If you go too today, their deaths will have been meaningless!” “Don’t worry, I’ll never leave you in this life! Alice, you still have me.”
Remembering that, I grabbed Chloe’s hand directly.
“Give it back to me!”
“Ah! It hurts so much…” Chloe’s face was pale, she bit her lower lip, and spoke in a wronged voice: “Alice, I’ll give it back. I wouldn’t dare touch anything from your family.” She looked like she’d suffered endless grievances. I just wanted my bracelet back, but Chloe let go of her hand before I could get a firm grip. The bracelet slipped from my fingers, hitting the ground with a sickening CRACK! It shattered into a million pieces. The world seemed to mute, leaving only my own ragged breathing. The sound of the bracelet hitting the ground felt like a sledgehammer to my chest, shattering my heart. Chloe cowered timidly in Liam’s arms, her voice trembling.
“I didn’t mean to, Alice. You just scared me.”
I instantly transformed into a furious beast, tears streaming down my face as I lunged toward Chloe.
“You owe me my bracelet!”
But as soon as I got close, Liam shoved me to the ground.
“How much? Name your price, I’ll pay. Don’t upset Chloe over something trivial like this. Don’t be unreasonable, alright?”
My wrists and legs scraped painfully against the hard ground. I bit my lip, saying nothing, and began picking up the shattered pieces of the bracelet.
“Alice, let me help you!” Chloe leaned down, whispering in my ear: “Do you really think your parents’ death was because of this bracelet? Alice, you’re just too naive.”
My eyes instantly widened, my head buzzed with a sudden, deafening roar. I seized Chloe’s collar, my eyes bloodshot with raw fury.
“What do you mean? Speak!”
But the next second, Liam kicked me hard. A metallic taste surged up, and with a gasp, blood spewed from my mouth, blossoming like gruesome flowers on the ground.
“Brother, don’t hurt Alice. She’s just jealous that I’m carrying your baby, that’s why she wants to hurt me.” “You two were meant to be together. It’s my fault. I’ll go get rid of the baby and leave you! Then everything can go back to normal.”
Chloe was shaking all over, like a terrified rabbit. But my heart was cold. Everything I’d never questioned before now felt suspect.
“Liam, back then…”
My words were cut off.
“Brother, my stomach hurts so much…” Liam’s face instantly filled with distress. He scooped Chloe into his arms, heading for the host’s private doctor. As he left, he spared me a cold glance.
“Lock her up.”
I was surrounded by several security guards, an utterly outrageous display. My patience snapped. I snarled.
“Get out of my way!” “You can’t afford the consequences of crossing me.”
As soon as the words left my mouth, the surrounding onlookers scoffed.
“Doesn’t everyone know the Summers family went bankrupt years ago? This woman talks a big game; she’ll hurt herself.” “She’s just a cast-off now, still thinks she’s that socialite from the city’s elite. Can’t she see the reality?” “Right! Everyone knows Mr. Reed is a rising star in high society now. She should just admit her mistakes.”
I scoffed. If I hadn’t given Liam all the Summers family’s resources back then, how would he have gotten where he is today? But everyone present believed I was just making empty threats. To appease Liam, I was even locked in the security guard’s janitor’s closet. The room reeked of stale smoke. I had already coughed up blood, and now I felt even dizzier and more pained. I quickly lost consciousness. I don’t know how much time passed before I heard the door open.
“You’re here!”