Chapter 5
Robin's call woke Judy up.
Waldo showed up in a rush. He couldn't hide how annoyed he was.
He signed the divorce papers in a flash and got the whole thing over with.
The staff member reminded them, "Mr. Nash, Mrs. Nash, you two have a one-month cooling-off period for the divorce. After that..."
Waldo kept glancing at his watch and asked Robin, "Are we done here?"
When Robin nodded, he got up right away. "If you change your mind, let my assistant know ahead of time. My schedule's packed this month. I might not have time to call off the divorce."
He strode out, never once considering that Robin might actually choose to go through with it.
She could really divorce him.
He was so sure Robin would call it off, but what he didn't know was that she already had a ticket to leave town in a month.
She was ready to walk out of Waldo's life for good.
By the time Robin got back to the villa, it was already nine at night.
The place was still lit up. She could hear voices inside. It was loud enough to make her wince.
As she pushed the door open, her eyes instinctively went to the living room.
Judy was kneeling on the cold floor, her eyes brimming with hurt and injustice.
In front of her, Lucy sat upright, holding a cup of hot tea, her brows furrowed and her face full of displeasure.
Hearing the commotion, Lucy looked up at Robin, a flicker of joy flashing in her eyes.
"Robin, you're back. Come sit with me," she called out.
Robin was clueless about what was happening, so she obediently took a seat beside Lucy.
Lucy took Robin's hand and, with a warm smile, slid a bracelet right onto her wrist.
She said, "This is the Nash family's heirloom. We only give it to the daughter-in-law our family truly welcomes as one of us.
"A few years back, someone took it and it was lost for ages, but today, we finally got it back."
She affectionately squeezed Robin's palm, her face beaming. "People always say a bracelet flatters its wearer, but I think you're the one making it look good. See how it sparkles on your wrist, Robin. It's practically glowing!"
Robin looked down carefully, and her heart skipped a beat. This was the bracelet Judy always wore on her wrist.
She realized that it was actually the Nash family's heirloom.
Waldo had already given it to the woman he truly considered his real wife.
A flash of mockery flickered in Robin's eyes as she reached to slip off the bracelet, but before she could, Lucy's face turned icy and she fixed her gaze on Judy.
"Judy, have you made up your mind?" she asked.
Judy's face drained of all color. She shook her head desperately, her whole body trembling with fear.
She choked out, "I don't want to get married.
"Lucy, I know you're looking out for me, and the family you chose is really nice, but I honestly don't want to get married right now. I just want to focus on my career."
Lucy let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Focus on your career? What kind of career is that? Playing maid for other people? Or are you scheming for something else?"
"Lucy, you've really got it wrong. I swear that there's nothing between Waldo and me..." Judy stammered, her voice shaking.
Lucy snapped, her eyes suddenly icy as she cut Judy off, "Shut up. Don't say things you shouldn't.
"Your mother and I were as close as sisters, so I have every right to call myself your elder. Now that she's gone, it's my job to teach you how things should be done!"
With a sharp crack, Lucy sprang to her feet, snatched up a whip, and lashed it viciously across Judy's back.
Judy was completely blindsided, screaming in agony as her back split open, blood instantly seeping out.
Lucy tossed the whip to her bodyguards and said coldly, "Give her ten whips."
Before the second lash landed on Judy's back, Waldo rushed forward, pulling Judy into his arms and taking the blow for her.
His face turned deathly pale from the pain, but he held Judy tightly, jaw clenched protectively.
Waldo gritted his teeth, voice trembling with fury. "She just doesn't want to marry someone she doesn't love. What did she do wrong?"
Robin's heart gave a sharp, painful jolt.
She knew that Waldo also married someone he didn't even love. Robin felt that it was not his fault to do that.
Seeing the blood streaming down Waldo's back, Robin quietly took off the bracelet and handed it back to Lucy.
She said softly, "Lucy, I really don't feel worthy of this bracelet. I shouldn't keep it.
"Waldo and I have already gone through with the divorce. This bracelet should stay with someone it truly belongs to."