Chapter 3

Eight years had gone by, and we hardly saw each other anymore. Whenever we met, he was just annoyed with me.

Every word he said was like a knife to my heart.

And Jessica's pregnancy report was the final blow, stabbing straight into my already shattered heart, yet I still loved him.

With tears in my eyes and a bitter smile, I messaged him: [Matthew, let's get a divorce.]

He didn't reply to me even the next day. I wondered if he couldn't be bothered to read my message at all.

Just then, Jessica posted something new on Twitter.

In the photo, she had her long hair pulled back, showing off her slender neck. She was wearing a light blue custom dress, and the necklace around her neck looked way too familiar.

My heart skipped a beat, and I frantically opened the safe.

Sure enough, the sapphire necklace my mom gave me was gone.

Matthew and I were the only ones who knew the safe's password.

A chill ran down my spine. I grabbed my car keys and rushed to the party venue, desperate and anxious.

When I arrived, Matthew was busy laughing and chatting with a bunch of showbiz stars, wearing that phony grin, completely oblivious to my arrival.

But Jessica spotted me instantly. She walked over with a spring in her step, looking all smug. She deliberately showed off the sapphire necklace that was supposed to be mine.

Jessica said, "Lillian, seriously, did you just roll out of bed and come here? You look like a total hag."

She smirked and added, "Honestly, you're no match for me. The only reason you got to be Matthew's wife is that you met him a few years before I did.

"But look at you now: old, washed-up, and ugly. How do you even have the nerve to show up at a big event like this?

"You should just leave before the reporters get a shot of you and you end up making a complete fool of yourself."

When I saw her showing off my most precious necklace with that arrogant grin, my anger exploded. I didn't even think, just raised my hand and slapped her right across the face.

"Hand over my necklace. Right now!" I yelled.

Jessica screamed, clutching her cheek as she stumbled and fell to the ground.

Matthew heard the commotion and shoved his way through the crowd. The moment he saw Jessica hurt, he rushed over, panic written all over his face.

He scooped Jessica into his arms, then fixed me with an icy stare and snapped, "Who do you think you are, hitting her?"

I shot him a furious glare and shouted, "She totally deserved it. Matthew, why is my mom's necklace on her neck?"

Jessica put on an innocent face and said, "It is all my fault. I just couldn't find a necklace to go with this dress.

"Then I heard you have a sapphire necklace, and Matthew said it would look amazing on me, so he just gave it to me.

"He even said I looked super feminine wearing it, and that jewelry only shows its true worth on the right woman. But honestly, this necklace is so outdated and plain. If it weren't for my face, no one could make it look good."

I stared at Matthew, totally stunned. It felt like my heart had been punched so hard I could barely breathe.

I demanded, "You actually used my mom's keepsake to suck up to her?"

I already knew last night that Matthew was cheating and even had a kid with someone else, but I never thought he would go this far.

I told him before that my mom died trying to protect me.

I just couldn't believe that he gave away the only thing my mom left me to someone else.

Matthew was busy comforting Jessica, looking all concerned.

Then he turned to me and shouted, "Is this necklace supposed to be some priceless treasure? Anything that comes into my house belongs to me. I can give it to whoever I want. Who says I need your approval?

"Lillian, you live in my house, eat my food, live off me, and I'm the one supporting you. Who do you think you are to question me?"

I couldn't listen to another word of his nonsense. I cut him off and slapped him hard across the face.

Matthew didn't even flinch. He just stood there and took the slap.

Jessica rushed over and shielded him, screaming at me, "Are you crazy? You hit him over a damn necklace? Seriously, do you ever stop making a fool of yourself?"

Matthew ripped the sapphire necklace off Jessica's neck and threw it at me. His voice dripped with malice as he said, "That worthless sapphire necklace your poor mom left you—if Jessica didn't want it, you think I'd even look at it?

"Stop making a scene. Just grab your necklace and get lost!"

The sapphire necklace hit the ground and shattered instantly, gems flying everywhere.