Chapter 3

Now, I stared at Seraphina's all-too-familiar, wronged expression, my voice suddenly turning cold.

"What did I say? Did I tell her to pay back the money and get out of the Hayes family? Or did I force her to kneel and apologize to me?"

Liam snapped back without thinking:

"You didn't say anything, but isn't that exactly what you were planning to do?"

"Haven't you bullied Seraphina enough these past two years? Don't think I don't know!"

Before I could respond, Seraphina started crying again, pulling at Liam's wrist.

"Liam, please don't argue because of me. I'm really okay. I'm just an outsider. I'm already so happy to be able to go to school and live in such a big house."

"Aria, I'm willing to kneel and apologize to you. As long as you're happy, please don't make things difficult for Liam!"

In front of everyone, she knelt, her face filled with humiliation.

She quickly knocked her head three times, her forehead bleeding.

Liam couldn't bear to watch and pulled her up.

"Enough!"

"You don't need to bow to her. You haven't done anything wrong. She's the one who looks down on us!"

"In her eyes, all three of us are the same—dogs kept by the Hayes family, living only to amuse her!"

"Did I tell her to kneel? Are you deaf?"

Just as the words left my mouth, I spotted a familiar ring on Seraphina's hand as she wiped her forehead.

I lunged forward and grabbed her wrist.

"What's this?"

"Why is my ring with you?"

That ring was something I had started preparing a year ago.

I had spent a whole month painstakingly drawing the design myself.

All to give to Liam on our wedding day.

The ring was supposed to arrive last month but had been delayed.

And now it was on Seraphina's hand!

Liam pulled her behind him, stating righteously:

"I gave it to her."

"You have so many jewels and accessories; you won't miss this one."

"Seraphina just graduated college and needs to present herself well for job hunting, so I gave it to her. If you have any grievances, direct them at me!"

Noah maintained his usual playful demeanor, his words dripping with sarcasm.

"It's just a ring, isn't it? Tell us, how much? I'll pay you ten times the price."

His condescending attitude almost made me believe he earned that money himself.

Using my Hayes family money to pay me back? What audacity!

I took a deep breath, about to speak.

The guests around us were already whispering.

"I always heard the Hayes heiress was bossy. Today, I see it's true."

"The Sterling family was saved by the Hayes family after bankruptcy. I thought they'd found a benefactor, but it turns out they're just Aria's dogs."

"How pathetic! If I were to marry such a woman, I'd rather jump off a building!"

My nails dug sharply into my palms, and I squeezed out a sentence from my throat:

"Do you think your money wasn't given by the Hayes family?"

"You're very comfortable taking advantage, aren't you?"

Noah instantly bristled.

He was about to retort when Liam held him back.

"Fine, then no money. I'll pay with myself. Is that enough?"

"Is this the result you wanted?"

Seraphina yanked off the ring, knelt, and offered it to me with both hands, her voice trembling with tears.

"Aria, please don't make things difficult for Liam. It's all my fault. I don't want the ring; I don't want anything."

"If I had known this ring was so precious and would cost Liam his entire life to repay, I never would have accepted it. I'm giving it back to you!"

Liam tried to help her up, but Seraphina stubbornly pushed his hand away.

"Liam, please don't worry about me. This is between Aria and me. I can't drag you into this!"

Feeling utterly sarcastic, I pointed to the clothes she was wearing.

"Your clothes are mine too. Why don't you return those as well?"

"This bag, this dress, these earrings, and..."

Before I could finish, Seraphina stood up and began forcefully tearing at her clothes.

"Fine, I'll give them to you! I don't want any of it!"

"Liam, please don't worry about me. Your happiness is more important than mine!"

The dress was torn into rags and thrown onto the floor.

Seraphina ran out, almost naked.