Chapter 3
In Brynlee's and Giovanni's narrative, everything about me had become nothing more than an outdated relic to be replaced.
My heart hurt so much that it went numb.
Just then, the livestream camera casually swept across a corner of the desk.
My breath caught in my throat.
There lay an open jewelry case.
On the deep blue velvet lining rested a ring.
It wasn't just any diamond ring.
It was an exquisitely unique orchid-shaped ring. Its petals were intricately encrusted with delicate blue diamonds, while the center featured a rare blood ruby that shimmered with an enigmatic and luxurious glow under the light.
That was "Orchid Tears".
Orchid Tears, the world-renowned luxury jewelry brand, unveiled its crowning achievement this year. It was a globally exclusive, one-of-a-kind masterpiece.
The day the design sketches for Orchid Tears were first unveiled, they sent shockwaves through the jewelry world and were instantly hailed as a "masterpiece of the soul."
Countless A-list celebrities clamored for it, yet not a single one was deemed worthy to even touch it.
It was too mysterious, too expensive, and... utterly out of reach.
But now, it lay on Giovanni's desk.
And it was right there, captured on Brynlee's livestream for all to see.
The answer couldn't be more obvious now.
The live chat exploded.
"Oh my god! Is that Orchid Tears?!"
"Definitely! That orchid design, that ruby center. No way it's anything else!"
"Priceless! I heard even royalty couldn't get their hands on it!"
"It's on Mr. Combs's desk! Who else could it be for?!"
"OMG, is Mr. Combs proposing?! Brynlee!"
"Brynlee, you're so lucky! Mr. Combs is spoiling her rotten!"
"Victoria, are you seeing this? Now this is true love! That cheap necklace of yours is trash!"
Topics like "Orchid Tears, True Love Witness" and "Brynlee Case, the Future Mrs. Combs" went explosive.
Brynlee pretended to just notice the camera catching the ring. She gasped in feigned surprise and clumsily fumbled to snap the box shut, a blush creeping up her cheeks. With a playful pout, she chided, "Oh my, you guys are too sharp-eyed! This... can't be filmed! Giovanni wanted to keep it under wraps!"
Her clumsy cover-up only made it painfully obvious.
It worked wonders.
The livestream's viewership skyrocketed to become the top trending on the platform.
The hashtag "Orchid Tears Spotted In Combs Group CEO's Office" suddenly rocketed to number one on the trending list.
The whole world 'knew' now.
Rumor had it that Giovanni splurged a fortune on the priceless "Orchid Tears" and was about to propose to his new flame, Brynlee.
And I, the ex still clinging to my place, had utterly become the world's laughingstock.
My phone vibrated again.
It was Giovanni.
This time, it wasn't a text. It was a phone call.
I stared at "Giovanni" pulsing on my screen, as if I were facing a venomous snake.
The phone kept ringing.
A second before it went to voicemail, I finally swiped to answer.
I remained silent.
On the other end, Giovanni's voice was deep and detached as always, utterly devoid of emotion.
Giovanni said, "Just ignore what's online. The ring is just a sample sent by Orchid Tears for collaboration talks. Brynlee was merely assisting with a promotional shoot. Just stay put at home. Once this blows over, it will be fine."
He just casually dismissed the fact.
He explained away the ring, stood up for Brynlee, and casually put me under house arrest again.
And what about all the insults, cyberbullying, and the sheer humiliation of being stripped bare for all to see these past few days?
He didn't mention a single word about it as if it were nothing more than meaningless background noise.
He didn't even bother to concoct a more convincing lie.
A sample? Promotional material? What a joke.
A one-of-a-kind, billion-dollar "Orchid Tears" masterpiece—did it really need to be delivered to Giovanni's office, with Brynlee the "actress" playing along for the publicity?
I let out a humorless laugh.
I clutched my phone, my fingertips ice-cold with despair.
"Giovanni," I said, my voice eerily calm, even to my own ears. "I want a divorce. The signed papers are on the coffee table in the living room. I'll have Madison pack up your things."
Dead silence lingered on the other end of the line.
The silence stretched on for so long, and I actually wondered if he'd hung up.
Then, I heard his voice, colder than before, with a trace of... anger.
Giovanni said coldly, "Victoria, stop making a scene. I know how to handle Brynlee. Don't bring up divorce again."
The line went dead, leaving only the cold dial tone in my ear.
He hung up, clean and decisive.
It was like hanging up on a random telemarketer—quick and indifferent.
The dial tone droned in my ear as I slowly lowered my phone, feeling utterly empty inside.
Outside the window, the city's neon lights still flickered, their glow reflected in my hollow eyes.
Acting up? So that was what it was. All my agony and resolve were just 'acting up' to him."
So be it. Giovanni, this was your choice.
The divorce papers lay silently on the coffee table.
I picked up the pen and, with deliberate strokes, signed my name, Victoria Burke, at the bottom of the divorce papers.