Chapter 4

To protect Margaret, Philbert got his arm smashed by one of the thugs the other side brought in, who was swinging a stick.

Even though his whole body shook from the pain, he kept shielding her with his body, not daring to let go until the cops finally showed up.

I stared at the screen, zoning out at the sight of his blood-soaked back.

So he really was the same boy who once took a bottle for me back when we were just kids.

Now, he'd fight just as hard for another girl.

I forced a bitter smile. Something was stuck in my chest, making it hard to breathe.

I couldn't even tell if this was pain or just heartache.

The female cop beside me gave me a look full of sympathy.

Not wanting to embarrass myself any further, I kept my composure.

I paid the bail in a hurry and left right away.

The night wind hit me hard, and my steps felt unsteady in the cold.

"Pearl!" Philbert hurried after me, his voice rough as he stopped me.

"I can explain what happened today. He framed Margaret for deliberately damaging a competitor's piano, and even threatened to destroy her reputation," he said.

As he spoke, Philbert grew more agitated, his eyes filling with pain every time he remembered the details.

"There's no way a sweet, innocent girl like Margaret should have to suffer this kind of injustice," he went on.

Yeah, right. Sweet and innocent.

Watching his eyes go red, I couldn't help but feel how twisted it all was.

Margaret, hiding behind that sweet mask, and my husband, together, they slowly drove me to the edge of despair.

I still remembered how she slipped centipedes into my bouquet, totally humiliating me right there at the wedding in front of everyone.

Philbert covered for her, claiming she just wanted to make things more fun.

When I was six months pregnant, she didn't stop a stray dog from knocking me over, and that was how I lost the baby.

Philbert said it was my fault, that I had no one to blame but myself for losing the child.

Even worse, she deliberately put sleeping pills in my water, just so I never got to say goodbye to my grandma.

And Philbert just shrugged it off with a casual, "She's still young. It's normal for kids to be clueless."

Barely keeping it together, I forced myself to look him in the eye. "So what?"

His tone was sharp, not giving me any chance to refuse. "Pearl, go help Margaret out and explain to the organizers. Just say you accidentally broke the piano keys."

"Are you crazy? Why should I take the fall for her?" I jerked my hand free, and the cold seeped into my bones.

Seeing this, Margaret suddenly threw herself into Philbert's arms, her voice thick with emotion.

"I really just bumped into it by accident. I was afraid people would misunderstand, so I didn't dare say anything.

"Philbert, please don't force Pearl. It's all on me," she said, her voice shaking.

Philbert pulled her into a tight hug, then shot me a look of pure contempt.

"Pearl, Margaret's your own sister.

"She's about to compete. This is the opportunity she's spent three years preparing for," he urged. "She's not like you. Her life is just beginning. Are you really okay with watching her future go down the drain?"

Margaret shook her head, her eyes red as she tugged at Philbert's sleeve.

"Just stop, okay? Pearl can't stand me. She'd never help me," she said, her voice trembling.

I watched her play the victim, then glanced at Philbert, who looked like he was about to explode.

It was as if, just for saying no, I'd instantly become the unforgivable villain.

But I went out of my way to sell my most beloved piano, just to help Philbert get his business off the ground.

He promised me, "Once I make it, I'll get you an even better one."

And now, he wanted me to take the fall for the girl he worshiped, to shoulder a crime I didn't even commit.

This was so unfair.

Shaking with rage, I threw my bag at Philbert.

My voice was raw, on the verge of breaking. "Philbert, don't forget I'm your wife, not her, not Margaret!" I shouted.

"I can let her take my place, but that doesn't mean you get to keep treating me like this over and over."

Margaret's lips quivered, and she looked heartbreakingly vulnerable, like someone you couldn't help but feel sorry for. "Pearl... I didn't."

Suddenly, Philbert slapped me hard across the face.

My head snapped to the side, ears buzzing, as tears streamed down my cheeks.

I could see the shock on Philbert's face; he was stunned for a moment, then quickly looked away.

"I... I didn't mean to," Philbert muttered, his voice trembling.