Chapter 2
"Claire's the one who's crazy enough to jump. If she really messed herself up, that's on her. She should deal with her own mess. Rachel, don't waste your sympathy on that idiot," he snorted.
"And even if she did break a couple bones, so what? She'll be fine in no time. No need to make a big deal out of it," he added, rolling his eyes.
"Hey, Edward?" Rachel snickered.
"Remember when the neighbor's dog fell from the balcony and walked it off? Claire can't be more fragile than that, can she?"
She kept calling me "Claire" like we were friends, but there wasn't a hint of respect in her tone.
Edward wasn't dumb. He could hear the shade loud and clear.
He just didn't care how people insulted me. In fact, he actually liked it.
Especially when it was Rachel, his childhood friend and the girl he always carried a torch for.
They both came down to the yard together.
Rachel rushed over to me, putting on a show of concern. "Claire, you really scared me just now! Why would you do something so crazy? Are you alright?"
Edward just stood there, watching me with a cold, indifferent gaze, taking in my awkward, off-balance stance.
On top of that, I was covered in dirt, and my clothes were all scratched up from the branches.
I looked like I'd just crawled out of a dumpster, all scratched up and filthy.
Edward clicked his tongue, looking annoyed, and didn't bother coming any closer.
"Claire, you really suck at this whole drama thing," he sneered.
He gave another look at where I'd landed.
There was something weird in the grass, like a mechanical part, catching the moonlight with a metallic gleam.
He probably noticed it, but he didn't bother to think twice.
He just shrugged, sounding almost bored. "What a shame. The flowers and grass are all ruined."
I knew the person he cared about most was Rachel.
But I never realized the fact that...
Even some random flower or patch of grass in the yard was worth more to him than my life.
All those years I gave him, and this was what they amounted to.
"Claire, look what you've done. You scared Rachel half to death with your little stunt," Edward said, pointing at me with that usual look of annoyance.
"Here's the deal. Apologize to Rachel, and we'll just forget this ever happened. I won't bother blaming you for your dramatic leap," he added.
He wouldn't bother blaming me?
Suddenly, I was just the crazy, attention-seeking bitch who jumped off the balcony.
But the truth was that Rachel shoved me, and yet he expected me to apologize to the person who tried to kill me.
My speech system was still fried. I tried to speak, but... nothing. Not a single word came out.
Edward's annoyance only grew at my silence.
"Of all the times to pull this stunt, you just had to wait until I brought Rachel back, huh?" he sneered.
"Claire, if you're jealous of how close Rachel and I are, just spit it out! Just say you're jealous! Why go through all this drama at our home?" he barked.
His voice was rising as he grew more and more worked up.
Honestly, I was a little surprised.
Edward actually acknowledged that this villa was our home.
But he kept bringing different women back, again and again, just to humiliate me, to get under my skin, just to watch me go crazy with jealousy.
But it never worked.
Her core programming was simple. She would take my place and love Edward, no matter what, for the rest of his life.
So she'd never give him a cold shoulder or show even a hint of impatience.
She'd never get mad, never feel jealous, and never get upset.
She'd never have a single complaint about anything he did.
Wasn't this exactly the kind of perfect wife Edward always wanted?
So why was he still not satisfied?