Chapter 3

I must've heard wrong.

I grabbed Amani by the arm, forcing her to turn and look at me.

"You seriously don't remember me? I'm Briella, the one who supported you!" I said.

Amani looked startled, her smile faltering as she seemed wronged.

She said, "Oh, I'm sorry, but Mrs. Elliott has always been the one who helped me..."

I was fuming and said, "I am Mrs. Elliott! I was at your graduation last month. You recognized me back then, didn't you?"

Amani said, "I... I swear, I really don't know what you're talking about..."

Tears instantly filled Amani's eyes, and her voice cracked as she spoke.

Raelynn shouted, "That's enough!"

She smacked my hand away hard, then stepped protectively in front of Amani, frowning at me.

Raelynn said, "I know you hate me for taking William, but that's between us. If you have a problem, come at me. Why are you making things hard for her?"

Some one said, "Damn, that's exactly how a real sponsor should act!"

"For real! If you actually care about someone, you treat them like your own kid. Who could just grab her and interrogate her like that?"

"Oh, dear, Raelynn is not just generous. She's genuinely kind. She and Mr. Elliott are total endgame!"

"What is wrong with Briella? Stealing Raelynn's man wasn't enough, and now she's trying to leech off Raelynn's charity too? How can someone be this low?"

The cameras flashed wildly, zeroing in on us. I stared at Amani, who was hiding behind Raelynn, completely stunned.

"Amani..." I called out, my voice trembling.

Amani's eyes darted away, refusing to meet mine.

She blinked, tears already brimming in her eyes.

"Please, I really don't know you... Don't treat me like this," Amani pleaded.

"Briella!" Raelynn snapped, pulling Amani protectively behind her, her eyes sharp and full of warning as she glared at me.

"I... I won't let you lay a finger on her!" Raelynn said, her voice shaky but firm.

A loose strand of hair drifted across Raelynn's face, brushing her lashes and brow. But her eyes burned with a stubborn strength. She looked heartbreakingly fragile yet unbreakable, like a white rose weathering every storm but never bowing her head.

The crowd whispered, "Poor Raelynn! It's all that bitch's fault!"

"I can't take this anymore! Someone's gotta teach that bitch a lesson!"

"Guys, don't just go after her! I swear I saw that car in one of Raelynn's posts. Is she trying to ride Raelynn's coattails again?"

"Go on! Smash that piece of junk!"

"No!" I yelled, panic gripping my chest.

My heart dropped.

But it was already too late. Someone spun around and charged at my car, grabbing a bat and smashing it into the windshield.

Inside, my daughter Kate screamed her lungs out, the sound tearing through the chaos.

"Damn! That bitch's kid is just a spoiled brat! What's with all the crying? Keep it up and I'll drag you out and smack you!" someone shouted.

"Kate!" I screamed, trying to rush to her.

But before I could get anywhere, a high heel shot out and tripped me, knocking me flat on my face.

Raelynn stood over me, arms crossed, looking down with a cold, mocking smile.

Someone yanked me to my feet and slapped me hard across the face.

"Raelynn gave you a chance to walk away, but you just wouldn't leave until you got hit, huh?"

"You bitch! I'm gonna beat you to death today!"

My mouth was bleeding. I bit down hard on someone's hand, making him howl and yank it away.

Gritting my teeth, I ripped off my wedding ring and hurled it straight at his face.

"I'm William's wife! You'll all pay for this!" I shouted, my voice shaking with fury.

Someone snatched the ring out of the air, and as soon as they got a good look at it, their whole expression froze in shock.

"The Star Oath? That's the insanely expensive ring Mr. Elliott bought years ago. There's only one like it in the world! How did she get her hands on it?"

"Wait, didn't Mr. Elliott say he was saving that for his wedding ring?"

I spat blood onto the ground and shot them a cold, hard look.

"Let me go, and I won't hold this against you," I said.

"Seriously? You think you can pull this off with something so cheap-looking?" someone sneered.

Suddenly, another ring, almost identical to the Star Oath, was tossed over.

Raelynn fished a ring out of her purse, her eyes full of disdain as she looked at me.

"Briella, I can't believe you'd go this far just to imitate me. Even a knockoff Star Oath costs a pretty penny," she scoffed.

My breath hitched. "Impossible... He won that ring at auction and slipped it onto my finger himself! Where did you even get your hands on a knockoff?"

Raelynn's hand cracked across my cheek, her eyes blazing with fury.

"I'm done with you! I've let it slide again and again, but you just keep trying to mooch off me and my husband!" she snapped.

Raelynn pulled out a thick stack of documents from her bag and threw the whole pile right at my face.