Chapter 3

I had barely slept when a loud noise snapped me awake.

I opened my eyes to see a little girl with a mischievous grin leaning over my bed, shrieking just to mess with me.

My heart skipped a beat. I broke out in a cold sweat, instinctively pushing her off the bed.

The girl burst into tears. Nathan and Caroline rushed in at the sound.

Lily threw herself sobbing into Caroline's arms, pointing at me. "That bad woman hit me!"

Nathan's face darkened instantly. He glared at me coldly. "Emma, Lily was just trying to wake you up for lunch. Was it really necessary to hit her?"

Caroline anxiously checked Lily, and when she pulled up Lily's sleeve, a nasty bruise came into view.

Nathan's eyes filled with pain, as if he might break down in tears.

But I couldn't tear my eyes away from the silver bracelet on Lily's wrist.

That bracelet was mine when I was a kid. The orphanage director once told me that when she took me in, she found a letter and this bracelet tucked in with me. It was the only keepsake my birth parents ever left behind.

I gritted my teeth and snapped, "Who gave you permission to touch my things?"

Nathan slammed the water cup off the nightstand. "Emma, are you done making a scene? You actually hit a kid! Do you have any compassion at all? And now you even care about some stupid bracelet?"

My heart felt like it was being squeezed, the pain so sharp that I could barely breathe.

Nathan knew exactly how much that bracelet meant to me. It was the only clue I had to my parents, and the only thing that let me believe they might have loved me.

But knowing full well how much it mattered to me, he still called it a stupid bracelet.

All the love I'd held onto for years shattered completely in that moment.

I closed my eyes, releasing my grip on the blanket. My voice shook as I said, "I'm exhausted, Nathan. Let's get a divorce."

Nathan's eyes, still blazing with anger, suddenly went wide. Then he started laughing, pure sarcasm in his voice.

He said, "Emma, just because of a worthless bracelet, you want to divorce me? Have you lost it?"

I glared at him, all those bottled-up feelings finally exploding. I yelled, "That bracelet is the only thing my parents left me!"

He let out a cold, mocking laugh, his words cutting deep. "You've spent your whole life holding onto the hope you'd find them, but after all these years, you're still nothing but an abandoned orphan, aren't you?"

His words felt like a dagger straight to my heart, making me shake uncontrollably.

There was a time when Nathan would feel sorry for me, even shed tears over my story. Now, he just tore open my scars without mercy, throwing that 'abandoned orphan' label right in my face.

I stared at him, so angry that I was left speechless.

He seemed to realize he'd crossed the line, instinctively reaching out to pull me back.

Just then, Caroline quickly snatched the bracelet from Lily, wiped it on her shirt, and handed it to me, her eyes red and looking all sad and sorry.

She said, "Emma, I didn't know this bracelet meant so much to you. It's all my fault. Please don't be mad at Nathan and me.

"And please, don't take it out on Lily. She's just a little kid; she can't handle this kind of hurt." As she spoke, she pressed Lily down, trying to make her bow.

She said, "Apologize to Mrs. Moore."

Lily's eyes darted around, and then she cried her heart out. "Mrs. Moore, I'm sorry, it was my fault. Next time, if you have to hit me, please be gentle. I promise I won't make a sound. Please don't be mad at my daddy and mommy."

When Nathan saw the bruise on Lily's arm, his anger flared right back up.

He scooped Lily into his arms and shot Caroline a look, keeping his voice low. "Why make a kid apologize? She doesn't even get it."

"It's just a bracelet. If Lily wants to play with it, let her. She's not gonna break it," he said like it was no big deal.

Watching them put on their little performance together, I just felt sick to my stomach.

With all that drama, maybe they should audition for a soap opera instead.

I shot them a cold, mocking smile, not bothering to hide my disgust. "Get out."

Nathan glared at me, his eyes filled with confusion and disbelief, like he was saying, "Emma, what happened to you?"

Then, holding Lily close, he turned and walked out without looking back.

Caroline shot me a hard glare, finally dropping that helpless little mask she'd been wearing all this time.

The happy little family left the room one after another, and as the door clicked shut behind them, I was just left feeling utterly exhausted.

I collapsed back onto the bed, completely spent, letting my mind go blank.