Chapter 2
The gunshot wound on her shoulder hadn’t been treated. By nightfall, Tamara was burning with fever.
Her throat was dry and raw, the taste of iron making her frown.
She struggled out of bed to get some water when she heard laughter outside the window.
Two weeks ago, Darwin brought Bella home because he was worried that she couldn’t take care of herself.
Since then, they chatted late into the night–every night.
Tamara thought she was used to it. But for some reason, her hand trembled, and the glass slipped from her fingers.
Water splashed across the floor, shards of glass scattering like her heart-
and impossible to piece back together.
shatter
She forced herself up.
That’s when she saw Darwin teaching Bella how to shoot.
He stood behind her, eyes full of tenderness.
Their bodies were almost pressed together.
A sharp pain stabbed through Tamara’s chest. Years ago, Darwin had taught her like this too. Back then, his gaze was gentle but tinged with at sorrow she didn’t understand.
Chapter
Now, she did.
He was never looking at her. Only in the shadow of someone else.
Despite his patience, Bella kept missing the target.
Her face dimmed with disappointment.
Seeing this, Darwin turned back to the room. When he came out again, he was holding a slingshot.
“You need to work on your aim first. That gun’s too heavy. Try this.”
Bella hesitated as she took the slingshot.
“Will… this even work?”
Darwin smiled dotingly. “Well, don’t underestimate it. I practiced with this when I was a kid. I’ll teach you.”
“Okay.”
The gloom vanished from Bella’s face.
But after searching around, they couldn’t find any decent stones.
Darwin frowned slightly, then took off the ring from his right hand.
“Try this.”
Bella’s eyes lit up, but she hesitated. “Darwin, that’s your wedding ring. Isn’t it… wrong to use it?”
She wasn’t wrong. That ring was his wedding band–the one Tamara had. personally designed for their wedding.
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Chapter 2
She had locked herself in the study for three months, scrapping thousands of sketches before finally creating the perfect design.
The diamond had been small, but it carried all her love.
But Darwin only chuckled, indifferent. “So what? It’s just a rock. Try it- it might work even better.”
Hearing this, Tamara froze. Her blood ran cold.
Bella, however, smiled with satisfaction.
She eagerly loaded the diamond onto the slingshot.
Aimed.
Released.
Perfect shot.
The diamond shot straight into the bullseye. Snap! The stone split from the band shattered into two pieces and fell to the ground.
At that moment, Tamara walked out, expressionless. Her gaze slowly dropped to the broken ring lying on the floor
Seeing her, Bella’s face instantly went pale.
“M–Ms. Saunders… don’t blame Darwin. I begged him to teach me. If you’re upset, be mad at me. Don’t take it out on him.”
Tamara stayed silent.
But Bella’s trembling act only stirred Darwin’s protectiveness.
His face darkened, eyes full of reproach as he looked at Tamara.
Chapter 2
“Tamara, you know Bella scares easily. Why frighten her? Have you already forgotten what I said yesterday?”
Tamara stared at him for a long moment–then suddenly smiled.
She stepped forward, picked up the broken ring, and studied it carefully in her hand, voice low.
“I don’t dare.”
Something strange twisted in Darwin’s chest.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but couldn’t find the words.
Finally, after a long pause, he squeezed out, “I’ll have it fixed.”
He meant the ring.
But before he could finish, Tamara casually tossed it into the lake.
“No need,” she said.
Darwin froze, his face tightening with anger. But before he could explode, Tamara suddenly collapsed with a dull thud.
The last thing she saw before losing consciousness was Darwin sprinting toward her in a panic.
