Chapter 4
“Congratulations, Ms. Loretta! Sold!”
The auctioneer’s gavel came down hard, like it slammed straight into Jenny’s chest.
When the auction ended, Jenny trailed behind Samuel and Nadya like a ghost, her soul hollowed out.
She begged Samuel again, her voice trembling, “You know this pendant belonged to my mom. I’m willing to do anything–just let me have it.”
But Samuel just shrugged, like none of it concerned him. “I already gave it to Nadya. It’s hers now. If you want it, you’ll have to ask her.”
The thought of begging Nadya again made bile rise in her throat. The humiliation she endured trying to please her before still burned.
Jenny clenched her fists and lowered her head. “Ms. Loretta, please.”
But Nadya acted like she didn’t hear a word. She pointed at a beggar kneeling by the road and said lightly, “I don’t really care for this pendant anyway. Maybe I’ll give it to whoever kneels the best.”
At that, a few beggars immediately crowded around and dropped to their knees.
Smiling sweetly, Nadya dangled the crystal pendant between her fingers. and turned to Jenny. “So, Jenny, who do you think is kneeling best? Who should I give it to?”
Jenny stared at the pendant–her mother’s keepsake–just inches away. Her knees buckled. Eyes shut in despair, she dropped to the ground.
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“Well, well… I never thought the oh–so–noble Ms. Yvart would be groveling with beggars just to snatch something.”
Nadya grinned and snapped a photo of Jenny, then casually tossed the pendant. “Here. Take it.”
Jenny lunged to catch it, but Nadya had deliberately thrown it off course, straight into the middle of the busy road.
The beggars hesitated, not daring to run into traffic. But Jenny didn’t even blink–she charged forward.
Just as her fingers closed around the pendant, a car came barreling down.
the road.
With a sickening thud, her body was thrown into a pool of blood.
“Jenny!”
It happened so fast, even Samuel’s eyes filled with panic as he started running toward her.
But behind him, Nadya suddenly shricked, “Ouch! My ankle–I twisted it! It hurts!”
Without missing a beat, Samuel turned and ran to her instead.
He scooped her into his arms, like a knight rescuing a princess.
“Sammy…” Nadya leaned softly against his shoulder. “Jenny just got hit by a car, shouldn’t we take her to the hospital first?”
But Samuel’s voice held nothing but affection for Nadya. “I promised you I’d never let you get hurt again. No one else matters.”
Jenny’s vision blurred. Darkness closed in.
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幸幸車
When she opened her eyes again, a pair of wrinkled hands was gripping her fingertips tightly. “Jenny.”
Tears welled up instantly in Jenny’s eyes. “Dad…”
Ever since her mother passed, her father, Ryan Yvart, had spiraled into. alcoholism. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and the disease had been worsening ever since. Now, his mind was no sharper than that of a six–year–old.
He was supposed to be under full–time care at a nursing home…
“Dad, how did you get out?”
Ryan immediately wore a childlike pout. “It was Samuel. He said you got hurt. I had to come be with you.”
The moment Samuel’s name was mentioned, the memory of him abandoning her before she passed out came rushing back…
A fresh stab to her chest.
He knew her father couldn’t handle emotional stress, and yet he still dragged him here, just to watch his daughter lying there broken and bruised.
“I’m okay now, Dad.”
Jenny forced a smile, masking her exhaustion as she gently comforted him. “Do you remember Riley? The heiress from the Jensen family in Chicago? I’m going to marry her…”
“You’re marrying who?”
Samuel’s voice suddenly cut in from the doorway.
Chapter 5
