On stage lay a stone ring–roughly made and unappealing to look at.
One by one, bid paddles were lowered. No one was interested in buying such an unattractive item, especially since it seemed worthless.
Oliver gazed at it for a while before recognizing the ring.
“Isn’t this the one you gave me that I discarded? You actually snuck it back. How pathetic.”
This ring was part of my wedding gift from my mother–a–stone she personally selected, and Father polished by hand.
The gem was said to be a natural rarity, formed over thousands of years of weathering, valued at tens of billions. It was extremely hard, capable of slicing through human bone effortlessly.
My parents gave me this ring as a symbol of self–protection, a reminder that they would always protect me no matter what.
But years ago, when Oliver was stranded on an icy mountain, I placed this ring on his finger, hoping to transfer all my luck to him and save his life.
He survived, but when I rescued him, I lost my balance and fell. The gem caused a deep cut on my chest, and the ring was buried in the snow.
“You probably don’t know–I deliberately scraped it against your chest to make that wound. That way, I could discard it without hesitation. Such an ugly ring, especially since it came from you? I wanted nothing to do with it.”
My eyes burned with unshed tears, yet my heart felt void of emotion.
I repeated, “I’ll bid on it.”
A few wealthy playboys made half–hearted bids, driving the price up to 500,000–the entirety of my remaining sav- ings.
When a young woman attempted to place a malicious bid just for amusement, Oliver instinctively stopped her.
He looked at my messy appearance and sneered, “You still cling to something I discarded as if it’s valuable? Such a sycophant. Fine, I’ll let you off the 500,000. Don’t forget–you’re a Talbot, and remember how your family once hu- miliated mine. Remember how I never loved you, yet you shamelessly held onto me.”
With that, he lost interest and left, surrounded by a dozen women.
Holding the stone ring my parents had given me the one I had lost and now recovered–I smiled with genuine happi-
ness.
My parents were gone, but the ring’s return felt like a sign that they were watching over me.
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Chapter 2
Sadly, I only had three days left to live.
As I laughed, my chest suddenly tightened, my vision faded to black, and I’collapsed to the ground.
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The doctor suggested I remain in the hospital to prevent the gravel in my heart from shifting, allowing me a few more days to live.
I dismissed the advice and decided to head back to Oliver’s villa.
I thought, “Why extend my life for a few more days only to endure Oliver’s torment? I’d prefer to be freed sooner and reunite with my parents and sister.”
Upon returning home, I found the dining table bustling, yet there was no seat for me.
Oliver glanced over and barked, “You actually came back? Do you even know what time it is? Kelly cried from hunger because you didn’t cook today! You’re not allowed to eat for the next few days.”
Ignoring him, I walked straight past the dining room. “Whatever.”
Oliver scowled, quickly covering the distance in a few strides, seizing my wrist, and slamming me against the wall.
My heart throbbed intensely, sending waves of pain through my insides, and making me feel nauseous.
Just as Oliver was about to berate me, he noticed the multitude of scratches on the wrist he was gripping.
Those were the scars I had absentmindedly scratched whenever I couldn’t handle the pain in my heart.
“How dare you harm yourself?” Oliver leaned closer, his eyes filled with anger. “After I suffered three years of hu- miliation, you want to throw a fit after only a few days of trouble? Let me tell you–your family is bankrupt, and I bought your life with money! Do you think you can die without my consent? Not a chance! I’ll ensure you experience suffering worse than death!”
I gazed at the man I had loved for almost ten years, the one who had consumed my youth and most of my life, and he seemed more like a stranger.
In a monotone voice, I repeated, “Whatever.”
In a burst of fury, Oliver ripped off my coat and carried me to the couch in front of everyone.
Logically, I should have felt embarrassed or excited that I was finally with the man I loved, or even shot a defiant look at
o badly that I felt nothing. I fainted from the pain.
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