Chapter 4
Lina stood there, frozen, watching as the staff member carefully handed the bracelet over to Kylie. Kylie was all smiles, her eyes sparkling as she reached out to take it. But just as her fingers brushed the edge of the box, she let out a surprised “Oh!”
Clatter!–
The bracelet slipped right out, crashed onto the marble floor, and shattered into two sharp pieces.
For a split second, Lina couldn’t breathe. The only thing she could hear was the sharp, awful crack echoing in her ears.
Her mind went blank. Before she even realized it, she rushed forward, shoving Kylie aside and dropping to her knees, her hands shaking as she scrambled to gather the broken pieces.}
Bruno’s face darkened instantly. He steadied the stumbling Kylie, then shot Lina a cold look, his voice low and angry. “Lina, what are you doing?”
Lina’s eyes were red as she looked up, her voice trembling. “What am I doing? That bracelet was my grandmother’s! Didn’t you promise me you’d buy it back if you ever found it again? You don’t even remember, do you?”
Bruno paused, something flickering in his eyes, but it was gone just as fast. His face hardened.”
“That was ages ago. How am I supposed to remember something like that?” he said, his tone distant and more than a little annoyed. “And anyway, Kylie didn’t do it on purpose. How could you just push her like that?“}
Kylie’s eyes filled with tears. She clung to his sleeve, her voice small and apologetic. “I’m sorry, it’s my fault…“)
Bruno frowned, gently wiping away her tears. His voice was soft, almost soothing. “It’s not your fault.“}
Then he turned to Lina, his expression icy. “I’ll find someone to fix the bracelet. Don’t cause any more trouble.“}
With that, he put his arm around Kylie’s shoulders, picked up the two broken pieces, and walked out without looking back.}
Lina stayed rooted to the spot, staring after them. It felt like someone had ripped a chunk out of her chest. The pain was so sharp, she could barely breathe.
By the time the auction was over, it was pouring outside.
She stood at the entrance, watching as Bruno’s black Maybach sped off with Kylie inside.}
The venue was in the middle of nowhere. She waited half an hour for a cab, but none came. In the end, she had no choice but to walk
home in the rain.
By the time she got back, her feet were numb from pain. She kicked off her heels and hissed as a blood blister burst, her stockings sticking to the raw skin. The sting made her suck in a sharp breath.
She collapsed onto the couch and stared up at the ceiling, lost.”
Out of nowhere, a memory surfaced. A rainy night years ago, Bruno had carried her on his back for miles to the hospital. He hadn’t had money for a taxi back then, but he’d stubbornly refused to let her walk even a single step.
“Lina, just hold on a bit longer. We’re almost there,” he’d said.”
His back had been so warm. Even though the rain soaked her through, she remembered feeling happy.
And now? Now he drove million–dollar cars but couldn’t be bothered to wait for her, not even for five minutes.
She put some ointment on her feet, crawled into bed, and buried herself under the covers, letting sleep take her away.
She didn’t think about everything that had happened lately. Whenever she did, the heartbreak and resentment threatened to swallow her whole.
She never cared about Bruno, the city’s richest man. All she wanted was the Bruno who used to squeeze into shabby apartments with her, the one who’d laugh and kiss her.
But that Bruno was gone. He wasn’t coming back.
She squeezed her eyes shut and let the tears fall.
The next day, around noon, the sound of the door opening jolted her awake.
Bruno stood at the edge of her bed, perfectly put together in his suit. “There’s a family dinner tonight. You’re coming with me.”
