Chapter 2

“Nelly, are you really going to Lillie’s party?”

On the way there, Lloyd kept asking me nervously.

“Why are you asking that? Do you think I’m that petty?”

I laughed. He had been acting strange since last night.

“You’re the sweetest. How could you ever be petty?

“Let’s just give the gift and leave. Before our trip tomorrow, let’s enjoy a nice night at the estate.”

Lloyd gently caressed my head and held me close to comfort me.

I knew he did not want me to go. He was afraid I would ruin Lillie’s party.

But I was leaving tonight. Before I left, I wanted to say goodbye to the past.

The party was to celebrate Lillie’s success. When I walked in, the noise stopped. Everyone fell silent.

Lillie froze when she saw me, but she quickly smiled and hugged me warmly.

“Nelly! My dear friend! I was worried you were mad and wouldn’t come.”

“There’s nothing to be mad about in fair competition. Congrats, Lillie!”

I said “fair competition” with an implication. Lillie let go of me awkwardly and smiled nervously.

“You actually dared to come here,” Lillie said softly, but her tone was provoking.

“A thief threw a party. How couldn’t I come?”

Lillie’s face changed. She looked at me suspiciously. “Can’t you just admit you lost? Do you really think your plan was that perfect?”

She held my arm tighter. Lillie did not think I would reveal the truth since Lloyd was involved, too. She smiled slyly and said, “Even if you know the truth, I’m still the one who won.”

I sneered and pulled my hand away without saying anything.

Clink...

I heard the clink of a bracelet and looked at her wrist.

My face instantly changed.

It was the Heart of Ruby that was worth millions. Everyone in the mafia knew it symbolized who the Becker family’s lady was. Lloyd promised to give it to me after I had a child, but Lillie was the one wearing it openly.

Lillie showed me her wrist and said proudly, “Lloyd gave me this for the celebration. Isn’t it beautiful?”

Lloyd did not care about how I felt. It crushed my last hope.

I gave her a cold look and was about to speak when she suddenly swung her hand in front of my face.

“Ah! No!”

I quickly raised my hand to stop her. Lillie fell, and the Heart of Ruby shattered into pieces.

“Nelly, I can give you the Heart of Ruby if you want! Why did you try to snatch it?” Lillie cried in front of everyone.

“That’s the Heart of Ruby! Lloyd gave it to Lillie?”

“See? The Becker family still doesn’t accept Nelly.”

“She’s just an orphan with no background. Does she really think marrying Lloyd makes her the lady of the Becker family?”

People gossiped about me. Lloyd rushed over, but the first thing he did was help Lillie up.

“It’s my fault for losing my balance. The Heart of Ruby is broken.”

Lillie cried in his arms.

Lloyd looked a little tense when he saw the broken Heart of Ruby on the floor, but he still comforted Lillie. “It’s okay. It’s not your fault.”

He looked at me and said accusingly, “I gave Lillie the bracelet. You shouldn’t be mad at her.”

I looked at him coldly. Lloyd noticed something was off and let go of Lillie. Then, he said we should leave.

“Let’s go now. The chef has made a big dinner for us at the estate. Tomorrow, we’ll leave for our vacation.”

He ignored Lillie, who was trying to stop him. We left the party holding hands.

As we walked away, I softly asked, “Why did you give her the Heart of Ruby?”

Lloyd looked a little guilty. “Lillie’s position in the Gacira family isn’t stable. She just had a big victory and wanted the Heart of Ruby to show off. I only lent it to her. I didn’t give it to her.”

He knew Lillie’s position was unstable but did not care about how awkward it made things for me in the Becker family.

I smiled and responded without any emotion.