Chapter 4

I glanced at Jessica.

She silently fiddled with the flowers. She seemingly agreed with what Henry had said.

"I can afford the fees for my dad's burial plot. As for you, if you're worried your descendants won't be able to afford yours, you can let them know in advance and have your ashes scattered at sea," I said.

Henry's lips twitched. "I'm sorry, Mr. Ludwig. I was just saying whatever came to mind. I'm really sorry I offended you."

Jessica immediately stepped in front of Henry. "Hunter, he didn't mean anything by it. Why are you being so harsh?"

When Henry insulted me, she had stayed silent.

The moment I hurled insults back at him, Jessica couldn't stand it.

Seeing that we were about to argue, Mom hurried over to stop us. "Hunter, that's enough. Today is the anniversary of your dad's passing. Don't argue."

Henry also apologized. "I'm really sorry, Mrs. Ludwig. I didn't think before I spoke, and I upset you. Please accept my apology."

He apologized with words, but there wasn't a trace of sincerity in his expression. His eyes kept wandering around.

His attention soon landed on the jade bracelet around Mom's wrist.

"Mrs. Ludwig, that bracelet is beautiful. It's real jade, isn't it? I've never seen real jade before. Could you take it off and let me have a closer look?"

Before Mom or I could say anything, Jessica answered for us. "It's no big deal. Mrs. Ludwig, just take it off and let him see it."

I stepped in front of Mom and refused. "No. That's the token of love from my dad. It's very precious to her."

"Looking at it won't break it. You're being way too stingy."

"Yeah, I'm not as generous as you. You spent one grand on a hundred photos and didn't even want a discount."

"Hunter, do you really have to keep bringing up the past?"

Seeing us arguing again, Mom took off the bracelet herself. "Alright. That's enough. Stop arguing. He's only taking a look. It's fine."

But after going to all that trouble to get his hands on it, how could Henry have intended to merely look at it?

As he reached out to take it, he deliberately loosened his grip.

Clatter.

The bracelet Mom had worn for thirty years, the bracelet that carried so many precious memories, shattered across the ground.

For a moment, my heart stopped beating.

Henry put on an exaggerated expression and ran toward me while apologizing. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Ludwig! My hand slipped!"

"Get lost!" I raised my hand and intended to push him away, but before I could even touch him, Henry deliberately fell backward with the motion and hit the ground. He scraped his hand badly enough to draw blood.

"Henry!" Jessica instinctively rushed over to help him up.

When she saw that he was hurt, she glared at me furiously. "It was only a broken bracelet. I'll pay you whatever it costs. Was there any need to hurt someone?"

"That was my dad's keepsake. Do you really think it's just some worthless bracelet?"

"No matter how valuable something is, that doesn't give you the right to hurt someone."

Mom wiped away her tears and defended me from the side. "Jessica, I saw what happened. Hunter didn't push him. He lost his balance himself."

Jessica glanced at Henry.

Henry lowered his head. "Whatever Mrs. Ludwig says goes."

Jessica immediately became angry. "You're his mother, so of course you're going to defend him!"

Jessica supported Henry as they slowly walked away.

Mom tried to go after them, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head bitterly. "Forget it, Mom."

Jessica didn't even treat me like her partner anymore. Why should I keep chasing after her and humiliating myself?

I picked up the broken pieces of the bracelet from the ground.

I had just retrieved my phone to see if I could find someone who'd repair it when I received an email from headquarters about a new work assignment.

Jessica and I gave each other the silent treatment for several days before she finally took the initiative to text me.

[I'm sorry about what happened the other day. I was upset and said things without thinking. Don't take it to heart.]