Chapter 3

A metallic taste flooded my mouth as fury erupted from the depths of my chest.

"This isn't your home, Mable. You can't just slap anyone you like in public. Are you out of your mind?" I snapped.

Mable pulled her hand back, then lifted her chin. "You're just a singer at a bar," she said, completely unbothered. "What does it matter if I slap a bar girl who's upsetting the guests? Today, I'm teaching you a lesson on Dad's behalf."

Lester slid his arm around her waist, showing clear support for her.

The people who'd been fawning over him earlier saw this as a perfect opportunity to curry favor.

"We can all testify that you insulted Mrs. Kaine first before she said anything. Even if the police arrive, nothing can change that."

"Exactly. How dare a mere bar girl cause such a scene! She's downright malicious for slandering Mr. Kaine and trying to drive a wedge between the husband and wife. She deserves a slap. That'll teach her a lesson."

With everyone taking her side, Mable grew bold. She raised her other hand to slap my other cheek, but I swiftly turned and avoided it.

She hadn't expected me to move. Losing her balance, her body pitched forward, but Lester caught her in time.

Badly shaken, she collapsed into his arms and panted dramatically.

"Enough, Erica! Mable's pregnant, so how could you try to hurt her?" Lester barked.

I shot him a mocking look. "Are you blind? She tried to slap me, so I stepped out of the way. She brought this on herself."

Mable clung to his arm as tears brimmed in her eyes. "Babe, she must be jealous that I'm carrying your child. That's why she's picking on me… You have to stand up for the baby!"

Watching her play victim made my blood boil.

In my previous life, her husband died in an accident, and I took her in out of pity. But she exchanged flirtatious glances with Lester right under my nose and ended up sneaking around together on our balcony.

I clenched my fists tightly. I hadn't even confronted her in this present life, yet she'd come straight at me.

Just then, a sudden scream cut through the room. A woman pointed at the floor by Mable's feet and shrieked, "Look, Mrs. Kaine! Did Erica step on and break something of yours?"

When Mable looked down, she gasped in shock at the sight of the shattered green shards lying on the floor.

"That was a gift Mr. Caspian gave Lester a few days back—an emerald bracelet made of rare, trapiche emerald. It has mind-calming properties, yet you broke it!"

Gasps rippled through the room.

"She's done for. Mr. Kaine is Mr. Caspian's nephew, and Mrs. Kaine is carrying a Kaine baby. That was probably a gift from Mr. Caspian to the baby."

Two months ago, Caspian had given me a box of emerald jewelry too. I wasn't very interested in emerald pieces and ended up randomly choosing a diamond signet ring. He likely gave the remaining pieces away as gifts.

Though none of them were as valuable as the signet ring, they were still pieces made of exceptionally fine emerald.

Mable's eyes flashed with a vicious glint. "Get the manager here. Erica broke my bracelet, either she gets fired and pays for it, or I’m calling the police."

I let out a cold, disbelieving laugh. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Mable. I'm not someone you can pick on."

She scoffed, unfazed, while the room erupted in mocking laughter.

Lester's expression turned icy. He stepped forward and said, "You broke a piece of jewelry worth millions of dollars, yet show no remorse. You really don't know your place, Erica."