Chapter 6

Vincent's POV

"I'm begging you," I said, looking up at Dorian. "Give me the emerald pendant."

Dorian's smile widened. He lifted his hand and took the emerald pendant out of the box. But seconds before he handed it to me, he suddenly let go.

The pendant fell to the floor and split into several pieces with a crisp crack.

"Why didn't you hold it properly, Vincent?" he asked innocently, spreading his arms. "There's nothing that I can do now."

I felt as if my heart was being stabbed as I looked at the shattered pendant on the floor. The pain was so overwhelming that I struggled to breathe.

"Dorian Finch!" I roared as I shot to my feet and grabbed his collar.

Dorian's provoking look was immediately replaced by a weak, terrified expression.

"What are you doing, Vincent?" Vanessa demanded furiously from a short distance away.

She rushed over to us, shoved me to the floor, and examined Dorian. "Are you alright? Did you get hurt?" she asked anxiously.

Dorian nodded, then frantically shook his head. "Don't blame Vince, Vanessa. Maybe he's feeling a little upset because he didn't win the item that he was bidding for. That's why he wanted to snatch the engagement present that you won from me. It's my fault for dropping the pendant…"

Vanessa's eyes burned with fury as she looked at me. "You're the one who said that you didn't regret leaving me, so what the hell are you doing now? Only you would be audacious enough to snatch the engagement present that I gave to Dorian. Apologize to him right now!"

I crawled back to my feet. I scraped my knees during the fall, but I gritted my teeth and didn't make a sound even though it stung painfully.

"I didn't snatch his things. I won't apologize," I said.

Vanessa scoffed. "Let's see how much longer you'll continue being stubborn."

She took her leave, pulling Dorian along.

My hands trembled as I picked up the broken shards of the emerald pendant. The sharp edges cut my hands, staining the broken pendant with my blood. However, I didn't feel any pain.

"I'm sorry, Mom. I wasn't able to protect your keepsake," I thought to myself.

Tears spilled down my cheeks as I kneeled on the floor. Both my body and my spirit felt broken. After I ran out of tears, I booked a hotel room, intending to move out of the Finch residence.

That place wasn't my home. Home was where Charlotte and Cora were, but I still had to wait five days for them to return to the country.

But after I returned to the Finch residence, the guest room door was suddenly thrown open as I packed my belongings.

Vanessa had a steely expression on her face. She held a whip that glinted coldly in the light. My heart plummeted into my gut when she spoke.

"You snatched Dorian's engagement present from him and turned the Finch family into a laughingstock today, Vincent. Mr. Finch said that since you're being so immature, you'll have to be disciplined according to family rules.

"I'll be disciplining you on his behalf today. You should get rid of any thoughts you shouldn't have as soon as possible if you have any shame!"

She raised her hand after she was done speaking, prompting a few bodyguards to enter the room and restrain me without giving me a chance to defend myself.

I couldn't help but feel how absurd the entire situation was as I took in the determination in Vanessa's eyes. Although I had explained myself countless times, she still believed I had returned to the country because I heard she was getting married.

I had no idea whether it was because I hadn't made myself clear, or because she refused to believe she didn't matter to me.

The whip cracked loudly when it landed on my back. Pain immediately exploded from the point of impact. I let out a muffled grunt, but I didn't cry.

My back felt as if it had been set on fire as Vanessa whipped me again and again. Even the bodyguards couldn't bear to watch anymore and averted their gazes.

Vanessa breathed heavily, as if she were suppressing something. However, she continued to whip me with all her might. She only stopped when my knees buckled, and I crumpled to the floor. The whip clattered to the floor as she threw it aside.

"Remember today's lesson," she said, looking down at me from the tip of her nose. "Stop thinking about getting in the way of Dorian's and my engagement party."