Chapter 3

"You're so thoughtful, Kayla. But this bowl of soup is nothing special. If you truly want to congratulate me, I actually like the crystal bangle on your wrist. Why don't you give it to me instead?"

I touched the white crystal bracelet on my wrist.

It was a promise gift Yuvan had given me years ago.

Back then, we stood under a tree that was in full bloom. He held my hand and slid the bangle on my wrist himself.

"Nothing else in this world compares to you, Kayla. Now that you've worn this bracelet, you're mine forever."

My first feeling for him began under that tree when I was twelve.

At sixteen, I became his wife.

And before I even reached nineteen, it felt like I had already lived through an entire lifetime of hardship.

Now I was nineteen, and it felt like it was finally time to wake up.

Whatever connection we once had was over.

Both of them were now staring directly at the bracelet on my wrist.

That was when I realized what I had to do, and I quickly tried to take it off.

However, the bangle had been fitted when I was still a child. Now that I was grown, it wouldn't come off no matter how hard I pulled.

"I'll take it off soon and give it to you, Sabrina."

I tugged harder, trying to force it off. My wrist quickly turned red and swollen. The bones in my hand felt like they were twisting out of place.

Still, it wouldn't budge. No matter how hard I tried, I failed.

Yuvan's expression darkened as he watched me struggle.

In a moment of panic, I raised my hand and slammed it against the wall.

A sharp crack echoed through the room.

The crystal bangle shattered, falling to the ground in pieces.

At the same time, the broken edges cut into my wrist. Blood immediately dripped onto the floor.

For a split second, Yuvan's breathing hitched. He stepped forward as if he wanted to say something.

But Sabrina grabbed his arm, and he stopped with a frown.

Just like that, what broke wasn't only the bangle, but also the promise we made when we were young.

I ignored the pain and carefully gathered the broken pieces into my hands, then held them up and offered them to Sabrina.

"I really couldn't take it off, as you saw. If it's something you like, I would never keep it for myself."

Seeing how desperate I looked, Yuvan suddenly reached out and knocked the broken pieces out of my hands.

"Stop this act," he said sharply. "Who are you putting it on for? The more you do this, the more I despise you."

Sabrina added softly, as if helping him along, "If you really wanted to take it off, you could just cut your hand off. Smashing it like this just means you never wanted to give it to me in the first place."

Was breaking the bangle not enough? Did I also need to cut my hand off?

I let out a helpless, bitter laugh and looked up at Yuvan.

"My lord, do you think I should cut off my hand too?"

If it were him who said it, I would cut it off without a second thought.

My hand in exchange for my family's lives wouldn't be a loss.

Yuvan froze for a moment.

His lips parted slightly, as if he wanted to say something. But in the end, no words came out.

He turned away and wrapped an arm around Sabrina's waist instead, lowering his voice to comfort her.

"Her things are dirty. We don't want them. I'll buy you something better."

That crystal bangle had been a gift from him, and now he called it dirty.

How ironic.

-

That night, a young maid came to my room.

"My lady, your hand is injured. Here's some medicine to apply."

It was hard to refuse kindness, so I used a little.

The moment the powder touched my wound, a sharp, piercing pain shot through me. I instinctively shook it off and reached for water, trying to wash it off.

But before I could, the door was pushed open, and Yuvan walked in.