Chapter 3 The Necklace

The moment I woke up, my hand reached instinctively for the phone beside my pillow. For ten years, Shawn would bombard my phone every time I forgot to give him a reply.

However, I had not received a single call or text from him. I laughed at myself, though my heart had already gone numb.

Zacharias came to the room and poured me a glass of water. "Does it still hurt? You're severely anemic and need rest. Doctor's orders."

Raspily, I asked what Shawn was doing. Zacharias looked down and answered honestly, "After Tamara got her stomach pumped, they went on a trip overseas. Mr. Hauser came with a message. That guy wants you to reflect on yourself and apologize to Tamara."

That destroyed what fantasy I had left for that man. Reflect? The only thing I should reflect on was how I was stupid enough to let that adopted sister lord all over me.

I clenched the blanket tightly. "And Penelope?"

Zacharias stopped peeling the apple for a moment. "She couldn't stop Shawn. She got so angry that her blood pressure acted up, so she's recovering at home."

I said nothing, though I thought this was ironic. Before I saved Penelope, she used to stand between me and Shawn. I was an orphan, not worthy of the only heir to the Grimstone family.

Back then, Shawn endured a brutal beating from his own family before Penelope finally softened a little.

At the time, I had foolishly believed that a man willing to stand against his only family for me would love me forever.

And now he was going against his grandmother for Tamara. I asked Zacharias to take me to Penelope, then I packed up my stuff.

There was no point staying with the Grimstones if I was not marrying Shawn. Penelope was taking a nap, so I quietly went into my bedroom. Ever since I moved in after the engagement, moving out had never been on my mind.

My stuff was everywhere, making cleanup a mess. I searched and searched, yet I could not find the necklace my mother left me. It was her only belonging.

I kept thinking. Then, for some reason, I opened Tamara's story. She was smiling at the camera, and a familiar necklace hung from her neck.

Shawn commented, "The necklace looks great on you."

Fury took over my mind. I rushed into the kitchen and grabbed the nearest knife. Zacharias tried to stop me, but he failed. I swung that knife down on Tamara's room's lock, and it opened up.

A family photo of Tamara and her late parents sat on the vanity. I grabbed the picture frame and video called Tamara.

"Give me back my necklace, or you can bid this photo farewell."

Tamara's shrill cry followed, then Shawn squeezed into the camera.

"How much further are you pushing her? She's just borrowing your necklace for a bit. You're going to destroy the only thing tying her to her parents?"

"Don't tempt me, Shawn. I can and will destroy it!" I refused to waste any more time arguing with them, so I ended the call.

A message from Shawn arrived shortly after. "I'll bring the necklace back to you. Just take a step back for her sake, alright?"

The commotion woke Penelope up, and she slowly approached me. She held my wrist and patted Zacharias' arm. "I spoiled Shawn too much. Artemis, I promised I would have my grandson marry you. Will you still join my family now?"