Chapter 3

I gathered up Anastasia's old belongings in my room and tossed them into the fire.

The flames roared, sending waves of heat over me, but I felt as if I were standing in freezing water.

For the next few days, the courtyard was alive with the clanging and scraping of demolition.

The garden of gardenias that Anastasia had planted with her own hands was dug up and replaced with roses, which were Philip's favorite.

The glass greenhouse where we once played piano and watched sunsets together was smashed and converted into a swimming pool for Philip.

Even the clematis trellis where we had first confessed our feelings was torn down and replaced with a garden pond that Philip loved.

On the day they planted the water lilies in the pond, Philip suddenly blocked me in the courtyard.

He lifted his chin high and deliberately showed off the ring on his ring finger.

"Anastasia found this design in the room," he said, shaking his finger. "She said she could tell it was meant for her future husband. She stayed up several nights making it herself and used it to propose to me."

He wiggled his hand. "Do you like it?"

It was the sun and the moon, the design I had loved the most.

I nodded sincerely. "It's beautiful. It suits you very well."

But Philip's face darkened instantly. "I don't like it.

"We both know who this design is meant for," he said, staring at me sharply. "You always say you don't care about Anastasia, but her past feelings for you are a ticking time bomb. I can't relax with you around."

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked.

"Well…"

Before he could finish, Philip suddenly lunged sideways and plunged straight into the recently dug garden pond, which was full of murky water.

A strong force shoved me to the side. I stumbled and hit the ground hard.

Pain shot through my ankle, and my palms scraped against the gravel, the burning sting running up my arms.

I hadn't even stood up yet when Anastasia dove in after him like a madwoman.

By the time she dragged Philip to shore, both of them were soaked and covered in stinky mud, looking utterly miserable.

But Anastasia didn't care about herself. She frantically wiped the dirt off Philip's face, her voice tense with worry.

"Philip! Are you okay? Did you choke on water? Are your eyes hurting? Did you get hurt?"

It took him a moment to shake his head. He looked at Anastasia, tears streaming down his face. "I'm fine… Someone threw the ring you gave me in the water, and I fell in trying to get it back."

He held out his hand. The ring was gone.

"The Kains don't really welcome me," Philip said to Anastasia, his eyes reddening. "Can we just go back to our apartment? At least no one's bullying me there…"

His pitiful expression made her heart clench.

Her expression hardened. "Who threw your ring? Who bullied you?"

Philip pursed his lips and stayed silent. He just glanced at me, his gaze full of fear and grievance, making it obvious who he thought was responsible.

I clutched my swollen ankle, incredulous. "It wasn't me—"

But Anastasia shot me a cold, icy look that made me shiver.

"I had no reason to steal the ring…" I croaked, my voice hoarse.

"You know exactly what you did," Anastasia spat. She helped Philip to his feet and gave a signal to the bodyguards.

"Whoever threw that ring can get it back himself."