Chapter 5

Elyssa walked over, glanced at the fragments on the floor, and said dismissively, "It's just a pendant. Was that really necessary?"

I knelt down and picked up the broken emerald fragments piece by piece.

One of the sharp shards sliced open my finger. Blood dripped onto the emerald pieces, but I didn't register the pain at all.

"This was the only thing Grandma Anne ever left me," I said, my voice trembling. "Before she died, she told me to always keep it safe."

Elyssa's expression changed.

No one understood what Grandma Anne meant to me better than she did; after all, she had been the one who accompanied me when I said my final goodbye to her.

Andrew, however, only wept harder and clung to her like a child.

She paused briefly, then wrapped her arms around him anyway, patting his back.

"Don't cry. I'll buy you a nicer one."

Marie walked over.

"Eddie, Andrew didn't do it on purpose. Don't be so petty."

Ronald scowled.

"Enough. It's just a piece of jewelry. It's gone, so let it go. We'll get you something similar later."

I got to my feet, clutching the shattered emerald pieces in my hand.

Then I walked up to Andrew and slapped him square in the face.

The entire room erupted in shock.

Almost instantly, Elyssa lunged forward, seized my wrist, and swung her other hand at me.

A burning pain spread across my face, and blood seeped from the corner of my mouth.

Elyssa fixed me with a freezing stare.

"Eddie Scott, you've gone too far."

The comment section erupted with outrage.

"No way! That was the only thing his Grandma Anne left him!"

"How can Elyssa be so heartless? She knew how important it was!"

"I'm officially on Eddie's side now. Who wouldn't go crazy after that?"

I wiped the blood away from my lips.

But I didn't cry or make a fuss. I simply wrapped the fragments of the pendant and the broken chain and placed them carefully into my inner pocket.

"Whatever I owed you, I've paid it all back," I said, looking at Elyssa coldly.

Then I turned to Ronald and Marie. "As for this family—I don't want any part of it anymore."

I turned and walked out of the venue.

Marie's voice rang out behind me.

"Let him go! Once he's out that door, he's not welcome here anymore!"

As soon as I stepped out, my phone started vibrating like crazy. A transfer from Elyssa came through, followed by a message.

"Stop being angry."

Ronald and Marie each sent another transfer, both labeled as compensation.

I accepted all of them.

The next day, I went back to the Scott residence to collect what little I had left.

On the third day, as I turned the corner, I overheard Andrew's voice from inside his room.

"Dad, Mom, El is pregnant with my child. We need to hold the wedding as soon as possible.

"And to be honest, I've been a little insecure lately. I heard El might have a secret lover somewhere."

I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. I stopped dead in my tracks.

The baby in her womb was Andrew's all along.

The comment section was flooded with pity.

"Eddie's story is just sad. He ended up losing both his love and the child."

"Honestly, I'm giving him full permission to become a villain now."

I felt like my heart was being crushed in a fist. The air left my lungs, and any hope I had left evaporated completely.

I didn't linger any longer. I simply turned and left without a word.

Back in my room, I threw a few things into a small suitcase and zipped it up.

At the airport, I found a seat at the gate and took out my phone.

I opened my chat with Elyssa and typed, "Elyssa, I gave you five years of my youth to make up for what you did for me. I now know the truth about your baby. From this moment on, we owe each other nothing."

I included a picture of the shattered pendant and pressed send.

Then I blocked her, wiped out the chat, and shut down my phone.

After doing all that, I removed the SIM card and dropped it in the nearest bin.

Just then, the boarding call rang out.

"Flight to Regalton is now boarding..."

I got up and headed for the boarding gate, leaving it all behind without looking back.