Chapter 6

The next morning, Vincent woke up with a pounding headache. He stared blankly at the empty room, then glanced down at his wrinkled shirt.

In the past, whenever he came home drunk, I would always take care of him.

Then, there was nothing.

After washing up, he walked into the dining room, where I was quietly drinking my coffee.

Out of habit, he came up behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, resting his chin against my shoulder like he always did.

"Bella, where's my coffee?"

I shifted slightly, avoiding his touch.

"I didn't make any."

His smile froze, and a flicker of irritation passed through his eyes.

"Don't take what happened yesterday too seriously," he said, his tone impatient, as if trying to coax me. "I had to go along with her, it's just business. You promised me you'd behave. Don't make a scene, alright?"

I looked up at him calmly. "Alright."

He paused, clearly caught off guard.

It seemed he had not expected me to be so calm.

After a moment of silence, Vincent reached out and ruffled my hair.

"Let's go to Moonshell Bay tonight. Just the two of us. Things have been chaotic lately, I want to spend a quiet night with you."

He always knew how to soften me.

However, not anymore.

"Okay," I said, still calm.

He let out a breath of relief and kissed my forehead before leaving, just like he always did.

I did not refuse.

Because there was something at Moonshell Bay I needed to deal with.

On that lovers' reef, the white shells we had chosen together were still there. As long as they remained, they made me sick.

By evening, I had changed and was ready to leave. Then a message from Vincent popped up.

[I have a last-minute meeting. Another day, okay, baby? Wait for me at home.]

I let out an icy laugh and unblocked Sofia, whom he had previously blocked on my phone.

Her Instagram updated immediately with a new post.

It was an ultrasound image from a maternity clinic, taken that very day.

The caption read, [My little prince, welcome to Mommy and Daddy's world.]

At the top of the comments was Vincent's reply.

[Daddy will give you the best of everything.]

I blinked hard, trying to suppress the overwhelming wave of anger.

My child had turned into blood in unbearable pain, and his child was being celebrated and blessed.

Why?

I thought I would not feel pain anymore, but the tears still fell.

I had once wanted a home so badly. A child that belonged to us.

Then, that home was a lie, and the child I had dreamed of was gone.

I wiped away my tears forcefully.

It did not matter. I had already found my real family.

After calming myself down, I drove to Moonshell Bay alone.

At the entrance, two family members stopped me.

"Sorry, Miss Isabella," one of them said awkwardly. "The Don has reserved the place. No one else is allowed inside."

"Reserved?" I frowned. "For who?"

"Miss Sofia."

At that moment, Sofia's bright, triumphant laughter drifted over from a distance. "Vincent! It hasn't changed at all!"

Vincent's reply was gentle, almost painfully so. "Of course not. This is where we fell in love. I've had people maintain it all these years."

I pulled out some cash and slipped it into the guard's hand. "I'll just take a look. I won't disturb them."

Moonshell Bay looked beautiful under the fading light.

I saw Vincent holding Sofia's hand as they walked toward the lovers' reef.

The rock was covered with countless shells left behind by couples. Sofia pointed at the largest and most eye-catching pink shell in the center.

"It's still here. I thought the waves would have washed it away long ago."

Vincent chuckled softly and reached out to touch it, as if it were something precious. "How could it? I reinforce it myself every year. Sofia, I've been waiting for you to come back."

He lowered his head and kissed her.

Sofia half resisted, half indulged him, her voice playful. "You're lying. Didn't you bring that orphan girl here every year?"

Vincent pulled her into his arms, his gaze soft. "She was just a substitute. When I missed you, I needed something to fill the void."

I froze where I stood.

On the night of my coming-of-age, he had brought me there. I had looked at that pink shell with admiration. "It's the biggest and most beautiful one here. They must have spent so much time finding it, they must be so happy."

He had wiped the sweat from my forehead and pressed our white shells onto the reef. "All I know is, we'll be even happier."

So the pink shell I had envied for five years had never belonged to strangers. It was his past with Sofia.

All those times we came back there, when I stood beneath it, imagining that perfect couple…

Was he laughing at me in his heart? At my ignorance, my foolishness?

On all those nights we lay together, whose face did he see when he looked at me?

I did not step forward.

I simply turned and walked away.

There was no need to remove the white shells anymore.

I immediately booked a flight back to the Costa family and boarded the plane that very night.

At Sofia's birthday banquet, which would also be my return…

I would make sure they fell straight into hell.