Chapter 4

The air felt tense.

Cassidy swallowed as if she was suppressing her anger.

After a long silence, she suddenly glared at me viciously.

"Because you deserved it!

"To be honest, when I first met you, I had a pretty good impression of you. If you hadn't been so determined to marry into my family back then, why would my mom have threatened to kill herself just to make me marry you?

"I've had enough! I'm sick of being controlled and having everything arranged for me. I want my freedom. I told you that before. You said you didn't care, and you insisted on marrying into my family. So don't blame me for treating you this way. You brought it on yourself!"

Cassidy screamed it all out in one breath.

She then slumped heavily against the back seat while breathing hard.

I listened quietly.

I wasn't particularly surprised. I just found it absurd.

Looking at Cassidy's furious expression, I sincerely apologized.

"I'm sorry for all these years. I was the one who held you back.

"We're getting divorced anyway. I won't cling to you anymore."

Cassidy ignored me. Her frown intensified.

She remained silent all the way until our divorce registration was completed and we returned to the villa.

I had no desire to annoy her either.

I went back to the guest room and stayed there alone.

At dinner that evening, it was still Hannah, Cassidy, Henry, and me.

Only this time, Cassidy and Henry weren't all over each other.

When the warm light flashed across the table, I suddenly thought that the bracelet Henry was fidgeting with looked familiar.

That was the bracelet my mother had left me!

I shot to my feet in shock and reached for Henry's wrist.

"Give it back!

"This is the bracelet my mom left me! Who gave you permission to touch the jewelry in the master bedroom?"

Henry cried out in pain when I suddenly grabbed his wrist.

A smug look then appeared on his face.

He immediately cried out in an aggrieved manner.

"What do you mean, yours? Jeremy, what are you talking about? I just bought this a few days ago! I was planning to give it to Cassidy as a gift.

"Cassidy, he's hurting me. Tell him to let go!"

Cassidy stood up almost the instant I grabbed Henry.

The moment she heard Henry's words, she forcefully knocked my hand away without hesitation.

"Jeremy! What the hell are you doing? Let go!

"I knew you wouldn't stay quiet for long! It's only a bracelet. Henry says he bought it, so he bought it! Stop making a scene here!"

I stared at Cassidy and raised my voice.

"I'm making a scene? Cassidy, open your eyes and look carefully!

"This bracelet was among the belongings my mom left me when we got married. It's the exact same bracelet!"

Cassidy impatiently glanced at the bracelet. It did look somewhat familiar.

It probably was mine.

She was just about to tell Henry to give it back when Hannah suddenly slammed her hand against the table and stood up.

She barked at Henry, "You thief! I've seen that bracelet before. It's obviously Jeremy's. Give it back! You really are a thief.

"Cassidy, I'm telling you. If you keep siding with this jerk, then you can forget about having me as your mother!"

Cassidy's rebellious streak immediately flared up.

She stepped in front of Henry protectively.

"I said it's Henry's, so it's his.

"It's just a stupid bracelet. At worst, I'll buy Jeremy an even better one at the auction tomorrow and give it to him. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill and bullying Henry!"

That was absolute nonsense.

It was the last thing my mother had left me.

I could buy a thousand new bracelets, and none of them would be the one my mother had given me.

I couldn't hold back any longer. I lunged at Henry and reached for the bracelet.

Cassidy shielded him.

Even Hannah joined in at some point and tried to pull us apart.

Amidst the chaos, Cassidy swung her arm outward to stop me from lunging at Henry again.

I felt a tremendous force against my shoulder.

I hadn't expected her to use so much strength. I tripped and lost my balance before helplessly falling backward.

Bang!

There was a dull, heavy thud.

My lower back slammed hard against the sharp corner of the solid mahogany dining table.

At that instant, I felt an excruciating pain that spread from the point of impact to the rest of my body. I lost all my strength and even my voice.

Cassidy took the opportunity to grab Henry and head for the door.

"Stop right there, Cassidy!

"Come back! Stop them!"

Hannah screamed furiously while ordering the maids to block their way, but Cassidy still left with Henry.

There was nothing Hannah could do.

She was about to turn around and comfort me when she saw a figure lying beside the dining table.

I was lying in a pool of blood. My face was awfully pale.

"Jeremy!"

Hannah nearly fainted from the horrifying sight.

I was rushed to the emergency room. The surgical lights remained on for an entire day.

Meanwhile, Cassidy naturally knew she was in the wrong.

The next day, she took Henry to an auction. She intended to buy me an even better bracelet to replace the original.

They were watching an attendant display the auction items in a private room when a commotion suddenly broke out behind them.

It was Hannah.

She no longer cared about dignity or appearances. She shoved aside the bodyguards guarding the door and barged inside.

She was holding a document in her hand.

Hannah stormed into the room and slapped Cassidy across the face.

She roared, "Open it!"

Cassidy took the slap squarely. Seeing the solemn expression on Hannah's face, she was momentarily bewildered.

When she hesitated, Hannah shouted again.

"I said open it!"

Cassidy could only open the document.

Her gaze landed on its contents.

Her eyes suddenly went wide, and she let out an uncontrollable scream.

"Ahh!"

The tears Hannah had been holding back finally streamed down her face.

She cried out in anguish, "Cassidy, look carefully. Jeremy is dead. You killed Jeremy with your own hands!

"You killed him!"