Chapter 3

After the interview, the organizers arranged a celebratory yacht party by the waterfront. The car had barely pulled away from the concert hall when Tristan's phone rang again. He glanced at the number, frowned slightly, but answered anyway.

A clinical voice came through the other end. "Mr. Gage, this is the forensic center. The police DNA comparison results are in, and the deceased has been confirmed as Ms. Selene Corvin.

"Due to the extended period of time the remains spent submerged in seawater, we have compiled her personal belongings. We need a family member to come collect them."

Tristan listened, incredulous. "Are you people still not done with this act?"

Callum glanced over with a sneer. "First, the police station; now, the forensic center. Selene's got quite the network."

The staff member on the other end went quiet for a few seconds, their tone cooling. "If it's inconvenient for you to come in, you can start by looking at the photographs."

Three photos arrived moments later.

The first showed a white gown, bloated and warped from the seawater. The hem was stained with dark traces of blood, and the lace had rotted beyond recognition.

The second was the necklace I had put on before leaving the house. The delicate chain was tangled into a hopeless knot, a few strands of hair still caught in it.

The last photo was of my engagement ring, sealed inside a clear evidence bag on its own. The diamond was still intact, but the band had darkened. Engraved on the inside were Tristan's and my initials, along with the date of tonight's engagement banquet.

The car went silent for a moment because every single one of those things was something they recognized.

Elise's face paled slightly. She spoke softly. "Tristan, these things... They have to be real, don't they? They're in such bad shape. Selene would never ruin them on purpose..."

Tristan let out a low laugh. "Wouldn't she? That's only how you'd think."

His tone was dismissive, as though he had seen through me long ago. "A princess like Selene, who's never gone without money and never suffered a day in her life? She doesn't know what it means to value something. If it wasn't earned with her own hands, what does it matter if it's ruined? She'll just buy another one."

Callum had looked genuinely shocked at first, but when he noticed the photos bore no police insignia whatsoever, he came around to Tristan's side.

Tristan snorted. "If she's willing to throw it away, she shouldn't expect me to put a second ring on her finger."

My soul hovered in the corner of the car. I smiled bitterly to myself.

Even though Tristan had grown so cold toward me in recent times, the moment he slid that ring onto my finger at the engagement banquet, my nose had still stung with the threat of tears.

It was a scene I had fantasized about for years. I once believed that even if he did not love me, at least in that single moment, there could still be a scrap of dignity left between us.

I never imagined that in his eyes, this was the kind of person I was.

My eyes burned completely. He would never get the chance to put a ring on my finger a second time.

The staff member on the other end of the line was barely holding back their frustration. "Mr. Gage, Mr. Corvin, what exactly do you want done with these belongings?"

Tristan could not be bothered to listen anymore. "Throw them out."

The staff member was stunned. "Excuse me?"

Callum leaned back against the headrest, his tone even more casual than Tristan's. "I don't know how much Selene paid you people to put on this little show, but do me a favor and tell her to come home tonight. She needs to stop running around out there."

The voice on the other end exploded. "How can you do this? She's your family! And her ashes? Are you going to throw those away too?"

Tristan added one last, cold remark. "Don't send that kind of thing our way. I don't want it to stain our eyes."

He hung up without another word.

The car pulled to a stop at the dock just then. The yacht was blazing with light, music drifting across the sea breeze, and the deck was already packed with guests.

The moment they boarded, someone rushed over with a phone in hand.

"Mr. Gage, you need to see this! The gown on this body... Doesn't it look like the one Ms. Corvin wore to tonight's engagement banquet?"

Tristan paused. He lowered his gaze to the screen, and in an instant, he went completely still.