Chapter 2

At 2:00 am, I was jolted awake by the sound of shattering glass. When I rushed into the guest room, I saw Jessica standing barefoot amid shards scattered all over the floor.

In her hands was the mechanical pocket watch my father had left me. The watch lid had already popped open, and the second hand remained completely still.

"Wen, I'm sorry!" Jessica's face was deathly pale as she reached out to grab me. "I was just trying to find a blanket. I didn't expect the watch to fall out the moment I opened the cabinet door."

I snatched the pocket watch from her.

Before Dad passed away, he had clutched it in his hand and waited for me for an entire night. Because Xavier had suddenly developed a high fever, I had missed the chance to see him one last time.

From then on, this pocket watch became something I would never allow anyone to touch.

"I told you not to come in here!" I roared. It was only after I spoke that I realized just how badly I was shaking.

Jessica's tears fell instantly. "I didn't do it on purpose—"

"Get out."

"Wen…"

"I said get out!"

I raised my hand and pointed toward the door, but Jessica suddenly took a step back. Her foot landed on a shard of broken glass, and she cried out in pain before falling to the floor.

Xavier came rushing over at the sound. The moment he saw the blood, his expression changed drastically.

He walked straight past me and scooped Jessica into his arms. "Where are you hurt?"

Jessica wrapped her arms around his neck and shook her head, sobbing. "It's my fault. It has nothing to do with Wen."

Xavier lowered his head to check her foot, his brows furrowing deeply.

Once, after I had cut my finger while chopping vegetables, he had carried me to the hospital with the same grim expression.

I was crying from the pain, so he wiped away my tears and soothed me, "There's a good girl. I'm here. No one can hurt you."

Now, he had the same tone of voice, but he was comforting another woman instead.

"Don't look at the wound. I'll take you to the hospital."

Only when Xavier walked past me did he finally notice the blood on my palm, sliced open by the edge of the pocket watch. His footsteps faltered briefly.

"The first-aid kit is in the nightstand. Take care of it yourself for now," he said casually.

I looked at Jessica in his arms, then retorted, "My father's pocket watch is broken. It can't be fixed."

Xavier's grip around Jessica suddenly tightened. But when she whimpered in pain, the hesitation in his eyes disappeared in an instant.

"It's just a watch. I'll have someone find you an identical one."

"There's no such identical watch in this world," I uttered.

"Then what do you want?" His voice suddenly turned cold. "Jessica's foot is still bleeding. Do you really expect me to put her down right now and stay here with you while you cry over a broken watch?"

A broken watch…

I lowered my head, watching as blood ran down my palm and dripped onto the motionless watch face.

Jessica curled up in his arms and softly urged, "Xavier, stay here with Wen. I'll go to the hospital by myself."

Xavier held her closer and walked out. "She's not that fragile."

The front door slammed shut after that.

Standing amid the shattered glass on the floor, I called Elliot Goodwin, the old craftsman who had once repaired my father's watch.

After looking at the photo I sent over, Mr. Goodwin fell silent for a long time before saying, "The main shaft is broken, and the original parts were discontinued long ago. It can't be repaired.

"Please accept my apologies, Ms. Jones."

I slowly crouched down and picked up the fragments one by one, placing them into a box.

At that moment, my phone screen lit up. The Londwick Academy of Design had sent the final admission offer.

The cold glow from the phone screen reflected off the wreckage all around.

This time, I didn't hesitate and tapped the "Accept" button.