Chapter 7
Ever since Mom passed, Dad had drifted away, too, in his way.
The heart truly was the most fragile thing.
It could change in the blink of an eye, even when it came to those we loved most.
I stepped out of the villa, the weight of everything pressing down on me.
The fading light of the setting sun caught me, casting a golden glow over my disheveled figure.
My hair was a tangled mess, my lips stained e with blood, and my feet cold and bare against
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the hard ground.
I couldn’t quite fathom how I had fallen so low, so fast.
The broken bracelet, still clutched in my hand, rested against my chest like a weight I couldn’t shake.
Tears streamed down my face, unstoppable, each drop a silent testament to the
devastation inside me.
If Mom were still here, I wouldn’t be suffering like this. “Avery, stop right there!”
William’s voice broke through the silence, chasing me from the house.
I halted in my tracks, wiping away my tears with the back of my hand before I slowly
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turned to face him.
My pitiful state didn’t even seem to faze
him.
Instead, he stood there, his voice cold and commanding, “Go back and apologize to Amanda.”
I let out a bitter laugh, far uglier than any cry.
“William, you want me to apologize to
Amanda?”
“That’s right. Pushing her was wrong, no matter what,” he said.
“And what about her deliberately shattering my mother’s bracelet? Was that right?”
William furrowed his brows, his gaze clouded with disappointment. “Avery, why are you
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stooping so low? Why bring yourself down to her level?”
He paused, stepping closer, his tone softening just slightly.
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‘Avery, I know how much you miss your mother, but the dead can’t return. You
can’t let her memory destroy the bond with your sister.”
He took another step, his voice quieter but firm. “Next month, we’re getting engaged. Do you think the Jiang family would accept a woman who can’t even get along with her sister?”
He sighed, placing a hand on my shoulder.
“For our sake, you can’t just walk away like this. Come back with me. Apologize to
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Amanda, and we’ll leave this behind us.”
The slap rang out, sharp and unforgiving.
I didn’t hesitate to raise my hand and strike
him across the face.
He stood frozen, his hand pressed against his cheek, his eyes wide with shock.
“Avery, listen to me. This cannot be swept under the rug.”
I articulated each word with deliberate precision, paying no mind to the change in his expression.
Without another glance, I turned on my heel and walked away, leaving behind the villa I had called home for over twenty years.
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When my best friend saw the sorry state I was in, she immediately reached for her phone, ready to call William.
I stopped her in her tracks. A man who’s been enchanted is nearly impossible to wake.
I grabbed her sleeve, my voice tinged with guilt.
“Savannah, I’m going to need your help these next few days.”
“What are you talking about?”
Savannah gave my shoulder a comforting pat. “Stay here as long as you need to. I’m not
going to let you leave Franklin until you‘ re ready.”
“Thank you,” I replied.
Chapter 7
The morning after I moved into Savannah‘ S, the Kennedy duo carelessly gathered up my belongings and tossed them outside her apartment building.
Amanda, glowing with smug satisfaction, told me that my room had been converted into a dog kennel, and there was no space left for my things in the house.
Sitting amidst the scattered remnants of my life, I sifted through the pile.
The precious jewelry and designer handbags had all been claimed by Amanda.
What remained were only the insignificant things.
The little trinkets and cards William had
given me, the ones I once held dear, I set
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them ablaze in a single fire today.
I stayed at Savannah‘ s for ten long days.
During that time, aside from the occasional taunting texts from Amanda, my father
didn’t reach out once.
Perhaps, deep down, I was no longer his daughter.
William also sent me messages from time to time, but each one was the same. [Have you thought it through? Will you apologize to Amanda or not?]
Chapter 8
Chapter 8
