04

4

Denver's hand stopped suddenly, and his face contorted with irritation.

"Brielle, what's going on with you? You're not the same. I think it's because you're spending too much time with your colleagues. They're rubbing off on you in a bad way."

He paused briefly before continuing, "You ought to leave your job as soon as you can and concentrate on the wedding plans. Sabrina just returned from abroad and is job hunting. She's in the same field as you. Once you step down, she could take your position."

I started to protest, but before I could speak, a loud noise came from the other room.

Denver's attitude changed instantly; he rushed past me towards the commotion.

His sudden movement knocked me into the cupboard. I winced in pain and my eyes watered as I stumbled after him.

Upon entering the living room, I saw Denver already kneeling beside Sabrina, consoling her as if she were incredibly fragile. Between them on the floor lay the broken pieces of my mother's jade bracelet.

"I'm terribly sorry, Brielle. I just wanted to examine it up close because it was so lovely. I didn't intend to break it," Sabrina said, her voice quivering with insincere regret.

I leaned down to gather the fragments, my hands trembling with anger. I finally lost my temper and yelled, "That bracelet was a family heirloom from my mother!"

Sabrina's eyes immediately filled with tears. She huddled closer to Denver, shaking dramatically. "Denver, she's frightening me. I didn't mean to—"

Before she could finish, Denver's expression grew stern. "Brielle, stop shouting at her! It's only a bracelet—we can replace it." He pulled out some money from his wallet and tossed it at me, the notes striking my face.

"But you've upset Sabrina. You should apologize to her!"

The edge of a bill grazed my cheek, leaving a painful mark. I felt warm tears mix with blood as they ran down my face. Denver's expression softened momentarily when he saw me break down. He sighed, reached out and helped me stand.

"I didn't intend to lash out at you, but you were in the wrong and as a—"

Before he could complete his sentence, Sabrina stood up abruptly.

"I see now. I'm not wanted here. I shouldn't have come back from Paris," she declared. "My family has already set up a match for me anyway. I don't need to cling to the past." She grabbed her purse and left dramatically.

Denver looked panicked. I had never seen him so desperate before. Without another word, he chased after her, leaving me behind.

As I picked up the shattered pieces of the bracelet, Denver's hurried steps crushed my foot. A fragment cut into my palm and the sharp pain made me cry out. But Denver didn't even look back. His attention was entirely on Sabrina. I held the broken bracelet in my hands, recollections of my late mother flooding my thoughts.

I recalled Denver kneeling by her hospital bed, making a solemn promise.

"I swear I'll look after Brielle for the rest of her life. I'll never fail her."

Over the years, he had kept his word so well that those around us envied our relationship.

But watching him now, doting on Sabrina, I realized how superficial his affection had been.

Now that Sabrina was back, even that facade of kindness had disappeared.

As I sank into despair, my phone vibrated, interrupting my thoughts. It was my boss, sending a contract.

"Have you considered this carefully? Because once you sign, there's no going back. You'll be severing ties with everything you know. I just need to be sure that you're certain."