“Digging up camera footage is too much trouble. Why would I lie to you?”

Ethan stood over me, towering with authority. “Lily Evans, regardless of what the cameras show, you still hurt someone. Apologize to Sophia.”

Watching him twist right and wrong, I felt my heart growing cold.

“Ethan Cole, do you really refuse to see the truth?”

“I know exactly what’s going on. Sophia is such a delicate girl—how could she possibly lie about this?

You, on the other hand, have never liked her. Pushing her is exactly the kind of thing you’d do.”

Looking at the man I’d loved for five years and married for three, I felt only disgust.

But for the sake of leaving quickly, I chose to compromise.

“I’m sorry.”

Only then did Ethan seem satisfied. He helped Sophia to her feet and walked her out.

I leaned against the coffee table for a long time until the wound on my forehead finally began to scab over.

Three hours later, my phone buzzed with a message: “Dear Mr. Cole, your Ocean-view Suite has been successfully reserved.”

At the same time, the company chat group announced the year-end bonuses.

Beside my name, a glaring zero appeared.

This past year, I’d secured ten multi-million-dollar projects for the company, with countless smaller ones as well—yet my bonus was reduced to nothing.

Ignoring the pain in my head, I dialed Ethan’s number.

He hung up on me three times before finally answering, his voice dripping with irritation.

“What do you want? Are you insane?”

I cut straight to the point. Even if I was leaving, I wouldn’t abandon what was rightfully mine.

“Ethan, where is my annual bonus?”

“By my calculations, I should be receiving at least a million dollars. Why is it zero?”

He remained indifferent.

“Your bonus has already been converted into a Hawaii trip as an apology gift for Sophia.”

“You pushed her earlier. Did you really think a simple ‘sorry’ would be enough?

Because of you, she sprained her ankle and can hardly walk. This is your chance to atone.”

A bitter smile tugged at my lips—at myself, and at Ethan’s hypocrisy.

“Have you forgotten the profits from those projects I brought in?

How can you squander the fruits of my labor like this?”

Before he could respond, Sophia’s voice came through the line.

“Lily, don’t be so unreasonable. You pushed me, left me in pain for days, and now you’re fussing over a little vacation money?

Mr. Cole has spoiled you too much. You’ve forgotten that his money belongs to him—he can spend it however he wants.”

“Besides, it’s not like it’s all for me. Ethan and I already planned to bring back seashells from Hawaii as a gift for you.”

My nails dug deep into my palm. Faced with such shamelessness, I realized my years of effort had been wasted.

“Ethan, have you forgotten the sacrifices I made to secure those projects?

The nights I worked overtime without eating? The endless rounds of drinks until my stomach bled?

Or the fact that because of this exhausting lifestyle, we lost our child?”

At the mention of the baby, a tear slipped down my cheek.

During one frantic project deadline, after forty-eight sleepless hours, I lost the child who had been my greatest hope.

It was a pain I would carry for life.

There was silence on the other end before Ethan’s impatient voice finally came.

“Old news. Why bring that up? A child can be replaced. But this trip to Hawaii with Sophia? That only happens once.”

I never imagined he could say something so heartless. My grief deepened—not only for myself, but for the child we had lost.

Sophia giggled softly. “Lily, didn’t you know? The night you lost your baby, Ethan was with me—celebrating my birthday.”

“He spent the whole day with me. In the morning we had a yacht party, and that evening we watched the stars together on a private island.”

“Oh, I almost forgot—he bought that island as my birthday present.”

“But don’t misunderstand. He just treats me like a kid he spoils a little too much.”

My phone slipped from my trembling hands, crashing onto the floor.

Only then did I realize—Ethan was the true murderer of my child.

That night, while I writhed in pain, his phone was switched off.

I tried calling for help, but the company’s restricted server room had blocked all signals.

I had no choice but to drag myself outside until a kind stranger took me to the hospital.

But it was too late. We missed the critical window to save the baby.

Even now, my heart wouldn’t calm, while through the phone Sophia’s laughter rang out.

“Ethan, do you think Lily will forgive you?”

“Of course,” Ethan replied with a laugh. “She always does.”

And he was right—I had forgiven him too many times before.

Quietly, I ended the call, though my mind was far from quiet.

The next day, I emailed my resignation to Ethan, knowing full well he was too busy with Sophia to notice.

Then I began packing my things. But when I opened my jewelry box, I froze.

My mother’s wedding gift to me—a one-of-a-kind Blue Tear Sapphire—was gone.

Only Ethan ever had access to that box.

Just as I reached for my phone to confront him, a photo arrived from Sophia.

In the picture, the sapphire gleamed on her neck under the light.

“Lily, Ethan gave me this gift. Don’t you think it suits me perfectly?”

She dangled the necklace between her fingers, her message a deliberate taunt.

Moments later, she even sent me her location—the Hilton Hotel—as if declaring war outright.

To reclaim my mother’s gift, I had no choice but to drive there.

I knocked three times before Sophia lazily opened the door, wrapped in nothing but a towel.

“Oh, Lily! What are you doing here so late?”

The familiar scent of Ethan’s pine cologne lingered on her skin.

“Where’s Ethan?”

“He’s in the shower. Did you need something?”

The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Ethan was still inside.

I fixed my gaze on the sapphire around her neck, my voice cold as ice.

“Take that necklace off. It belongs to me.”

Sophia laughed as if I’d told a joke, caressing the jewel with smug delight.

“What are you talking about? Ethan gave it to me. How could it possibly be yours?”

She leaned closer, her towel slipping slightly to reveal a trail of fresh kiss marks across her shoulder, stabbing straight into my heart.

“Besides, once Ethan gives me something, why would I ever give it back?”

The sound of running water from the bathroom stopped.

Ethan Cole stepped out in a bathrobe, his hair still dripping wet. When he saw me, he froze for a moment before frowning.

“Lily? What are you doing here?”

His gaze swept over me and landed on Sophia Moore.

“Why aren’t you dressed properly?”

Sophia immediately leaned into his arms with a pitiful expression. “I thought it was the delivery guy bringing condoms. I didn’t expect it to be Lily suddenly barging in. I didn’t even have time to change.”

I walked straight up to Ethan and pointed at the necklace around Sophia’s neck.

“Ethan, that was my mother’s wedding gift to me. How dare you give it to her?”

His eyes flickered, avoiding mine. “It’s just a necklace. I’ll buy you something better.”

“Better?” I laughed bitterly, my chest tightening as if something was gripping my heart.

“The Blue Tear Sapphire is one of a kind in this world. Where are you going to buy another one? Ethan, you know exactly what it means to me.”

He fell silent for a moment before his tone hardened. “Lily, stop making a scene. It’s late. I’ll have the driver take you home.

Besides, it was a gift from your mother to you as a married couple. That means it’s mine too.”

“I’m not going home.”

I met his eyes, every word deliberate. “I only want my necklace.”

Sophia chimed in, fanning the flames. “Lily, don’t be like this. I truly love this necklace. If you like another one, Ethan can buy you something else. Why insist on taking this one? Are you doing it just to target me?”

“Shut up!” I snapped, glaring at her. “This has nothing to do with you.”

Perhaps my look was too sharp—Sophia flinched and instinctively hid behind Ethan.

His face turned cold. “Lily Evans, must you humiliate yourself like this?”

Looking at the two of them clinging to each other, I felt only absurdity and ridicule.

Taking a deep breath to swallow the lump in my throat, I whispered, “Ethan, that necklace was my mother’s keepsake.”

He hesitated briefly, his expression conflicted, but then forced his voice firm. “It’s just a necklace. Since Sophia likes it, she can have it. I’ll get you a new one.”

“Replace it?” I laughed, but tears streamed down my face. “How do you replace my mother’s keepsake?”

I stepped forward, reaching to snatch the necklace from Sophia’s neck. She screamed and darted behind Ethan.

“Ethan!”

He blocked me, his grip on my wrist so tight it felt like he would crush the bone.

“Lily Evans! Enough!”

The searing pain in my wrist jolted me back to clarity.

I looked into his eyes, seeing nothing but his defense of her, and suddenly I didn’t want to fight anymore.

I yanked my arm free, stepped back, and cast one last long look at the necklace.

“Ethan Cole, we’re finished.”

At some point, rain had begun pouring outside the window.

The icy drops hit my face and body as I drove through the storm, tears blurring my vision.

I no longer wanted the necklace. And I no longer wanted Ethan.

Halfway home, my phone rang. Ethan’s name flashed on the screen.

When I answered, his voice held an edge of concern.

“Lily, are you home yet? The news says there’s a huge storm in New York City tonight. Don’t go out unless you have to.”

Before he could finish, Sophia’s coy voice cut in.

“Ethan, enough. Lily’s such a strong woman, she can handle herself. I’m the one who’s terrified of thunder and lightning—hold me tighter.”

Nausea twisted in my stomach. I hung up immediately.