Chapter 2
To everyone's surprise, I calmly said, "It's fine. Kids make mistakes, and besides, it's just a bottle of perfume.
"Casper, you can buy me a new one later."
Casper was completely flabbergasted. He opened his mouth as if to say something, only to force out a single sentence.
"A-Aren't you mad?"
"What's there to be mad about? I'm sure Baxter didn't do it on purpose," I replied.
Smiling, I caught a glimpse of the look of shock in Lucille's eyes. "Besides, it's just glass. Out with the old, in with the new, right?"
The comments above Lucille's head descended into complete chaos.
"What the fuck is happening? Why isn't Sabrina throwing a fit?"
"Why didn't she mention a divorce? Something's awfully wrong here!"
"Did I see that right? Did she actually forgive Lucille?"
"She must be plotting something malicious. I bet she won't last three days before digging her own grave."
I didn't look at the comments anymore or care about Casper and Lucille's bewildered expressions. Instead, I turned and walked out of the bedroom.
Since Casper would finally agree to a divorce on my ninth attempt and immediately turn around to marry Lucille, I was going to make sure they never got their wish.
…
When I returned home that afternoon, there was no familiar sound of Fluffball rushing over to rub against my legs at the door. Instead, I heard crying coming from the living room.
My hands froze mid-way through changing my shoes. I looked up and saw Lucille crouching on the floor, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
Baxter stood timidly beside her, his head hung low as he picked at his fingers.
When Lucille heard the door open, she snapped her head up to look at me.
"I'm sorry, Sabrina. I'm so sorry… It's my fault that I didn't watch Baxter closely enough. He was playing with Fluffball and couldn't control his strength, and when he pushed Fluffball down the stairs, s-she died…"
My heart sank. I rushed over and saw my ragdoll cat, whom I had raised for three years, lying on the carpet next to the couch. Her eyes were tightly closed, and there was a faint smear of blood at the corner of her lips.
Fluffball was a gift from Casper three years ago, right after our first reconciliation. She was my companion for three years.
I crouched down and carefully scooped Fluffball into my arms.
As my fingertips brushed against her cold paws, my chest tightened suffocatingly. Still, I didn't break down or scream the way I used to.
The comments above Lucille's head exploded again.
"Here it comes! Sabrina's precious cat is dead, so she's definitely going to blow up!"
"Lucille's tears are breaking my heart. Sabrina better not yell at her!"
With a sharp click, the door handle turned, and Casper walked in.
The moment he stepped inside and saw Lucille crouching on the floor and me holding Fluffball, his expression immediately darkened. He rushed over in a few long strides, shielded Lucille behind his back, and glared at me with a heavy scowl.
"What are you throwing a tantrum over now, Sabrina? Why is Lucille crying like this?"
Holding Fluffball, I looked up to meet his eyes and replied in a terrifyingly calm voice, "Casper, the cat you gave me… Baxter killed her."
Casper froze for a second before he glanced at Baxter, then turned back to Lucille. His tone softened as he said, "I'm sure Baxter didn't mean it. He's just a kid who probably thought he was playing.
"Don't make things tough for them. If you like cats so much, I'll just buy you another cat exactly like Fluffball, alright?"
The comments grew increasingly ecstatic.
"Casper spoils Lucille so much! This is so sweet!"
"It reminds me of last week when Casper and Lucille booked a room at Peak Hotel in Westfield. Casper was so attentive that it's melting my heart. How great would it be if Sabrina weren't in the picture?"
"Why isn't Sabrina making a scene yet? Hurry up and demand a divorce!"
Chapter 3
While gently stroking Fluffball's head, I pulled her a little closer to my chest and slowly said, "No need. Just have someone bury Fluffball."
Casper was completely dumbfounded, and Lucille was just as stunned. The guilt in her eyes instantly turned into sheer bewilderment.
The comments blew up.
"What's going on? Did Sabrina's personality change? Why isn't she acting according to the script? This isn't like her at all!"
"Something's definitely wrong. She must be plotting something huge. Be careful, Lucille!"
"Could it be that she knows something? But that's impossible!"
I ignored their shock and paid no mind to the flood of comments. After handing Fluffball over to the butler, I headed upstairs.
Back in my room, I took out my phone and pulled up the second-floor security footage. I watched as Lucille took Fluffball and threw her down the stairs herself.
Looking at scenes from the security footage, I wasn't mad at all. Instead, I felt a deep, bone-chilling chill.
Then I remembered comments mentioning that Casper and Lucille had spent the night together at a hotel the week before. So, I picked up my phone and called Dad's assistant, Simon Crow.
"Simon, I need you to look into Casper's itinerary from last week. Also, pull up every financial transaction between him and Lucille."
After hanging up, I stared at the security footage replay on my phone and was reminded of the reasons behind our previous divorces.
The first time, Lucille had intentionally sent me a photo of herself wearing Casper's shirt, and I had demanded a divorce in a fit of rage.
The second time was my birthday. Lucille had called Casper, claiming Baxter was sick, and he had abandoned me to rush to her side.
…
The most recent divorce was when I came back from a business trip, only to find her and Baxter sleeping in my bedroom.
I had lashed out at her for having zero boundaries and demanded a divorce from Casper. It took him an entire month of soothing me and swearing it would never happen again before I reluctantly forgave him.
I used to think Lucille was the only problem, but now, I finally understood that Casper had been lying to me all along, too.
…
After Fluffball was buried, Casper was likely feeling guilty, as he started treating me much better.
One evening, he came home holding a velvet box and held it out to me. "I'm sorry for neglecting your feelings lately, Sabrina. I got you this. It's a token of apology."
I opened the box to find a necklace from a niche brand I used to adore.
"It's beautiful. Thanks, honey," I replied with a faint smile, taking the box but making no move to put it on.
The next morning, I walked down to the dining room for breakfast. The moment I entered, I saw Lucille sitting at the table with Baxter on her lap and the same necklace Casper had given me glinting around her neck.
When she looked up and saw me, her hands instinctively found the necklace on her neck as a subtle smirk tugged at the corner of her lips.
"What do you think of this necklace, Sabrina? Casper gave it to me yesterday and said the style really suits me."
I glanced at the comments above her head.
"Sabrina must be seething with rage right now. We've got to show her who Casper's favorite is!"
"Casper probably bought Sabrina a necklace as an excuse to give it to Lucille openly. I'm swooning!"
I gave Lucille a sincere smile. "Honestly, I think the necklace is a little tacky and average, but it suits you quite well, Lucille."
Lucille's smile froze on her face.
With that, I took my seat at the table, picked up my cutlery, and began eating my breakfast without saying another word.
Just as I finished and was about to head out the door, my phone buzzed with a message from Simon.
"I've finished looking into Mr. Sloan's schedule from last week and his financial ties to Lucille. All the files were sent to your email."
Chapter 4
"Thank you, Simon," I replied and quickly opened the email. Its contents were jarring.
Casper had indeed gone to Peak Hotel in Westfield with Lucille. They had spent the entire night passionately making out, and the email even included security footage of them kissing in the elevator.
There were also records of the large bank transfers he had made to her over the years, along with a deed to a downtown apartment registered in her name.
I closed the email and felt no wave of emotion, only a deep coldness.
It turned out that for all these years, he had been carrying on a secret affair with Lucille behind my back, and all those excuses about "responsibility" were nothing but an excuse for his infidelity.
I pulled out my phone and called the top divorce attorney in Jovialville, Harvey Spencer.
"Hi, Mr. Spencer. I need you to draft a divorce agreement for me. I'll send over the specific terms shortly."
Soon, Casper's and my wedding anniversary arrived. I specifically hired a private chef to prepare a grand feast at home and booked an appointment at a luxury salon, planning to dress up for the anniversary celebration.
As I walked downstairs to head out, Lucille was crouching by the dining table, feeding Baxter.
When she saw me, she stopped what she was doing and looked up at me. "Sabrina, are you going out?"
"Yes, I'm going to get my hair done. Casper and I are celebrating our wedding anniversary tonight," I replied in a flat voice and picked up my bag at the door.
Lucille froze. A flash of hurt crossed her eyes, and her lips moved, but she didn't say a word.
Above her head, the comments blew up again.
"Sabrina is so manipulative! She's intentionally bringing up the anniversary in front of Lucille to upset her!"
"Don't be sad, Lucille. Casper's heart belongs to you. He's just humoring Sabrina."
"She's disgusting. She used her family's wealth and status to break up Casper and Lucille in the past, and now she's flaunting it on purpose!"
"If Casper doesn't need Sabrina's family to back his new project, he never would have remarried her. Poor Lucille is suffering so much."
"But doesn't anyone find the forbidden romance between the brother-in-law and his widowed sister-in-law thrilling? This minor setback is nothing since they'll end up together anyway."
Deep down, I let out a cold laugh. That was when it hit me that Casper's tolerance for me was solely because of my family's connections and power.
Right in front of Lucille, I pulled out my phone and called Casper.
The moment the call was picked up, I softened my tone into a sweet, gentle murmur. "Honey, make sure to come home early after work today."
…
When I returned from the salon, the house was dead silent. Lucille and Baxter weren't home.
I went up to my room, took a long nap, and returned downstairs to find the dining table overflowing with the lavish feast the chef had prepared.
The clock on the wall ticked away, minute by minute, from 8:00 pm to 9:00 pm, then all the way to 11:00 pm.
Casper still hadn't come home. His phone was unreachable, and every call went unanswered.
I called his assistant and asked, "Has Casper left the office? Why haven't I been able to reach him?"
"Mr. Sloan went straight home after work. He didn't have any business dinners scheduled, so he should have been back hours ago," the assistant replied, sounding genuinely puzzled.
"I see."
I hung up, feeling completely unbothered.
At 12:00 am sharp, the front door was unlocked.
I looked up as Casper pushed the door open and stepped in. His expression was terrifyingly dark.
Lucille and Baxter followed him in. Her eyes were red-rimmed, and fresh tear stains still hung on her cheeks.