It wasn't the first time she provoked me.

In the past, I might have lost my temper and angrily pointed at her in front of Brad, saying, "You see? She's doing this on purpose! She's trying to drive a wedge between us!"

But Brad would just ignore me as if he were blind.

"Ashley, can't you let go of your hostility towards Evelyn?

"She's so timid. What if you scare her? Could you live with yourself then?"

Eventually, he got tired of it. No matter what I said, he had only one response. "If it weren't for saving me, would her heart condition have relapsed? Why do you have to nitpick everything with her?"

However, in this world, it was not always the case that the weak were right.

And so it was with love.

But clearly, Brad didn't see it that way.

To him, Evelyn had saved his life, and with her heart condition, her words were his law.

Time and again, Brad let her hurt me, provoke me.

Yet, I was supposedly the one he loved most.

It seemed Brad had forgotten that.

Of course, I knew Evelyn had saved him.

Two years ago, while Brad was on a business trip, a deranged man suddenly burst out, wildly swinging a knife.

Brad was caught off guard, holding a frightened child, and couldn't escape. Evelyn rushed forward and took a knife for him.

When I heard the news, I rushed over.

Evelyn had already been taken to the hospital, and out of guilt and gratitude, Brad took me to see her.

In the hospital, we found out that not only was Evelyn injured, but the shock had also triggered her heart disease to recur.

Brad felt even more guilty.

He compensated Evelyn generously and told her, "If you ever need anything, feel free to ask me."

Evelyn's eyes were nearly glued to him, and she asked, "Really? I can ask you for anything?"

I had a bad feeling about it.

Brad was safe, yet I felt far from happy.

My intuition as a woman told me she might have feelings for Brad.

What should I do?

Later, feeling down, I asked, "Brad, could you ever like her?"

Brad sighed helplessly, "Ashley, don't overthink it. She just happened to save me, that's all.

"Don't worry. If I ever dare to cheat, you can break my penis!"

I was so embarrassed by his half-joking remark that I ignored him for a whole day.

But deep down, I was relieved.

After all, we had known each other for ten whole years since college.

I thought our relationship was strong enough that no one could just interfere.

But soon, I realized I had underestimated human nature.

Evelyn often used excuses like feeling unwell to have Brad come over and keep her company.

Even if her car broke down, the electricity went out, a pipe burst, or she had menstrual cramps, she always called him for even the most minor things.

I finally confirmed that Evelyn had fallen for him.

She was openly pursuing him, using his guilt.

She was also flaunting it in my face.

One more time, when Brad picked up her call and was about to rush over, I lost it. "Brad, she keeps calling you over, can't you see that she likes you?"

Perhaps seeing me so distraught, Brad patiently tried to soothe me. "Ashley, I just feel guilty. A girl living alone, some things in life, men indeed handle better.

"Besides, she once saved my life. I just want to do more for her, to repay her. I don’t want to owe her anything, you understand?"

I held back the bitterness in my heart and asked softly, "Brad, have you fallen for Evelyn?"

He simply replied, "Hey, don't make a fuss."

That day, he still left me to see Evelyn.

I cried under the covers until dawn.

I began to realize that something between us had changed.

What completely tore Brad and me apart was seeing Evelyn holding Brad's hand, shopping for clothes on the street.

That day, he had promised to take me to a show.

But just as we were about to leave, he told me there was an emergency meeting at work, and he couldn't make it.

It turned out he had learned to lie to me.

My heart felt as cold as if it had sunk to the bottom of a lake.

I was a human, too, and I had my temper.

Evelyn kept interfering in our relationship, and my rationality had been completely burnt away.

In front of everyone on the street, I pointed at her and cursed loudly.

I called her a vixen, a seductress. Every name I could think of, I hurled at her.

It was the first time I had torn off my gentle facade, abandoned all politeness, and cursed someone so crudely.

And it was the first time Brad didn't stand by me but protected Evelyn, watching me rant and rave like a madwoman on the street.

Until Evelyn suddenly had a heart attack, and he rushed her to the hospital, carrying her in his arms.

Before leaving, he said, "Ashley Stone, you really disappoint me."

After that, he never called me just "Ally" again but used my full name.

Because of Evelyn, Brad and I fell into endless arguments.

Our decade of love also gradually vanished amidst those arguments.

I could never understand why we turned out this way.

It was only now that I realized.

Evelyn's relentless pursuit of Brad had long tipped the scales in her favor in his heart.

Thinking back on her expression just now, I let out a cold laugh.

I was not fit to compete with her.

Brad was nothing but trash.

How could trash be worth my blood, sweat, and tears?

I got up and returned to the hospital room.

But as I passed by the room next door, I heard Evelyn's sobbing, accompanied by Brad's slightly hoarse tone.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think she would follow us here."

He was trying to soothe her.

I frowned and looked over, my body shaking with anger.

I saw Brad pull out a diamond bracelet from his pocket and place it on Evelyn's wrist.

Her eyes sparkled as she gazed at the bracelet. "Is this the surprise you mentioned?"

"I love it. Brad, you're so good to me."

Brad's lips curved in a nearly invisible smile. "As long as you like it."

The bracelet was made of natural jewels, gleaming brightly, each inch exuding elegance and nobility.

It was my family heirloom.

How could she not like it?

We had a pair of these bracelets.

I had one, and Brad had the other.

After our engagement, my parents gave him his.

My father told him, "Ally is my only daughter. Once you're married, the bracelets are yours to pass down."

Our ancestors were jewelers.

This pair of bracelets represents the continuation of the Stone family's ancestral craftsmanship.

Passed down through generations, it had reached me, the two hundred and twelfth.

It was a priceless treasure of my family.

Brad knew how important these bracelets were to me.

How could he give it away so casually?

A surge of hatred darkened my face as I stormed in, yelling, "Brad, are you really willing to give away the last thing my parents left me?"

My voice trembled with rage. "Are you trying to kill me too?"