Chapter 3
Hearing Jackson’s voice, my heart still couldn’t help but tighten.
His gentle and warm voice had accompanied me through many lonely. nights, and now, though so close, we could never be part of each other’s lives again.
Three years ago, after I was released from prison, I returned to work at the Sullivan Group.
Everyone looked at me with prejudice and avoided me.
Only Jackson, the newly arrived general manager, treated me with
kindness.
When I hid in the fire escape crying in sorrow, he would come and tell me, “There’s no hurdle you can’t get past. Don’t care what others think. Just be yourself.”
When I dreamt at night of being beaten in prison by the older inmates, he would gently hold me and pat my back, saying, “Don’t be afraid, I’m here. I’ll always protect you.”
But I never expected that the man who once vowed to protect me for life would end up hurting me the most.
Just as I was about to refuse again, I remembered I still needed to return the old house key to Carl, so I agreed.
After entering Sullivan’s residence, Rosella greeted me enthusiastically.
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But when she saw my empty hands, disappointment appeared on her
face.
“Monica, you didn’t get me a gift?”
I glanced at Jackson beside her and said, “Didn’t he already prepare everything for you?”
“But I wanted a gift that you personally bought for me.”
At this moment, Carl and Marsha also walked over.
Marsha frowned and said disdainfully, “It’s true what they say–raised without a mother, no manners. Who comes to someone’s home empty- handed?”
I sneered. “Yes, I have no manners. Your daughter does. Why not have your well–mannered daughter marry that idiot Bradley, then?”
Hearing that, Carl immediately tried to smooth things over. “We’re all family. It doesn’t matter who marries whom. Come on, let’s eat.”
But Rosell
wouldn’t let it go. She pointed at the bracelet on my wrist and said, “Monica, your bracelet is so pretty. Why don’t you give it to me as a gift?”
I immediately turned my hand away. “This was my mom’s. You’re not worthy of it.”
To my surprise, her eyes instantly turned red. “Monica, I just wanted to get along with you. I didn’t think you hated me this much. I spoke out of line.”
As she cried more and more pitifully, Jackson suddenly grabbed my arm and forcefully took off the bracelet, handing it to Rosella.
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I glared at him in anger. “Are you deaf? I said my mom gave it to me. Give it back!”
But he still wore that do–gooder expression. “Monica, it’s just a bracelet. You’re sisters, after all. Does it matter who wears it? If you like, I’ll buy you a better one later.”
He then pulled Rosella’s hand to put it on her.
But Rosella resisted. “No, I shouldn’t covet Monica’s things–whether it’s the bracelet or partner.”
She cast Jackson a meaningful glance.
“Rosella, you’re family. What’s hers is yours. Wear it.”
The two of them kept pushing the bracelet back and forth.
Then–a crisp crack.
The bracelet hit the floor and shattered into two.
My heart shattered along with it.
Rosella, frightened, shrank into Jackson’s arms.
“Monica, I didn’t mean to. Please don’t hit me.”
Jackson’s face darkened. “Rosella, why would you say that? Did she bully you before?”
Rosella said nothing, only kept wiping her tears.
Jackson gritted his teeth and spat out only one word at me, “Apologize!”
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I trembled as I bent down and picked up the two broken pieces of the bracelet. My chest felt tight, and my eyes welled up with tears.
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