Chapter 4
The suggestive words lit a dark fire in Liam’s eyes.
His breathing grew heavy. Without another glance at me, he walked me to the door.
“Melanie, it’s getting late. You should head home.
“A psychiatric hospital isn’t safe at night–full of men who need reform.”
I was pale as a ghost, but he didn’t notice. With a final thud, he slammed the door shut.
Moments later, I heard a man’s low growls and a woman’s breathy
moans.
Through the narrow gap in the door, I caught a glimpse of the wedding dress–shredded and lying in pieces on the floor.
Then Irene turned her head and looked straight at me. My heart skipped a beat. She said, “Liam, do I look better in the wedding dress, or does she?”
Sweat clung to Liam’s jaw. With a deep breath, he quickened his rhythm, drawing soft, fragmented gasps from her lips.
“I can’t stop,” he muttered. “What do you think?”
It felt like my heart had been slammed onto concrete. Still, I stood there, tormenting myself by watching them tangle together.
1501
Only when their noises finally faded did I force my numb legs to move and flee like a ghost?
Back home, the new assistant arrived with the wedding dress.
The exact same wedding dress Irene had worn. Under the sunlight, it stabbed at my eyes like a blade.
I pulled out a pair of scissors. I just stared at the dress I’d once dreamed of wearing for a moment. Then, one cut at a time, I destroyed it..
When it was done, I gathered the shredded fabric–and everything else in the villa that carried even a trace of our memories–and burned it all
to ash.
I never reached out to Liam again. Not until he finally sensed my indifference and, in a panic, called me over and over that night, begging me to visit him at the psychiatric hospital.
But when I got there, I found him kneeling on one knee, kissing the inside of Irene’s thigh with worship in his eyes.
I froze, then backed up in shock, bumping loudly into the doorframe.
Liam looked over, his face instantly draining of color. He rushed over and wrapped me in his arms, his eyes darting to the stairs behind me in panic.
“Melanie! Behind you–it’s the stairs! What if you’d fallen? You almost gave me a heart attack!”
The worry in his voice sounded real.
But it only made me laugh inside. A bitter, ice–cold laugh.
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11
So it’s true. Some people can love and betray all at once.
“What were you two just doing?”
At my question, he immediately looked away.
A delicate, boneless hand slid over his shoulder. Irene leaned into him, all wide–eyed innocence. “Ms. Sinclair, don’t get the wrong idea. I was just teaching Liam how to regulate his emotions and comfort his partner. It’s part of a hospital therapy module.
“He’s doing so well. I’m sure you two will be very happy together.”
She blinked at him with teary eyes, then gave a gracious smile and patted his shoulder.
“Ms. Sinclair’s high heels aren’t really suitable for walking around a psychiatric hospital. It’d be bad if she almost fell again, like just now.
“Go get my shoes and bring them over for Ms. Sinclair to wear.”
Liam had always been proud. Back then, no one but me or his grandfather could order him around. But now? Irene only had to ask, and he wagged his tail like a trained dog.
I looked away, catching her smug little smirk.
“Cut the act.”
Irene laughed softly, then suddenly held out her hand to flaunt a diamond ring.
“Your fiancé’s quite the catch,” she said sweetly. “He gave me a wedding dress and this gorgeous diamond ring.”
}
I clenched my fists as I stared at the ring. My mind went blank.
That diamond ring–I had designed it myself. Liam once said he’d handcraft it for our wedding bands.
Just one sentence from him, and I’d waited all this time.
But now, that ring sat on her finger.
She stepped closer, forcing me back toward the stairs.
“I just pouted a little,” she whispered, “and he slipped it on me himself. He told me that even if he can’t give me a wedding, everything you have–he’ll give me too.
“So what if you two get married? He still has a place for me in his. heart. That wedding ring? It’s just a hand–me–down from me. And your man? I slept with him first!”
“You really thought he has bipolar disorder? Please. He’s been fine for ages. It wasn’t you who cured him–it was me. He told me, while lying on top of me that I satisfied his need for control and possession. I’m his cure.”
It felt like someone had punched my skull. My head buzzed as I lunged forward and grabbed her wrist, screaming, “Liar! I’m the one who helped him recover!”
Irene smiled coldly–then suddenly tore at her own clothes and switched our positions. Then, with a twist, she hurled herself down the stairs.
In the next moment, Liam shoved me aside and sprinted toward her.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Sinclair!” she wailed, sobbing as she slapped herself
Chapter
over and over. “That ring was just a therapy tool! Please, don’t ruin my reputation–don’t accuse me of seducing your fiancé!
“I didn’t mean to be seductive–it’s my fault, I dressed inappropriately. I’ll change! Just don’t ruin my life!”
After speaking, Irene burst into tears and started slapping herself–over a dozen times–until her cheeks were flushed and swollen.
Liam, distressed, grabbed her hands to stop her. Then, when he looked his bloodshot eyes startled me enough to skip a heartbeat.
at me,
The shoes that had just been brought over were hurled at my face with full force. The impact turned my vision black and sent me crashing to
the floor.
His hand froze midair, but with Irene trembling in his arms, he steeled himself and shouted at me.
“You pushed someone down the stairs over a diamond ring! Do you even realize that could’ve killed her?
“She wore the ring because I asked her to–it helps with my condition. And you tried to hurt her over that? When did you become so jealous.
and vicious?
“Looks like I’m not the only one who needs a psychiatric hospital. Maybe you should go to one of those etiquette schools for women and get your jealousy fixed!”
Irene moved the hand covering her head, revealing a gash on her forehead that had started bleeding.
“Liam, it hurts,” she whimpered.
Chapter 4
He picked her up and rushed toward the infirmary. He yanked me up by the collar as he passed me and glared coldly into my eyes.
“You better pray that the injury on her head isn’t serious–otherwise, the wedding’s off!
“It’s just a ring. It’s not like it can’t be replaced!”
With that, he threw me back down to the floor.
Through a blur of tears, I watched their retreating figures. Dazed, I reached up to touch the scar on my own forehead.
Liam, did you ever stop to think if I’d be okay when you smashed that vase at me?
My phone lit up with a reminder from the airline.
I clutched it tightly, forcing myself to my feet, and walked away without looking back.
The truth is, if he really wanted, he could cut and polish a thousand identical diamond rings. But I could never again design the same love.
Right before boarding, I received a message from Liam.
“I’m sorry, Melanie. I didn’t mean to hurt you. My manic episode got out of control again.
“Irene taught me a lot while I was at the hospital. You shouldn’t have treated her that way. I just panicked.
‘Once we’re married, I’ll make it up to you. I promise.”
I closed my eyes and blocked his number.
74.36
From that moment until the wedding day, Liam never saw Melanie
again.
He thought she was just being petty, throwing a tantrum. But Irene. clung to him tightly, pulling every trick she had, and he had no time- or heart to coax anyone else.
It didn’t matter, he told himself. Once they were married, he’d explain everything to Melanie. He’d cut ties with Irene for good and devote himself to the girl who had loved him since childhood.
The wedding came as planned. But Melanie never showed up.
Liam’s face darkened. Clutching his unanswered phone, he kicked his assistant hard.
“Where’s Melanie? Why aren’t you out there looking for her already?”
Just then, a commotion rippled through the crowd at the entrance. Liam looked up in hope, but the smile froze on his face.
It was Finn. Disappointment clouded his eyes as he glared at Liam.
“You little bastard. Melanie’s gone overseas, and you’re still here holding a damn wedding?”
