Back when the renovations were happening, he had held me at the doorway and spoken so warmly.
"This room will be yours. I’ll connect all the second-floor bedrooms for you. The servants aren’t allowed upstairs, so no one will ever intrude on our private time…"
Before I could say a word, he scooped Rhea into his arms and settled her comfortably on his lap.
"All right, we’ll do as this cutie Rhea says."
"What are you standing there for, Starlene? Go move your stuff."
He didn’t even spare me a glance as he said it.
The two of them kissed passionately, right in front of me.
A sudden wave of nausea rose in my throat, forcing me to turn and run. I vomited until my vision blurred and my head spun.
When I returned, my belongings had already been packed and tossed downstairs.
The maid around sneered at me.
"Starlene, you’re not planning to keep your things, are you? The lady of the house is in a hurry to move in and you’re too slow, so I helped you pack. You know, a maid should act like a maid."
My eyes fell on the shattered crystal ball ornament lying among the scattered belongings.
The little figurines inside—once embracing—were now broken into jagged pieces.
It had been custom-made from a picture of me and Justin. He said it symbolized a love that could never be torn apart.
I dropped to my knees, frantically trying to piece the shards back together.
Blood welled from the cuts on my palms, but I felt nothing.
Rhea came over, covering her mouth in feigned shock.
"Starlene? Was this important to you? I’m so sorry—I didn’t think you had anything valuable, so I told them to clear it away."
"Why don’t I buy you another? How much was it?"
A tear splashed onto my hand as I gave a cold, bitter laugh.
"No need. Once something’s broken, it can never be the same. Even if you replace it, it’s never the same."
Hearing that, Rhea immediately crouched down beside me.
"Let me help you clean it up. Maybe it can still be repaired."
Without thinking, I shoved her hand away.
She staggered backward and fell neatly into Justin’s arms.
Above me, his eyes blazed with anger.
"It’s just a broken glass ornament. Is that worth making such a scene? What if Rhea had been hurt?"
"Rhea, leave it—it’s nothing but a cheap trinket. Just throw it out."
As he carried her away, his foot came down hard on the shards.
Blood seeped from my palm, but the ache in my chest hurt far more.