Abigail had never worn it casually, always too afraid of damaging it. She reserved it for only the most important occasions.
Tonight, as she prepared to leave, she climbed upstairs to change into a chest-wrapped dress that would complement the necklace’s brilliance. The pendant settled on her skin, its delicate silver gleaming against her fair complexion, making her look even more striking than usual.
She hailed a taxi and made her way to the Golden Sands Banquet Hall. When she arrived, she stepped out of the car, her heart fluttering with anticipation. Her eyes immediately found Sebastian standing at the entrance. She assumed he was waiting for her, so she hurried toward him.
But as she drew closer, her heart sank. There, standing beside him, was Gabriella. Her presence, so familiar and yet so foreign, crushed Abigail’s spirits in an instant.
Sebastian’s gaze flickered over to her, but instead of the warmth she had once known, his expression darkened.
"Why are you dressed like this?" he asked, his voice colder than she remembered.
Abigail froze. Her mind raced as she realized her mistake—he hadn’t asked her to attend the banquet at all. She had misunderstood everything.
Embarrassment flooded through her, and she nervously pinched her fingers together, unsure of how to explain herself.
Sebastian, however, didn’t seem to care about the miscommunication. His focus was elsewhere.
"Where is the necklace?" he asked bluntly.
Abigail instinctively touched the necklace around her neck, her brow furrowing in confusion. Was he planning to sell it?
But her assumptions were wrong. The reality was far more cruel than she had imagined.
Sebastian’s voice was sharp and emotionless. “Take it off.”
She stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat.
Sebastian’s patience seemed to snap. Without another word, he grabbed her by the arm, roughly turning her away from him. As her neck was exposed, he swiftly removed the necklace, his fingers cold against her skin.
Abigail’s heart pounded in her chest as she slowly turned to face him.
What she saw made her world come crashing down.
Sebastian, holding the necklace in his hand, walked past her and toward Gabriella. With an almost tender gesture, he lifted Gabriella’s long hair and placed the precious wedding gift—Ivory Dream—around her neck.