Amber’s grin widened as if my pain was her fuel. “Oh, save it. You didn’t care about anyone else’s feelings when you went after Darren. Now you want sympathy?” She lifted the bracelet higher, taunting me like a cat playing with its prey.
I clenched my fists to stop my hands from trembling. “Amber, you don’t understand… My mom gave that to me before she died! Please… just give it back!”
Her laughter was sharp and heartless. “Your mom must’ve been as pitiful as you if this trash is all she left behind!”
Her words sliced through me like a knife. My mom wasn’t just a memory—she was the strongest person I’d ever known.
She had fought a brutal battle against cancer when I was barely a teenager, pouring every ounce of her strength into making sure I wouldn’t feel alone after she was gone. The bracelet was her final gift to me. I could still hear her soft, tired voice: “Elliana, this is for you. Whenever you feel lost, wear this and know I’m always with you.”
I hadn’t taken it off since the day she died. It wasn’t just a piece of jewelry—it was her love, her strength, and my anchor when the world felt too heavy.
“Amber,” my voice shaking with restrained anger, “hate me all you want, but leave her out of this. Give me the bracelet!”
Her smirk turned wicked. “Or what? Huh?” Before I could answer, she tossed it to the ground. The delicate chain hit the pavement with a sharp clink.
“Noooo!!!” I dropped to my knees, scrambling to pick it up.
The clasp was broken, the fragile links snapped. My hands trembled as I gathered the pieces, tears threatening to spill over.
Amber loomed over me, her shadow blocking out the sunlight. “Look at you…” she sneered. “Crying over some broken junk? Maybe you should’ve thought about your poor mom before you decided to ruin someone else’s relationship!”
I shot to my feet, my anger finally boiling over. “You don’t know anything about me or my mom!”
Her smug expression flickered for just a moment before she recovered. “Oh, I know enough. And here’s what I think of your precious bracelet.”
Before I could stop her, she slammed her heel down on the fragile chain, crushing it into the ground.
“Amber!” I screamed, and without thinking, I slapped her. The sound echoed in the air, cutting through the stunned silence.
Amber’s head snapped to the side, and for a moment, she looked truly shocked. Then her eyes blazed with fury. “You little—”