It was the only keepsake my mother had ever left me. I had locked it in the bedroom safe, and only Frederick and I knew the combination.
Before he left me out in the wilderness, I had begged him to give it back. However, he told me I’d get it once I realized my mistake.
But now, the bracelet that should’ve been safely locked away was wrapped around someone else’s wrist.
Colette followed my gaze and noticed what I was looking at. She covered her mouth, then let out a chuckle.
“That was a gift from Freddie. But I think it’s a bit old-fashioned.”
As she spoke, she unclasped the bracelet and handed it to me. “Ana, if I’d known you liked it, I wouldn’t have given it to Karen. Here, it’s yours.”
I was about to take it when Colette let go. In the next second, the bracelet shattered on the floor. Just like that, the last thing my mother had left me was gone.
I took a deep breath, then raised my hand and slapped Colette hard.
Frederick immediately caught her before striking me just as hard.
“What the hell is wrong with you, Anastasia?” he barked. “It’s just a damn bracelet! It broke, but so what? I can buy you ten more just like it!
“Five months ago, you didn’t hesitate to push Colette out the window. She was seriously hurt because of you. Even now, she still gets headaches! What’s so wrong about me taking her in to look after her? Why do you hate her so much?”
If this had happened before, I would’ve thrown a fit the moment Frederick started defending another woman. But this time, I just held my burning left cheek and looked at him with cold indifference.
It was Frederick who stared back at me in surprise.
“Why aren’t you making a scene?” he asked.
