After My Husband's Cruelty Destroyed Our Love

"Max, I've told you not to tease Ellie."

Amidst the tension, Melany appeared.

"Shouldn't you be inside? It's freezing out here. What are you doing outside?" Max's demeanor softened immediately as he draped his coat over her shoulders.

So, Max was aware of the cold.

"I just wanted to see you," Melany pouted and then linked her arm with mine.

"Ellie, come inside quickly. Max was just upset, and I'll talk to him later."

After being outside for so long, the sudden warmth was both comforting and irritating, making me want to lie down. Yet, Melany held onto me tightly, her smile sweet and seemingly innocent.

"Ellie, are you in such a rush to leave because you don't want to see me?"

"It's all my fault, but can we work things out? If it bothers you that much, I can let you have Max. After all, you're the one the Reyes family recognizes as his wife—a woman from a wealthy family, cultured and refined. Unlike me, who has to work so hard for what girls like you can get with just a snap of your fingers..."

"What nonsense are you talking about? I've told you, you're the only one I love!" Max interjected, urgently defending himself before turning to glare at me with resentment, saying through clenched teeth, "Why are you still standing here? Do you want to upset her even more?"

Melany finally let go of me. I was free, and I turned to leave. Behind me, Max's voice, tender to the extreme, echoed:

"This pendant is meant for the daughter-in-law of the Reyes family. I've always kept it for you..."

I stopped in my tracks.

Seeing the pendant, tears escaped me, flowing uncontrollably.

I had always known about that pendant.

On our wedding day, Anaya Reyes held my hand, her smile gentle and warm.

"Our family has a pendant especially for the daughter-in-law. It should have been given by me. But Max, impatient as ever, asked for it early. So, I’ll leave him to give it to you."

Since that day, I had always hoped for the moment when Max would hand me that pendant.

Yet now, Max said,

He had always kept it for Melany.