I Broke Off My Engagement With My Fiancé to Dedicate Myself to National Research

"Get in the car," George said. "I'll take you to the art unit."

Kelly frowned in confusion. "Why are we going to the art troupe?"

George's brow furrowed tightly. "Well, you've pushed Amanda yesterday and today you've stained her performance dress. Kelly, don’t you think you owe her an apology?"

His accusation left Kelly stunned. "I didn’t push her, nor did I stain her dress. Don’t you dare frame me!"

She spun on her heel to leave, but George leaped out of the car and grabbed her arm roughly. That’s when he noticed the dark bruises marring her delicate wrist.

He froze, his gaze fixed on her injury. "What happened to your hand?"

Kelly's nose went red with the threat of tears, but she forced her voice to stay calm. "You already know, don’t you?"

An inexplicable sense of emotion shot through George's chest. He struggled to shake it off, his eyes narrowing into icy slits. "You're becoming even more skilled in doing underhanded tactics. Are you hurting yourself now just to frame Amanda?"

His words sliced through her like a blade. Kelly's voice trembled with pain and indignation. "George, after all these years, is that the kind of person you think I am?"

George pinched the bridge of his nose and his tone softened slightly. "Kelly, it’s just an apology. It’s not that hard."

The disappointment in her gaze burned more than her words ever could. She turned and walked away, a lone tear escaping down her cheek.

By the time Kelly reached the military compound, George was already there. He tossed a pain-streaked onto the ground in front of her.

Kelly stared at the garment with a puzzled expression.

"You ruined Amanda's performance dress," George said coldly. "She couldn’t go onstage because of you. If you clean it and we’ll call it even."

The white dress was streaked with vibrant colors. It was unmistakable that someone had done it on purpose. However, she wasn’t the culprit.

Kelly's voice turned cold and said, "I didn't do it. I'm not washing it!"

George’s jaw tightened. "I must’ve spoiled you too much if you can’t even tell right from wrong!"

His fists clenched and his voice became lower. It was full of quiet menace. "If you don’t clean that dress, I’ll toss your amulet into the river."

The amulet was the last memento her mother had left her.

Her voice cracked as she spoke. Her body was trembling all over. "George, that amulet... it’s my mother’s keepsake. You can't …."

How could he threaten me with this amulet?

Seeing her tears, George instinctively reached out, but Kelly recoiled and she even retreated a step. His hand hovered awkwardly before falling to his side.

George forced himself to harden his heart. "Clean the dress and I’ll give it back. Put yourself in her shoes. This dress is important to Amanda too."

Kelly looked at George with sorrowful eyes. "Do you have to humiliate me like this?" she asked.

His gut twisted at her words, but he suppressed the discomfort because he figured he was just disciplining Kelly. He said, "Don’t bother complaining to my father. He’s away at the military district for a few days."

Kelly inhaled sharply. "Fine. I’ll wash it."

As soon as George left, Amanda quietly entered the house and with a satisfied smirk on her face, she said, "Kelly, I’m so sorry. I accidentally used up all the hot water earlier. You’ll have to use cold water to wash my dress."

In the compound, hot water was a shared resource from the communal kitchen. Amanda’s deliberate act left Kelly no choice but to scrub the dress with icy water.