Severing the Sacred First Bond

"Alright. For old times' sake, the Hayes Corporation can still find a place for you. I don't mind offering a spot in my charity foundation to some poor thing."

Now that she had Preston's promise, she didn't even bother to pretend.

"Old times' sake?" I snorted. "What right do you have to mention that?"

Preston looked at me, his heart clearly filled with disappointment.

"Alicia, if you need help or have regrets, is it so hard to just bow your head to me?"

"I still don't understand. Was being Mrs. Hayes so important? Important enough to hold a grudge for three years?"

A grudge?

I couldn't believe my ears.

"I thought you would grow up, that you'd understand why I had to do what I did," he continued. "But you're still so childish."

His reasons? Locking me in a sanatorium? Torturing me with sedatives until I could barely think straight? Those were his reasons?

"You have no idea what I care about," I said in a low voice.

"Then what do you care about?" Preston asked impatiently. "Isn't it because I chose to take care of Camila instead of finishing our wedding?"

I looked at him and suddenly found it all hilarious.

Three years had passed, and he still didn't understand a thing.

The betrayal at the wedding cut deep, but what truly broke my heart was his mistrust and cruelty.

After his brother's death, his concern for Camila went far beyond the duties of a brother-in-law.

He had no idea how Camila had framed me, that all her "illnesses" were fabricated.

He certainly had no idea about the brutal treatment I endured in the sanatorium, all because Camila had secretly instructed the nurses to increase my medication.

"Forget it," I said, shaking my head. "It's pointless talking to you."

"See? Throwing a childish tantrum again," Camila sighed theatrically. Then she deliberately raised her hand, showing off the sparkling Hermès Birkin bag on her wrist. "Alicia, what do you think of this bag? It's a custom piece, one of only three in the world."

Her eyes were filled with pride, waiting for me to show jealousy.

I gave her a cold glance.

"Then you'd better treasure that bag. It's probably worth more than you."

"Although..."

I paused, giving her a disdainful look.

"On you, it just looks cheap."

"You!"

Her face flushed with anger, but with Preston there, she couldn't lash out.

So, she turned to him with red-rimmed eyes, feigning dizziness.

"You... how could you say that?" She clutched her chest, her body starting to sway. "I... I don't feel so well..."

Same old act.

"Camila!" Preston immediately steadied her. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing... it's just... Alicia's malice is so strong..." she said weakly. "My heart can't take it..."

Preston whipped around to face me, his eyes blazing with fury.

"Enough, Alicia! You're always like this! Do you have to push her until she has a heart attack?"

"I didn't do anything."

"Your very presence sets her off!" he roared. "You're the reason she had a heart attack three years ago!"

I took a deep breath.