She Lost a Diamond in Search of a Stone

Jackson's POV

Penelope shot me a glare. “You disgust me. This is what you call being honest with me?”

Her mother chimed in, voice sharp as a whip. “Animal. Thank God my daughter didn’t end up with you. Always claiming you treat her well, and yet you’ve been secretly hoarding money behind her back.”

I ignored them and turned to the officers. “Can I leave now?”

“Leave? Not until you get on your knees and apologize to Dwayne,” Penelope snapped.

“Enough,” one of the officers intervened. “The money’s been paid. Let’s just end this here.”

“End it? He was the one who threw the first punch!” Penelope shouted. “If he doesn’t kneel and apologize, I’ll push for the harshest punishment.”

“Go get the injury checked first,” the officer replied calmly. “If it qualifies as serious, we’ll take him in.”

But we all knew Dwayne’s bruises didn’t amount to much. Helpless, Penelope just glared at me, eyes full of venom. “Pack your things and get out of here. I don’t want to see your face again.”

“I’ll move out,” I said evenly, “but you and I still have unfinished business to settle.”

“Officer, did you hear that? He’s threatening my daughter again,” her mother barked.

Dwayne only smirked. “Don’t take it to heart, Mrs. Fuller. This is what a bottom-feeder says when he’s desperate to save his pride. I almost hope he does try something. It’d be a good chance for him to learn what kind of pull I have here in this city.”

His eyes then shifted to me, sharp with arrogance. “Listen here, kid. If you don’t kneel today, I’ll make sure you regret it. Go on, test me.”

Despite that, I didn’t bother responding. I just confirmed with the officers that I was free to leave, then grabbed a cab back to the apartment complex I was renting at.

Lately, there had been a car parked in the neighborhood that everyone couldn't stop talking about. It was a Bentley Continental, sleek, white, and impossible to miss. People stopped every day to snap pictures, speculating who the owner might be. Penelope herself even once posed next to it.

When I got home, I walked right up to that Bentley and slid into the driver’s seat. Yes, this car was mine.

Yesterday, Penelope didn’t see me because I had driven this car to her company. I had been planning to surprise her, to share my joy. To show her I wasn’t the orphan she thought I was anymore.

I leaned back in the seat, trying to relax, when my phone rang. It was my biological father.

“Jackson,” his voice came steady, “everything’s arranged. I personally oversaw it, so there will definitely be no mistakes. Tomorrow, Penelope will get the surprise of her life.”

“We broke up,” I said flatly.