6
Stephanie’s hands trembled with anger. “Why are you taking everything from me?”
Kayla let out a dry laugh, shaking her head. “Everything? Don’t flatter yourself. Do you think I need to take anything from you? The only reason you’ve had anything at all is because of me. You should be thanking me.
She disappeared into the nanny’s room for a moment and came back holding a small velvet box.
Opening it, she revealed Stephanie’s prized possession; the green emerald jewelry she had spent a fortune on.
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Bawas My Dear Ex Husband
Stephanie’s face turned pale. “No.. no, please don’t! Take anything else! Just not the emerald!”
Kayla’s eyes hardened. She had been keeping tabs on every shady move Stephanie made, watching her hoard stolen money and pour it into useless trinkets like this one.
Wordlessly, Kayla dropped the jewelry onto the floor and raised her foot. The sharp crunch of emerald against tile sent Stephanie into a panic.
“No! Stop!” Stephanie shrieked, dropping to her knees as if she could somehow salvage it.
Kayla grabbed a hammer and brought it down with brutal precision, smashing the emerald into a pile of worthless shards.
“Now you know what it feels like to lose something you love,” Kayla said coldly, stepping back as Stephanie scrambled to gather the shattered remains.
Watching her, Kayla couldn’t help but recall how she had once done the same–desperately reaching for her dog’s scattered bones after its tragic death.
Stephanie’s sobs turned into a furious growl. Grabbing a bowl from the table, she hurled it straight at Kayla.
“Look out!”
Lionel lunged in front of her just in time, the bowl smashing against his head with a sickening thud. Blood trickled down his forehead as he collapsed to the ground.
Kayla froze, staring in shock. For a moment, all the anger and chaos evaporated, replaced by the sight of Lionel lying motionless on the floor.
Hours later, in the hospital, Lionel opened his eyes, bandages wrapped around his head. He looked at Kayla, his voice soft and unsteady “I’m sorry,” he said. “For everything. You didn’t deserve what I put you through.”
Kayla stared at him, speechless. She couldn’t even remember the last time Lionel had stood up for her like that. For a brief second, she felt something stir, a memory of who they used to be, buried beneath years of betrayal. Even though Lionel stepped in to protect her, it didn’t change the fact that it was all a lie. It couldn’t undo the damage he’d done to Kayla–it was something that couldn’t be fixed
She didn’t even shed a tear when she heard his apology. She just looked at him, quiet and for a moment, her mind went back to that day, the one where he pulled her from under the car after the accident.
“Don’t think too much. Just rest,” she said, walking out. Later, she made sure he had the best doctor to take care of him. “Make sure there are no issues. No lasting effects.”
Kayla even went out and got him his favorite sweet and sour beef. After all, it was because of her that he had
gotten hurt.
However, then she found herself standing at the door of the ward and overheard Stephanie’s voice from inside.
“Lionel, are you okay? This is all my fault. I’m so sorry
“It’s nothing, just a minor injury,” Lionel reassured her.
Stephanie’s voice cracked, “Why did you protect her? Do you still have feelings for her?”
Lionel was quiet for a moment before answering. “No. It’s only you. I had to protect her to gain her trust. She doesn’t trust anyone anymore. I need to pretend for now if I want to get close to her again.”
Stephanie clung to him, praising him for being so smart.
Kayla felt a cold rush in her chest. She was close to believing it, but then she realized–Lionel had gone to such lengths to fool her.
She turned and walked away without a second thought, tossing the sweet and sour beef into the trash on her
way out
Stephanie frowned, upset. “Everything I had left was smashed by Kayla. I’ve got nothing now! Lionel, my dad and
I are counting on you!”
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