And he was right—I had forgiven him too many times before.
Quietly, I ended the call, though my mind was far from quiet.
The next day, I emailed my resignation to Ethan, knowing full well he was too busy with Sophia to notice.
Then I began packing my things. But when I opened my jewelry box, I froze.
My mother’s wedding gift to me—a one-of-a-kind Blue Tear Sapphire—was gone.
Only Ethan ever had access to that box.
Just as I reached for my phone to confront him, a photo arrived from Sophia.
In the picture, the sapphire gleamed on her neck under the light.
“Lily, Ethan gave me this gift. Don’t you think it suits me perfectly?”
She dangled the necklace between her fingers, her message a deliberate taunt.
Moments later, she even sent me her location—the Hilton Hotel—as if declaring war outright.
To reclaim my mother’s gift, I had no choice but to drive there.
I knocked three times before Sophia lazily opened the door, wrapped in nothing but a towel.
“Oh, Lily! What are you doing here so late?”
The familiar scent of Ethan’s pine cologne lingered on her skin.
“Where’s Ethan?”
“He’s in the shower. Did you need something?”
The sound of running water came from the bathroom. Ethan was still inside.