Chapter 42
Chapter 42:
Olivia instinctively tensed, shoulders drawing up. Kailey let a thin, razor-sharp smile curl at her lips.
“Olivia,” she said, her tone dropping to something quiet and cutting, “have you even looked at yourself lately? You can’t pull off a single scheme without making a fool of yourself. It’s embarrassing for every woman alive. Honestly, if I were a man, I’d rather be alone forever than waste a single second on someone like you p>
The words landed with the precision of a blade, leaving no room for dignity.
Olivia stood frozen, shock holding her in place. By the time the full sting of it registered, Kailey had already disappeared down the corridor.
After changing into a fresh set of clothes, Kailey’s irritation only grew as she pictured Olivia rushing off to complain to Ryan. The frustration building inside her refused to settle.
Rather than letting her mood spiral further, she picked up her phone and messaged Aleena, saying she needed some air and wanted to get out of the house. Before stepping outside, she tucked the broken emerald amulet into her bag.
Hoping for a solution, she made her way through a string of upscale jewelry boutiques at the mall, explaining her situation at each one. Unfortunately, none of them could offer any real help.
One jeweler examined the shattered gem with a sympathetic shake of the head. “Even with careful repair, an emerald like this will never look the way it did. If you’re open to it, we could reshape it into a bracelet p>
A second clerk frowned and handed it back. “Honestly, the quality of this emerald is exceptional. It’s a bit too high-end for us to risk working on p>
Someone else simply offered an apologetic shrug. “You might have better luck somewhere else p>
𝖨𝗇𝘁𝖾𝘯s𝘦 𝗋o𝘮аn𝖼𝗲 о𝗇
As Kailey left the last store, the last of her hope seemed to drain away. She lingered on the street corner, defeated, with no idea where to turn next.
“Mom…” she whispered softly. “What am I supposed to do now? Is there really no way to fix this p>
Just as her mood hit its lowest point, her phone rang and broke the silence.
She tucked the emerald carefully into her bag, glanced at the screen, and saw a message from Kyson asking about her plans. Wiping away a tear, she didn’t hesitate and dialed his number.
“I’m not really up to much. Just wandering around p>
Kyson caught the unsteadiness in her voice immediately. “Are you out there crying, or just lost in your thoughts p>
Kailey wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and tried to sound casual. “I’m fine. I’m not crying p>
A soft laugh came through the phone. “Of course you’re not. Kailey, you’ve always been the toughest person I know p>
A quiet moment passed before she asked, “It’s the middle of the night over there, isn’t it? Shouldn’t you be asleep by now p>
A gentle sigh came through before Kyson answered, “Sleep just isn’t happening for me tonight p>
She didn’t waste a second. “What’s keeping you up p>