After My Husband Caused My Mother's Death

Chapter 4 My Bracelet

"He said we'd be stuck together like glue, forever," I muttered through gritted teeth. With a snick of my scissors, I severed the clasped hands of the figurines and flung the female doll into the trash.

"Everything here should be mine!"

I whirled around to find Vivian leaning against the walk-in closet door, draped in a fiery red slip dress and, infuriatingly, wearing the matching couple's slippers Henry and I had bought together.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I snapped.

"Henry brought me, of course," she purred, twirling a lock of hair. Her eyes gleamed, devouring the designer bags and jewelry like a starved wolf. "He told me to pick out whichever room I liked."

Perching on the edge of the bed, she dragged her nails over the cool silk sheets. "The master suite's perfect, great view, soundproof too. Don't you think?"

My fists clenched. I never imagined Henry would have the audacity to flaunt her in my home.

"If I hadn't left back then, you'd never have become Mrs. Grant," Vivian spat, her glare poisonous. "I was Henry's first. He's always loved me, only me!"

Like a broken record, harping on the same old crap. I ignored her, shoving clothes into my suitcase. When she realized her barbs weren't landing, she huffed and started scrutinizing the room. Then I turned, and froze. There she stood at the vanity, slipping my mother's jade bracelet onto her wrist like a thief.

The last relic I had of her.

"Put. It. Down." My voice could've frozen hell.

"Stop screeching!" she flinched but sneered. "Soon, all of this will belong to me anyway!"

"I said DROP IT!" I sprinted at her, grabbing for the bracelet.

But the jade wedged stubbornly to her plump wrist. She shrieked, writhing. "Let go! You're hurting me!"

I twisted her hair until she yowled, vision burning red. "Give it BACK!"

The bedroom door slammed open. Henry charged in, shoving me aside as he pulled Vivian into his arms. "What's wrong? Where does it hurt?" he demanded, panic raw in his voice.

"It's nothing," Vivian said, clinging to Henry's arms. "I just thought the bracelet was pretty and tried it on. Who knew she'd snap, attacking me and calling me a scheming homewrecker!"

Her pitiful act made Henry's heart ache. He scowled at me. "How many times do I have to tell you? There's nothing between Vivian and me! You're imagining things! Why do you always target her?"

Watching them, I felt my stomach churn. Seven years of love. Three years of marriage. And this was what it amounted to, his cruel betrayal, spitting on our decade together.

"Henry," I pointed at the jade bracelet dangling from Vivian's wrist, "give it back."

"It's just a bracelet. She wants it? Let her have it," he barely looked, dismissive.

"It was my mother's only memento!" my voice shook with fury. "Or have you forgotten how she died?"

"Gross!" Vivian, who'd been refusing to return it moments ago, shrieked and yanked the bracelet off, hurling it my way. "Ugh! Why didn't you say so sooner? What awful luck!"

For a heartbeat, I froze, then lunged. Too late. The bracelet hit the floor with a brittle snap.