Chapter 5
766 Words
Before bed, Sabrina received another text from Lana.
Lana: Sabrina, John came to me tonight in a fury and said you had disappointed him completely. Looks like you won't be Mrs. Hayes for much longer.
Sabrina read it without expression.
A moment later, another message popped up, dripping with undisguised smugness.
Lana: Sabrina, see? Even if I'm materialistic and greedy, even if I once left him for money, now that I'm back, he still loves me and feels sorry for me. But what about you? Once you tear off that anti-rich mask of yours, what do you think he'll still love about you? You don't even have the one trait that attracted him anymore.
Lana: I also heard a little story just now. Apparently, your father was driven to jump off a building by some wealthy businessman, and your mother died of depression because of it. That's why you "hate the rich." Hahaha, that is hilarious. What a cliché story you made up. But I guess it worked well enough to fool John for five years. Be smart and leave on your own. After living as a rich man's wife for five years, you've already made a fortune.
Sabrina's breath caught sharply.
How did Lana know?
That buried piece of her past, the one she kept deep in her heart and barely dared to touch herself.
The root of her complicated feelings toward money and the wealthy class. Back when she and John had truly loved each other, she had lowered her guard and told him everything.
She had only ever told John.
She had once believed it was their secret, their bond.
But now, Lana knew.
And she was using it as a weapon to hurt her.
The sorrow and fury of betrayal pierced straight through the calm numbness Sabrina had maintained these past few days.
A chill colder than the one she felt when she discovered John's affair spread from the deepest part of her heart.
Tears surged uncontrollably into her eyes. Sabrina bit her lower lip hard and tilted her head back, forcing the tears down.
Crying over people like them was not worth it.
Just then, another message arrived on her phone. It was from one of the ladies she had met at the gathering. The woman said her daughter's eighteenth-birthday party was next month, and she wanted to buy the pink diamond necklace from Sabrina. She was even willing to pay extra.
Sabrina gathered herself, went to the safe, took out the necklace, photographed it, and sent the pictures over. Then they agreed on a time for the transaction.
The diamonds glittered inside the velvet box, and their brilliance stabbed at Sabrina's heart.
This necklace had been the first gift John ever gave her.
She could not say she had loved it that much, but it had always felt different.
But now, none of its meaning mattered anymore. She was going to divorce him anyway.
John did not come home that night, and Sabrina did not text him.
The next evening, Sabrina was having dinner with her best friend, Lily.
They were discussing where Sabrina should settle after the divorce, once she had the money in hand.
Just then, Sabrina received a message.
It was from Alice, along with a photo of Lana holding John's arm.
A moment later, Alice sent another message.
Alice: Sabrina, why didn't you come to the banquet with Mr. Hayes? What's going on between that woman and your Mr. Hayes? Are you and Mr. Hayes all right?
Sabrina had been about to reply, Thank you for your concern. We're fine.
But before she could finish typing, Alice sent another message.
Alice: By the way, Mr. Hayes seemed to recognize the necklace I was wearing as the one he gave you. Does he not know you sold it?
Sabrina looked at Alice's last message, her fingertips turning faintly cold.
What was coming would always come.
She ignored Alice's messages and raised her glass to her best friend with a smile. "Oops. I've been found out."
After sending Lily home, Sabrina returned home and took a shower. When she came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with a towel, John was already sitting on the sofa in the bedroom.
The jewelry box from the safe was open on the table.
Only one floor lamp was on in the room. The dim yellow light cast shadows across his face, making his expression look especially grim.
He looked up at her, anger in his voice.
"Sabrina, tell me. Why was the necklace I gave you around someone else's neck?"
- Writer
