Chapter 2

I didn't lose my mind and rush over to flip the tables.

Instead, I just stood there holding the takeout, looked directly at them, and pressed again, "Could you please confirm who ordered the food?"

Someone in the crowd let out a sleazy whistle, and all eyes instantly turned to Mason, who was standing right in the center.

Mason’s expression turned remarkably ugly. He set his wine glass down and took two steps forward, looking as though he wanted to say something to me.

I cut him off, thrusting the receipt toward him. "Please sign for this. Hurry up."

In the eerie silence, Mason took the pen and hastily scribbled his name on the receipt.

I snatched the carbon copy back and shoved it into my jacket pocket. He finally couldn’t hold back anymore, lowering his voice to say, "Elena, just listen to me. Let me explain."

"Explain what?"

I stared at his face, my tone so eerily calm that it even surprised me. "Explain that there is absolutely nothing wrong with your legs? Explain that you’ve been taking me for a fool these past two years? Or explain that the $800 total on this takeout receipt is exactly what I earned this entire past month working part-time as an office cleaner, emptying trash cans every single day?"

I continued, "Last night, I handed you eight hundred dollars to pay off your supposed debt. You held me and cried, thanking me. But tonight, you used my blood, sweat, and tears to order a meal here for you and your friends."

Mason opened his mouth to say something else, but Mia clattered over in her high heels.

"If you don't want to hear an explanation, then why are you still standing here?" Mia sized up my faded jacket with a feigned look of sudden realization. "Oh, I know. It's customary. You want a tip, right?"

She dug a one-dollar bill out of her handbag.

Right then, she faked a sneeze, casually wiped her nose with the dollar bill, and then pinched it by the corner, holding it out to me with a look of utter disgust.

I didn't even glance at her snot-stained money. Instead, I fixed my gaze on the collar of her dress and said rigidly, "I don't need a tip. I just want my brooch back."

Mia looked down at her collar following my gaze, then let out a mocking sneer.

Not only did she have no intention of returning it, but she also unpinned the brooch from her dress right in front of my eyes.

"This? If you want it, go get it yourself."

She raised her arm and, without any warning, hurled the brooch forcefully toward the swimming pool.

The heavy metal hitting the water made a muffled splash.

"What are you doing?!" I didn't know how to swim at all—in fact, I had an innate, paralyzing fear of deep water.

Hearing me yell at Mia, Mason looked incredibly impatient. He frowned and snapped, "It's just a brooch. Stop making a scene here."

I stared at the ripples spreading across the water, completely ignoring whatever Mason was saying.

Under the astonished gazes of everyone around me, I took off my jacket and jumped straight into the pool.

Water flooded into my ears and nose.

I flailed my arms desperately in the water, a sharp, burning pain piercing through my lungs.

With zero idea how to hold my breath properly, I could only rely on sheer instinct to sink toward the bottom of the pool.

I searched frantically along the smooth tiles until my fingertips finally brushed against that cold metal. I gripped it tightly and, using my last ounce of strength, thrashed blindly back to the surface.

Someone used a pool skimmer or some other tool to haul me onto the deck.

I collapsed onto the poolside tiles, drenched to the bone, coughing uncontrollably.

"Are you out of your mind?!" Mason stood above me, completely unable to understand my actions. "It's just a piece of junk. You can find tons of them at flea markets. Who are you trying to disgust by making yourself look like this?"

Mia stood at a safe distance, arms folded across her chest, continuing her mockery in that shrill voice. "Leave her alone. She's obviously just playing the victim. She jumped into the water on purpose to make you feel guilty. She probably realized you're actually a rich man and isn't willing to let this opportunity slip by. She's just planning to use this trick to extort a breakup fee from you. Isn't this what poor people love to do?"

I tuned out their voices entirely. Instead, I slowly uncurled my tightly clenched right hand, checking the heirloom my grandmother had left me under the glowing lights.

I could clearly see that the metal clasp on the back of the brooch had been completely snapped off.

I took a deep breath, pushed off the ground, and stood up, my soaking wet shoes leaving clear puddles on the ground.

I walked right up to Mia, raised my hand, and delivered a hard, resounding slap across her face.

The sharp smack plunged the entire party back into a dead silence.

Mia clutched her face and let out a shriek, stumbling back several steps and nearly falling over.

Seeing Mia get hit, Mason instantly lunged forward. Looking absolutely furious, he acted on pure reflex and viciously slapped me back.

My head was knocked to the side from the blow, and a burning pain radiated across my cheek.

"Apologize to Mia right now!" Mason pointed a finger directly at my face, commanding me with a tone that allowed no room for defiance.

I raised my head, feeling the stinging pain on my face. "No."

Mason was utterly infuriated by my defiance.

All of his friends were watching him, and he probably felt like this whole spectacle had made him lose face completely.

To defend the slapped Mia, he pointed at me and started screaming curses, calling me a crazy bitch.

Then, without a second of hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed 911. He shouted at the dispatcher, claiming that someone was trespassing on private property and viciously assaulting people. He wanted to teach me a severe lesson in front of everyone.

It didn't take long for the piercing sound of police sirens to echo outside the villa.

Several police officers hurried into the backyard.

When the officers began questioning people, everyone present gave the same fabricated story. They testified in unison that I had barged into the party unprovoked and maliciously attacked Miss Mia like a lunatic.

The leading officer didn't listen to a single word of my defense. He pulled out his handcuffs, cuffed my hands behind my back, and forcefully shoved me into the back of a police cruiser parked out front.

The cruiser's door slammed shut with a heavy thud.

I looked through the window toward the villa's gate.

Mason was standing on the front steps, his arm wrapped firmly around Mia’s shoulders. Mia just waved at me from afar and mockingly stuck out her tongue.