Chapter 3

Cecilia's POV

Kennedy International Airport.

The moment the plane stopped, Alice rushed out. She turned back to glare at me venomously: "You're SO dead. You're so fucking dead."

I took my time getting off.

I pulled out my red lipstick and touched up my lips in the mirror. For the past three years, Daniel had said he preferred understated looks, so I'd never worn this color again.

Looking at the woman with cold red lips in the mirror, I snapped it shut with satisfaction and put on sunglasses to hide most of my face.

The VIP arrivals area had been cleared out completely.

Daniel stood in the most prominent spot with four black-suited bodyguards lined up behind him—like some VIP was arriving.

I stopped and watched that once-familiar man from about fifty feet away.

Alice squealed and threw herself into Daniel's arms: "Baby! I missed you so much!"

Daniel caught her, pulled her close, and pressed an adoring kiss to her forehead.

"I missed you too," he said softly. "How was the flight? Are you exhausted?"

"It was fine until this crazy bitch on the plane! Completely ruined my mood!" Alice immediately started complaining, pouting like a child. "She threatened me, baby! I was so scared!"

Daniel's face darkened instantly.

"Don't worry. I'm here." He rubbed her back, his voice ice-cold. "Where is she?"

Alice turned and scanned the crowd, quickly spotting me walking slowly toward them.

"Over there! That trashy bitch in white! Baby, I want you to teach her a lesson. Make her get on her knees and apologize!"

People stopped to watch the show.

Daniel followed Alice's pointing finger. Because of my sunglasses and completely different look from the meek housewife I'd been for three years, he didn't recognize me at first.

All he saw was some woman in a dirty coat. In Daniel's eyes, someone like that didn't deserve a second glance.

"Go." Daniel didn't even lift his chin, coldly ordering his bodyguards. "Bring her over. Teach her some manners."

Four huge bodyguards immediately closed in, surrounding me in a semicircle.

The lead bodyguard reached out with a thick arm, his voice rough: "Lady, you don't want to make this harder than it needs to be."

Alice snuggled into Daniel's arms, watching me smugly, as if she could already see me begging on my knees.

Just then, Alice's gaze fell on the necklace around my neck—a simple platinum chain with an elegant diamond pendant shaped like the letter "D."

Her eyes lit up instantly: "Wait, wait! I want that necklace!"

I raised an eyebrow.

This necklace had been Daniel's birthday gift to me two years ago—custom-made, one of a kind. The letter "D" stood for his name.

What had Daniel said back then? He'd fastened it around my neck himself while promising: "Cecilia, you're my only woman. This necklace is my vow of loyalty to you. I'll never betray you."

I almost laughed. Vows? What a joke.

Alice pointed at my necklace greedily: "Give me that necklace and I might consider letting you go. It looks expensive enough to make up for what you did to me."

Daniel waved dismissively: "You heard her. Take off the necklace and give it to Alice. Trust me, you don't want to find out what happens if you don't."

But when his gaze accidentally focused on my neck, Daniel frowned. That necklace... looked familiar.

He was about to speak when—

I asked quietly, "What if I refuse?"

Daniel froze.

That voice...

He suddenly pushed Alice away and stared at me in disbelief.

"You... you're..."

I laughed softly and slowly removed my sunglasses.

When my full face was revealed under the bright lights, Daniel went dead white.

"Ce... Cecilia?!"

Now he finally recognized the necklace—the one he'd designed himself, spending so much effort to surprise me.

The air around us seemed to freeze.

The bodyguards sensed their boss's shock and looked at each other uncertainly, not knowing whether to continue.

Alice was completely oblivious to the strange atmosphere and kept stirring things up: "Cecilia? Who the hell is that? Baby, do you know this bitch? I don't care who she is—just take that necklace!"

I looked at Daniel's pale face, feeling nothing but disgust.

"What's wrong, Daniel?" I dropped my sunglasses in the trash. "Don't recognize your own wife? Or are you just figuring out..."

I looked around at the bodyguards and let out a cold laugh:

"How you plan to steal your WIFE'S necklace for your little mistress?"