Chapter 2

Brielle's POV

I stumbled backward, nearly falling.

Staring at this face that once told me "you're the only one I love"—now twisted and ugly—something in me snapped.

I steadied myself and looked at Cole coldly.

"Give me back the money." I spat out each word. "Every dollar I sent you these three years. Three point two million. Give it back, and we're done."

The whole room gasped.

Then burst into even louder laughter.

"Three point two million?" Delilah strutted over in her heels, looking down at me. "Are you DREAMING, bitch? You think some bottom-feeding roach like you gets to demand money back? Cole spending your cash? You should be GRATEFUL. Look at yourself—you really think you deserve even a dollar back?"

"She's right." Cole snorted, adjusting his tie. "Brielle, don't push your luck. Consider it payment for letting you warm my bed for three years. Now get OUT before I call the cops for trespassing."

I bit my lip hard enough to taste blood.

This was the man I'd given up everything for.

What a joke I was.

"Fine." I forced myself to stay calm.

I wasn't gonna make a scene like some reality TV trash.

"Keep the money. I'll get it back through a lawyer. But Cole..."

I lifted my head, staring him down.

"Give me back my mother's pocket watch. That's the only thing I have left of her."

It was a Stratford family heirloom passed down through generations. Worth a fortune. But I'd never told Cole its real value—just said it was Mom's.

Yesterday he'd lied about the hospital freezing his bed, and I'd panicked. Gave him the watch to pawn for quick cash.

At the word "watch," Cole's eyes flickered.

But Delilah suddenly laughed, shoulders shaking.

She turned and picked up a glass display case from the bar. Inside lay the antique bronze pocket watch.

"Oh, this thing?" Delilah pinched it between two fingers, lip curled in disgust. "Yeah, Cole gave it to me yesterday like some kind of toy. I actually thought it might be worth something, so I had it appraised. Turns out? Worthless junk. And God, it REEKS—smells just like you."

"Give it BACK!" I lunged forward, reaching for Mom's watch.

"Don't you DARE touch me!" Delilah shrieked, stumbling back.

Cole grabbed a fistful of my hair and threw me down.

CRACK.

My forehead hit the edge of the marble coffee table. Blood ran down my face, into my eyes.

"Are you INSANE, Brielle?! You touch her, I swear to God I'll KILL you!" Cole roared.

I ignored the pain, struggled to lift my head, staring at the watch in Delilah's hand.

"Please... just give it back..."

Delilah looked at me—broken, bleeding on the floor—and her eyes gleamed with cruel pleasure. She walked over and tilted my chin up with the tip of her stiletto.

"You want it?" Delilah raised an eyebrow. "Okay, let's make a deal then. Get on your hands and knees, crawl over here like a DOG, and lick my shoes clean. Do that, and this piece of trash is yours. Sound fair?"

The crowd immediately erupted.

"Do it! Lick her shoes! It's your only chance!"

"Delilah, babe, you're being too nice. Trash like her should just get thrown out."

Cole stood there watching, a smirk on his face, like he was watching a circus act.

Looking at them made me sick.

I was Brielle Stratford. Raised like royalty by one of the most powerful men in America. I'd never been treated like this in my LIFE.

"Go to HELL," I said coldly.

Delilah's face twisted.

"You ungrateful BITCH!" She screamed, raising the pocket watch high. "If you don't want it, then fine—let it ROT!"

She swung her arm back and hurled the watch at the wall.

"NO—!"

CRASH.

The antique watch's glass face shattered. Gears scattered across the floor. The metal casing bent and warped beyond recognition.

That gentle tick-tick-tick stopped forever.

Everything went silent.

I stared at the broken pieces on the floor, mind blank.

The only thing I had left of her. The thing I treasured most. They'd destroyed it like crushing an ant.

"Oops, butterfingers." Delilah covered her mouth in mock horror. "Sorry about that, Brielle. But hey, it's just junk, right? I'm sure you can dig another one out of a dumpster somewhere."

Cole walked over, wrapped his arm around Delilah's waist, and looked at me with pure contempt.

"Alright, show's over. Security! Get this psycho OUT of here. She's bleeding all over our carpet."

I slowly pushed myself up from the floor.

Blood from my forehead dripped onto the white carpet in stark red drops.

I didn't cry.

Didn't even look at the shattered watch again.

I looked at Cole and Delilah like I was looking at corpses.

"You're both gonna pay for this."