Chapter 7 Millions Dollars Worth

Sylvia promptly hung up on Bonnie's shrill accusations, having zero desire to engage with these people any longer. She decided to preemptively block all their numbers and cut off contact completely. It wasn't as if they had ever bothered learning anything substantial about her real self and background over the years anyway. To make a clean break from the past, Sylvia also switched to a new phone number that the Ward family could never reach her on. Her family whole-heartedly supported cutting ties for good. They had prepared everything necessary to help Sylvia move forward. After two days of much-needed rest, she finally felt her lingering exhaustion fade. "Tell me, why on earth did you give up being our family heiress all these years to suffer as that man's wife instead?" Juliet ranted upon seeing more headlines involving Cyril and Karina. "It's infuriating!" While delighted at the very public backlash Cyril now faced, her heart ached over everything Sylvia had endured because of him. "Clearly I was too young and blind. But I see clearly now. Are you going to keep scolding me over my mistakes?" Sylvia replied peaceably. Her placid acceptance surprised Juliet who had expected more stubbornness. Clearing her throat in embarrassment over her outburst, Juliet attempted a lighter tone instead. "Oh fine, since you're actually admitting your faults for once, I'll let it go this time. But isn't that gemstone bracelet Cyril is wearing rather familiar? The same one Aunty gifted you before right, from your heirloom necklace?" Peering closer at the photo, the bracelet did seem exceptionally well-crafted with vibrant saturated colors that bespoke its immense value. As Sylvia's closest companion, Juliet naturally recognized it as originating from her priceless family jewels. Sylvia herself nodded confirmation. While she hadn't cared much about retrieving most of the other gifts she had bestowed when love still blinded her, this particular heirloom bracelet had to be an exception. Her mother had specially left it for Sylvia so that rat Cyril definitely did not deserve to continue flaunting it. The very thought of that bracelet making intimate contact with Karina's skin also filled Sylvia with revulsion now. "If you're free this afternoon, want to come along as I reclaim my belongings from them? I left quite a few valuable things behind," Sylvia invited. Juliet had initially wanted to decline due to a prior engagement. But at the prospect of front-row entertainment, she immediately agreed, "Sure, no problem at all! We can head over right now even." With Sylvia driving the lead sports car, Juliet eagerly followed behind in her own flashy ride. She nearly swallowed her tongue in disbelief though when they pulled up to a luxury four-storey townhouse. "Seriously? You squeezed yourself into this little hovel all these years?" Glancing back instinctively, Sylvia had to concede that to the average citizen, this mansion would already be considered extravagant, likely requiring a lifetime's savings just for the downpayment. But to those from the upper crust like herself, it was akin to humble peasants' lodgings. Juliet truly couldn't comprehend why Sylvia had voluntarily assumed a life of hardship for that undeserving cretin. But then again, everything came down to the madness of love didn't it? A bitterness clearly not meant for someone like herself to taste, Juliet shuddered. Wrinkling her nose, she urged Sylvia to hurry up and grab her stuff so they could leave posthaste. This dreary abode was seriously dampening her previously eager mood. Unsure if Cyril might be home, Sylvia simply proceeded straight in with her keys, causing the woman lounging on the sofa to shriek in shock at her sudden entrance. It was her wretched mother-in-law Marsha who instantly assumed the worst. "So the divorcee dares show her face again! My son told me you didn't take a single penny in the settlement so what now? Here to demand your share?" She leapt up in agitation. "Well you can dream on! Not one cent of what my boy earned fair and square will go to you!" Ignoring her outburst, Sylvia silently approached and reached out towards the glinting ruby necklace around Marsha's throat. Before the spluttering woman could react, Sylvia had already unclasped and removed the expensive piece. It took a few seconds for Marsha to process what just happened. When she finally tried to snatch it back, Sylvia deftly evaded her grasp, sending the older woman staggering. "How dare you steal from me, you worthless tramp! Just you watch, I'll make sure you never step foot in here again!" Marsha snarled vindictively. "Forget about ever getting back with my son too!" Just as expected, that last threat was meant to cut deepest at Sylvia's supposed innermost longing. Too bad for them that the woman they thought they knew never really existed at all. Sylvia handed the retrieved rubies off to Juliet who deposited them into a jewelry box she had purposely carried along. "This necklace was my greeting gift to you when I first married into this family. Now I'm simply taking back what's mine since you have made it abundantly clear I was never welcomed or considered as one of you to begin with."