Chapter 4

Tiffany's birthday party was an extravagant affair. When it was time to cut the cake, Ethan stepped onto the stage. I clapped along with the rest, watching as he put a pair of diamond earrings on Tiffany's ears. His face gave nothing away. But when our eyes met, there was a flicker of mockery and smug satisfaction. I had been numb inside for a long time. All my focus was on those delicate diamond earrings. They really were stunning. I found myself wondering which would cost more—those earrings or a bionic leg. Suddenly, the lights dimmed, and soft music began to play. I moved carefully through the crowd with a tray in hand, keeping an eye out for guests who needed a refill. Right then, someone tapped me on the shoulder. "Hey, Mr. Ashford just asked for a glass of champagne. They're in front." I nodded slightly in response before walking in the direction they pointed. At last, I saw Ethan at the far end of the room. His arms were wrapped around Tiffany as they swayed to the music. Suddenly, I was thrown back to my orientation party years ago. The setting had been almost the same. That was the night he placed a hand on my waist and confessed. "Kendall, will you be my girlfriend? I promise I'll never hurt you," Ethan said. That memory felt like it belonged to a different life. While I was lost in thought, someone shoved me, and I stumbled and crashed into Tiffany. She let out a startled cry as we both hit the floor, glass shattering around us. In the low light, I caught Ethan reaching for me. However, he drew his hand back and helped Tiffany to her feet. I pushed myself up, ignoring the shards cutting into my palms. It took effort to stand, but at least I hadn't revealed anything. In a flash, the lights blazed back on. "My earring! One of them is gone!" Tiffany shouted. She clutched her ear, clearly about to cry. "Ethan just gave them to me! What if it's lost?" At that moment, someone muttered, "Wouldn't be surprised if someone grabbed it during the commotion." The room stirred with whispers, and just like that, all eyes turned to me. I almost laughed. Yet, I still explained, "I only bumped into Ms. Reeves. I didn't see any earrings." But no one believed me. "Stop lying. You couldn't take your eyes off her earrings earlier. Just look at you. Do you really think you deserve something like that?" one of the guests said with a sneer. Another chimed in, "Exactly. If you took it, hand it over. Everyone here is rich and powerful. Who else could it be? Don't pretend that fall was an accident. You're shameless!" I suggested checking the surveillance footage, but they dismissed it right away. "It was too dark. The cameras wouldn't have caught anything." Then, one of the women beside Tiffany spoke up. "Why don't you come with us to the dressing room and strip down? Just to prove you didn't take it." I couldn't believe what I was hearing. And yet, the idea of being accused didn't scare me as much as the thought of them finding out about my missing left leg. I looked at Ethan. He was the one who brought me here tonight, after all. One word from him, and they'd back off. Alas, he had no intention of defending me. He just looked at me, amused, and mouthed two silent words. "Beg me." In that moment, something in me broke. "Move it. Stop wasting time!" someone barked. As the accusations grew louder, the last thread holding me together finally snapped. I understood then that when you pushed someone far enough, everything they had been holding onto could go up in flames in an instant. So, I nodded with a smile. "Sure. Let's go." "Hey…" Ethan jumped to his feet. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words never came. This time, I didn't turn around. I kept walking, steady and certain. His opinion meant nothing to me anymore. … I followed the group of women into the dressing room. One by one, I stripped off my clothes. First, my shirt. Then, my pants. And finally, the prosthetic. Their expressions shifted from contempt to shock, then barely-concealed horror. I stripped off everything they demanded, one piece at a time. It wasn't to prove anything to them. Instead, it was to reclaim something for myself. So what if I only had one leg? "Shit! She's a freak!" one of the ladies shrieked. The two who had been the loudest were now the first to run. I scoffed quietly and took my time getting dressed. By the time I reached the staff elevator behind the main hall, I could hear their panicked screams echoing down the corridor. "S-She doesn't have a leg! She's a cripple!" As the elevator doors closed, I thought I heard Ethan's furious voice. "Who? Who the hell are you calling a cripple?" he roared.