Chapter 3

Garrick's voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for Kaelis to hear it. Her grip tightened around the auction catalog. She felt like a bunch of needles were pricking at her heart before swiftly regaining her composure. That was when that pair of couples' rings appeared on the display stage. "Ocean's Heart diamond couple rings, starting bid at five million dollars!" Kaelis raised her paddle without hesitation. "Ten million!" "15 million!" "20 million!" … The bidding price increased rapidly. Kaelis raised the price continuously until the auctioneer announced in shock, "Sold! Congratulations, Ms. Windryn!" The room erupted in commotion. Garrick finally raised his head to glance at her. He frowned slightly. He hadn't expected her to be willing to pay so much for those rings. But soon enough, he looked away and whispered something to Lyra. Lyra's eyes lit up instantly when the attendant brought over the rings. "Garrick, these rings are perfect for us!" She tugged at his sleeve and said sweetly, "I want them…" Kaelis watched from her seat at the side. Garrick didn't even glance at the rings and bluntly told her, "Kae, give Lyra the rings." "No." Kaelis slipped them into her bag. "They're a gift to someone." "A gift to someone?" Lyra's eyes widened in feigned surprise. "Those are couples' rings. Ms. Windryn, do you have another man out there?" Garrick chuckled and reached out to ruffle Lyra's hair before Kaelis could respond. "Another man? How could that be possible? She's deeply in love with me. She must be giving them to me." Kaelis looked at his expression filled with certainty and felt like a piece of her chest had been carved out. Yes, she had indeed loved him very much. She had loved him so much that she would cry alone at night rather than accept his so-called open marriage. She had loved him so much that she excused his betrayal repeatedly. She had loved him so much that she gave up her pride, all so that he could spare her a glance. Yet, how had he repaid her? He had thrown her love onto the ground and trampled it in the cruelest way. He had crushed her dignity in front of everyone and turned her into a laughingstock, yet he expected her to accept it with a smile. He didn't want her love, but someone else did. "This mass-produced piece doesn't suit you." Garrick lowered his head to comfort Lyra. His voice was unbelievably gentle. "I'll take you to customize one, alright?" Lyra cast Kaelis a triumphant glance and said sweetly, "Alright…" Her look seemed to say that this man was hers now. Kaelis closed her eyes briefly and had had enough of their sickening display, so she got up to leave. The lower ground parking garage was damp and cold. She walked briskly toward her car. She saw out of the corner of her eye that Garrick and Lyra had also come down. He was talking on the phone from a short distance away. Lyra suddenly got into the driver's seat. The engine roared before Kaelis could react. The car shot forward and slammed into her. She was thrown into the air with her back smashing to the ground. She could hear the crack of her ribs breaking. "Kae!" Garrick's panicked voice came from afar. Lyra's expression shifted instantly. She cried as she stumbled out of the car. "Garrick, I didn't mean to! The car just moved on its own…" With that, she closed her eyes and fainted as if overcome by fright. Garrick stopped in his tracks and glanced hesitantly at Kaelis lying in a pool of blood. That glance reminded Kaelis of a rainy night years ago. She was burning with fever back then, and he had carried her on his back through the storm to the hospital. She had cried from the pain, and he comforted her repeatedly. "Kae, don't be afraid. I'm here." And now, he only hesitated for three seconds before turning his back on her to scoop Lyra into his arms. Kaelis lay in a pool of blood as she watched him get into the car and disappear into the distance. Tears and blood blurred her vision, but she had lost all strength to cry. The man who had once cared for nothing but her was gone. … A sharp sting of antiseptic filled her senses and made her temples throb when she regained consciousness. Garrick sat at the bedside. The first words he said when he saw her awake were, "Lyra didn't do it on purpose. She was so shocked that she fainted. She knows it was her fault, so don't blame her." A searing pain suddenly ripped through her chest as if someone was carving into her heart with a dull knife. She felt as if her throat was gripped by an invisible hand, making it hard to breathe. "You—" She tried to speak, but only a broken rasp escaped. Her ribs were fractured, and her body was covered in injuries. Every small movement in bed sent pain down her spine and cold sweat down her face. Yet, the first thing he did was defend the woman who had just run her down!