Chapter 1

I was 10 minutes late to my own housewarming party.

When I finally walked in, Wren Halley, the college girl my boyfriend, Austin Blanchard, had been supporting, was already chatting with my relatives like she owned the place.

My parents sat at the head of the table, both of them looking furious.

Austin walked over to me, looking completely relaxed. "What took you so long? Wren's been handling the guests for you."

Everyone in the room went quiet.

Wren moved behind him, almost shyly. As she shifted, her sleeve slid up and revealed an emerald bracelet on her wrist. It was my grandmother's jade bangle.

Wren looked down. "I'm sorry, Lily. I've never been somewhere this beautiful before. I just thought I could help."

Austin quickly stepped between us. "She's never had a chance to experience this kind of life. Let her enjoy it for one night. You don't have to make everything a big deal."

I looked from him to the bracelet on her wrist and chuckled.

Apparently, Austin had forgotten something important.

This penthouse with its sweeping view of Bellmere belonged to only one person, and that person was me.

Chapter 1 What Was Never Hers

I didn't bother answering Austin. I simply stepped around him and stopped in front of Wren, holding out my hand. "Take it off."

Wren flinched. Her eyes darted toward Austin, hoping he would step in. When I didn't budge, she finally began working the emerald bracelet over her hand.

She took her time, twisting and tugging until the skin around her wrist turned pink. Then, she suddenly sucked in a pained breath, her eyes filling with tears.

"Lily, I think my hands are a little too broad. It's stuck." Her voice trembled. "The more I pull, the more it hurts."

Austin frowned and immediately stepped in front of her, shielding her from me.

"Lily, do you really have to make a scene in front of everyone?" His irritation sounded so natural, like I was the one causing trouble. "It's just an old bracelet. Can't you see that her wrist is already red?"

He looked at Wren, then turned back to me. "Just let her wear it tonight. I'll get you a more expensive one tomorrow."

I stared at him.

He hadn't paid a cent for this penthouse. Yet, here he was, giving away the only thing my grandma left me, as if it belonged to him.

I asked quietly, "A more expensive one? Do you even have enough money left in your account?"

Austin's face stiffened.

Behind us, a chair scraped softly against the floor.

My mother stood up, took a small tube of rose-scented hand cream from her purse, and walked over with the same composed smile she'd had all evening.

She didn't spare Austin a glance.

Instead, she gently took Wren's hand. "Sweetheart, don't force it. You'll only hurt yourself."

Wren blinked at her. "Mrs. Ellison..."

My mother squeezed a little cream onto the back of Wren's hand and carefully worked it around her wrist and knuckles. Her movements were slow and gentle, almost soothing.

Then, she pressed her thumb into Wren's palm and folded her hand inward.

The emerald bracelet slipped off easily and landed in my mother's palm, no fuss, no muss.

It was never really stuck. Wren just didn't want to let it go.

The room went silent.

Even the relatives who had been snacking and whispering moments earlier stopped what they were doing.

Wren stood frozen, one hand still in the air. The faint smell of roses clung to her skin as tears hung on her lashes, but now she had no reason to cry.

My mother took a silk handkerchief from her purse and carefully wiped every trace of cream from the emerald bracelet.

"This bracelet belonged to Lily's grandma," she said pleasantly. "She left it to Lily."

She turned the bracelet in her hand, looked it over, then looked up. "Some things just aren't meant to be passed around."

Her gaze then shifted to Austin, but her smile remained unchanged.

"Austin, if Wren likes jewelry, take her shopping sometime. Let her choose something that actually fits."

Her tone stayed warm, almost kind.

"But family heirlooms are best left alone. I'd hate for something to happen to it, no? I wouldn't know what to tell Lily's grandma if it broke."

She hadn't hurled a single insult or raised her voice.

Austin's jaw tightened as his hands curled into fists at his sides.

He always told me to be generous, to understand, and not to make a fuss over small things.

Yet, he felt trapped in the face of my mother's perfect manners and calm suggestion. He knew that it would only make him look worse if he said anything, so nothing left his lips even though they were hanging open.

Chapter 2 Not the Announcement He Expected

My father sat quietly at the head of the table. He picked up his glass, took a slow sip, and checked his watch.

It was noon, the time he had picked for the formal toast.

He set his glass down, rose to his feet, and straightened his suit. Every eye in the room turned toward him almost immediately.

Next to me, Austin cleared his throat and fixed his tie. He even moved half a step forward as if anticipating something.

He probably was. After all, he had been preparing for this moment for two weeks. He wrote his speech in advance and practiced it every night in front of the mirror, excited to stand here as the man of the house when my father announced our engagement.

Naturally, he was also eagerly waiting to have it announced that his name would be added to the deed.

My father looked around the room. His gaze paused briefly on Austin before dropping to the kraft envelope in his hand.

For a moment, I thought he might open it.

Instead, he folded it and slipped it back into the inside pocket of his jacket.

"Thank you all for taking the time to be here today," he began, his voice carrying easily across the room. "We're here to celebrate my daughter, Lily, and her new home."

Austin smiled even wider.

"This penthouse in Bellmere was purchased entirely by Lily, with her own money." My father raised his glass. "As her father, nothing makes me prouder than seeing her build a life for herself."

Then, he smiled. "So here's to my daughter—single, self-sufficient, and the sole owner of a home that is entirely hers."

The room fell silent.

It lasted only a second, but that was enough.

The word "single" landed with deliberate emphasis.

Relatives exchanged glances around the room. Austin's smile stayed frozen in place, but the look in his eyes had changed. That half step forward he had made suddenly seemed painfully greedy.

He turned toward me, shock flashing across his face before giving way to panic.

I leaned back in my chair and slowly ran my finger around the rim of my glass.

I didn't look at him.

The mood at the head table shifted immediately. Austin was stuck where he stood. If he moved forward, he'd make a fool of himself. If he stepped back, everyone would know something had gone wrong.

Unfortunately for Austin, Wren had never been good at reading the room.

Apparently, she had decided that this was her chance to make a good impression, so she picked up her wineglass and walked toward my father.

"Mr. Ellison," she said sweetly. "Austin is always so busy with work. I'll make sure to come by often and help Lily keep the place in order. You don't have to worry."

She lifted her glass, looking as confident as if she already pictured herself with a key to the front door.

My father didn't even look at her.

He simply turned to my uncle and tapped his glass against his. "This wine is excellent. Take a couple of bottles home with you."

Wren stayed standing there, her wineglass still in the air.

No one acknowledged her.

The relatives at the table looked her way one after another, not with admiration but with sardonic amusement.

Her face turned red as her eyes started to glisten again.

Desperate to hide her embarrassment, she glanced around for something to take the attention off her.

Then, she saw my mother's empty glass.

"Oh, Mrs. Ellison, let me get that for you."

She reached quickly for the wine bottle.

As she turned, her elbow bumped the purse on my mother's chair.

The purse fell to the carpet with a soft thud. The clasp popped open, and everything spilled out: a lipstick, a facial mist, a folded silk handkerchief, a black Porsche key fob, and a single photocopied sheet of paper.

The page slid across the carpet and stopped right in front of Austin's polished shoes.

A name stood out on the part that was shown, written in bolded black letters—Austin Blanchard.

Wren let out a gasp, "Oh!"

Then, she hurriedly crouched to gather everything from the floor. She paused briefly when her fingers touched the Porsche key.

However, her attention quickly shifted to the sheet of paper.

Some wine had spilled on the carpet earlier, and one corner of the page landed in the wet spot. The paper was already soaking up the moisture, making the edge darker.

Wren stared at Austin's name before turning to look up at my mother. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Ellison. I didn't mean to—"

Chapter 3 Some Things Aren't Worth Keeping

Wren bit her lip and picked up the sheet of paper.

As soon as she read the heading, her face showed just enough surprise. "Austin... is this an application to add a co-owner to the property?"

Her voice was soft, but still loud enough for everyone at the table to hear.

She held the document out to him.

Austin's eyes flicked from the page to the Porsche key lying on the carpet. Instantly, the tightness in his shoulders melted away.

Just like that, the embarrassment from my father's toast was gone.

He didn't take the paper from Wren. Instead, he adjusted his cuff and turned to me with a patient smile, like someone dealing with a stubborn child.

"Lily, your parents even have the car key ready. Are you really still upset with me?"

His voice was gentle, almost indulgent.

I didn't answer, keeping my eyes fixed on the table before me.

"Is this still about Wren trying on the bracelet?"

Austin sighed, poured me a glass of water, and gently slid it toward me.

"She just graduated. She's young and just eager to try out new things. She got curious and tried it on." He gave me a small, coaxing smile. "You're older than she is. Don't turn everything into a fight with her, okay?"

I looked at the glass but didn't touch it.

Instead, I reached out and took the document from Wren's hand.

The damp stain on the edge had already blurred Austin's name, leaving a mark on the paper. I held it between two fingers, folded it once, twice, and tore it straight down the middle.

The sound broke the silence at the table.

Austin's smile faltered.

Wren froze.

I tore it into itty bitty pieces, dropped them on the small plate next to me, and took a wipe and cleaned my fingers. "It got wet and dirty. I don't want it anymore."

Austin looked at the torn paper and chuckled. Then, he shook his head with an affectionately indulgent look, as if finding me irresistibly cute in my stubbornness.

"You really are getting more temperamental."

His tone stayed warm. He didn't even sound angry.

"It was just a copy. It's fine if you want to tear it up. We can print another one tomorrow."

I said nothing, simply laying the wipe over the torn pieces.

Right then, my mother bent down and picked up the Porsche key from the carpet. She carefully wiped off the dust with her silk handkerchief, placed it back inside her purse, and zipped the purse shut.

The sound was sharp and final.

My mother said mildly, "Hm, Lily has never liked touching things once they're dirty."

Austin glanced at her purse and smiled, as if he found the whole situation amusing.

"Fine. Today's your day. You can do as you wish." He stood and fastened his jacket. "It's getting stuffy in here. Want to step outside for some air?"

He turned and headed toward the balcony without even waiting for an answer.

I stayed where I was for a moment, watching his back.

Then, I stood and followed him.

Austin closed the glass door behind us, shutting out most of the noise from the living room. A cool late-fall breeze swept across the balcony.

He turned to look at me, his tone softening. "Lily, We'll be getting married soon."

He paused and gave me a look that said as if what he was about to say should have been obvious.

"Wren is someone I supported through school. She's like a sister to me. You're going to be the mistress of this house, so please try to be more understanding with her instead of taking things personally all the time."

He looked straight into my eyes, every trace of irritation gone.

Now there was only patience, the kind people had when they believed they were the reasonable ones.

"What happened today was her fault," he said further. "She should've been more tactful. Still, she's a guest. What we do in private is one matter, but you need to know how to behave in public."

His voice softened further.

"So, give her a smile when we go back inside. Don't make things any more awkward than they already are."

His voice carried no anger or accusation.

That was the strange part.

Austin genuinely believed he was being fair.

To him, this wasn't even worth arguing about.

Chapter 4 Just a Photograph

In Austin's mind, we were family, which meant I was supposed to compromise, be understanding, and protect an outsider from embarrassment.

He made it sound as though every uncomfortable feeling I'd had to endure that afternoon came down to one simple flaw—I simply wasn't generous enough.

I studied his flawless face and suddenly realized that our three years together were like the wind sweeping across the balcony. Those loving moments were there for a brief time, then gone the next without leaving anything behind.

I took a step back, ready to speak.

A sharp crash erupted from the living room, followed by a woman's startled scream.

I spun around, shoved open the glass door, and hurried inside.

The area in front of the display cabinet was a wreck.

My mother had placed a family portrait there earlier that day. She had gone out of her way to find the retired photographer who had taken our pictures for years and ordered a custom solid-wood frame for it.

Now, it lay shattered on the floor.

The frame had broken apart, and shards of glass were scattered across the carpet. Two jagged pieces had cut directly across my parents' faces in the photograph.

Wren stood several feet away with both hands over her mouth. Her face had gone pale, and tears were already gathering in her eyes.

My mother sat on the sofa closest to the cabinet, staring at the broken glass with a deep frown. She hadn't been struck. But at the sight of this, her brows knitted tightly.

Austin rushed past me before I could even move.

He didn't look at my mother or the ruined photograph.

Instead, he went straight to Wren, grabbed her arm, and pulled her away from the glass. "Are you hurt?"

The concern in his voice was immediate and unmistakable. He held both her hands, checking her arms and wrists as though nothing else in the room mattered.

Wren shook her head as tears spilled down her cheeks.

"Austin, I didn't mean to do it." Her words came out between uneven breaths. "I saw some dust on the vase and thought I should wipe it off, but it was heavier than I expected. My hand slipped, then..."

She glanced anxiously toward me. "Is Lily going to be angry? That vase looked really expensive."

Austin visibly relaxed.

Only then did he turn toward the mess on the floor. His gaze passed over the shattered frame before briefly settling on my mother.

A slight crease appeared between his brows, but it disappeared almost at once.

"It's just a photograph," he said. "We can have another one printed tomorrow and replace the frame."

Then, he turned back to Wren. "The important thing is that you're okay."

The living room fell completely silent. No relatives dared to speak as all eyes gradually turned to me.

I stood where I was, watching Austin. I watched as his hand held protectively on Wren's arm and took in the calm certainty on his face, which told me that he genuinely thought that he had handled everything exactly as he should have.

The photograph could be reprinted, and the frame could be replaced. To him, none of it mattered as much as making sure Wren wasn't upset.

And just like that, I understood.

Her brief fright mattered more than the family portrait I treasured. It was certainly worth more than the sight of my parents' faces slashed beneath broken glass.

Austin's priorities had never been clearer.

I said nothing.

However, something inside me simply went quiet.

For three years, I had defended him without even realizing it. I'd brushed off every careless remark, excused every disappointment he caused me, and even convinced myself he hadn't meant to hurt me.

This time, I refused to look for an excuse.

There was nothing left to explain.

My fingers slowly loosened from the fabric of my dress. Then, I walked past Austin and toward the shattered frame.

I didn't raise my voice or demand an explanation. I simply crouched, pushed aside the larger pieces of glass, and lifted the damaged photograph from the floor.

"Lily, don't do this." Austin frowned and reached for me. "I already said I'll have another one printed tomorrow."

Before he could touch me, a warm, steady hand settled on my shoulder.

It was my father.

He helped me to my feet, gently took the torn photograph from my hands, and placed it on the table beside us.

"There's no need for that," he said calmly.