Chapter 3

"It's getting colder tonight. Go back inside, don't catch a chill."

Anna glanced at my thin blouse, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

The door of the old estate closed right in front of me.

I pulled my collar tighter and turned to make my way down the mountain.

I'd only gone a few yards when a car rolled up behind me.

Bartholomew was in the driver's seat, waving me over.

"Get in. I'll take you home."

He told me Vivian had heard about tonight and was worried about me, so she had asked him to stay and make sure I was okay.

After I got in, I noticed an open jewelry box sitting on the center console.

Inside was a jade bracelet of the finest quality.

The Delgado family owned two bracelets like this.

They were meant for the wives of Landon and Bartholomew, passed down as family heirlooms.

Bartholomew caught my surprised look and smiled.

"Vivian and I already signed the marriage license, so I asked my mother for this one. I got scolded for it, of course, but it was worth it."

"But isn't it a Delgado family rule that the daughter-in-law has to be pregnant before she can…"

Bartholomew twisted his lip in disdain.

"It's exactly because I can't stand those outdated traditions that I chose to build my life overseas."

"Anything that belongs to her, I'll make sure she gets, no strings attached. Because no one gets to tell the woman I love how she should live."

"And if she wants to smash it or toss it out, that's her freedom. That's what respect means."

His phone buzzed. A younger cousin on his father's side had sent him a video.

I was close enough to read the message at a glance.

[Bart, I left my phone at the old estate and came back for it—look what I just found!]

On the screen, Mrs. Delgado was handing the other jade bracelet to Landon.

"Rose left in a hurry, and since she's pregnant, this one should go to her too. Take it back to her, would you?"

But Landon turned right around and slipped it onto Anna's wrist instead, a faint smile on his lips.

"No rush. She'll gain weight during pregnancy. It might not even fit her."

"Anna has such delicate wrists and fair skin. The bracelet suits her. Let her keep it for now."

Anna leaned into him, her cheeks flushing pink, and murmured,

"Thank you, Mr. Delgado. You're so good to me."

All at once the air inside the car suddenly felt suffocating.

Otherwise, why would my chest feel so tight and heavy?

So that was the real reason he'd sent me away early.

Bartholomew glanced at my face, switched off the phone, and rolled down the window.

"Rose, the year I first brought Vivian home to meet the family, the elders all sneered that she had no manners, that she wasn't obedient enough. You were the only one who looked out for her."

"She's never forgotten how kind you were. Neither have I."

"So she wanted me to tell you: the rules were made by other people, but you have every right not to let them control you. Because your life is your own."

He looked over at me.

"We want to open a Chinese restaurant and hospitality business, and we still need a food and beverage manager to take charge of the menu."

"You're such a good cook, Rose. Why don't you join us?"

"You can join as a partner with your expertise. No Delgado family money involved."

The moment I got home, a message from Anna popped up.

"Rose, Mr. Delgado saw me home safe. He even gave me all sorts of gifts."

"Thank you for the dishes tonight. I really enjoyed myself ~"

She'd put the word 'dishes' in quotes, like she was talking about a person.

Below it she'd attached photos of the gifts.

I didn't answer the taunting little message.

My head was full of what Bartholomew had said.

When Landon came home and saw me still sitting on the couch, his brows drew together at once.

"You're not asleep? Then why didn't you answer Anna? She thinks you're angry with her. She's been anxious about it this whole time."

"Same thing at the family dinner earlier. Not so much as a smile, and you encouraged Bartholomew to target Anna."