Chapter 4

Felix's double standards amused me.

"They're my friends. We all grew up together. It's not that uncommon. Last I checked, my dining here is none of your concern.

"Also, we've already broken up, so I'd appreciate it if you stopped bothering me."

Felix assessed the two men flanking me, both of whom wore bespoke couture suits, handmade leather shoes, and watches that cost well over five figures. Compared to him, the two men were in a completely different league.

Jealousy nearly drove Felix mad. He clenched his jaw and stepped forward angrily. "Your friends, huh? And you saw it fit to dress up for these male friends? You know as well as I do that you're trying to seduce them!"

He reached to grab me, but the two men immediately shielded me. They'd already picked up on the key information from my conversation with Felix. As rivals, this was their chance to prove themselves to me.

"Hey, buddy, it's bad to pick on a lady in public like this," one of them pointed out.

"Talk to her with some respect, or I'll have my bodyguards deal with you!"

Realizing he couldn't get close to me at all, Felix shot me a dark look before he left in disgruntled defeat.

The last person to arrive at dinner was the scion of the Rathbone family. He was two years my junior and had stuck to me like glue when we were children.

He'd left to study abroad after he grew up and had only just returned this year.

He was polite and chivalrous—traits that admittedly checked my boxes.

Once everyone had arrived, we adjourned to the private dining room and caught up over dinner, my unpleasant confrontation with Felix earlier forgotten. We didn't part ways until after 11:00 pm.

I went home to find my apartment in a mess.

My heart leaped to my throat. I entered the living room, where my mother's portrait lay shattered on the ground, evidently having been swept off the credenza. The candles and flowers I'd placed before her portrait in her memory also littered the ground.

Rage flooded me. I didn't have to be a fortune teller to know Felix was behind this.

"Aren't you worried about getting struck by lightning for grossly disrespecting the dead, Felix?" I roared as I slid open the balcony doors, wanting nothing more than to storm up to Felix and rip him apart with my bare hands.

But he simply greeted me with a smug smirk. "You didn't have the same fear when you betrayed me earlier. I thought I saw Mr. Rathbone dining with you and your companions at the restaurant.

"What, do you think my station isn't high enough to satisfy your pride? Is that why you've decided to move on to greener pastures?"

I had no idea what he was rambling on about.

Just as I was about to close the distance between us and beat him up, he raised his arm. In his grip was an ornate urn, and in it were Mom's ashes.

I couldn't bear to let Mom lie six feet underground, cold and alone. I wanted to take her with me wherever I went, like a reminder that she was always by my side.

I'd finally been able to put the urn beside her portrait and light a candle in prayer for her today. I didn't expect Felix to swoop in like a despicable prick and hold her ashes hostage.

He twisted open the lid and reached his arm past the balcony edge.

"No!" I cried, trying to stop him.

But he only tipped the urn forward even more. "You think you're so great, right? Go ahead and do whatever you want, then!"

My heart tightened, and I dared not breathe. I knew what Felix was after. He wanted me to beg him for mercy.

I caved for Mom.

Bowing my head, I said, "I'm sorry. What happened today was my fault."

Felix was unsatisfied. "You call that an apology?"

I gritted my teeth and fell to my knees, like a sinner asking for forgiveness. "I'm sorry."

He slapped me so hard across the face that I ended up falling. I tasted copper as blood trickled out of the corner of my mouth.

Felix grabbed me by my hair, lifting me off the ground and slapping me a few more times. His smile was a cruel, smug thing.

When he'd had his fill of violence, he hurled the urn on the ground. "See, we could have avoided all this if you'd behaved well right from the start."

He raised his foot to stomp on Mom's ashes. I tried to stop him, but he ended up viciously stomping on the backs of my hands instead.

He didn't let up until I'd grown numb from the pain, and he bolted for the bathroom to throw up.

I seized the chance to call my bodyguards. "You have five minutes to get to Redwood Heights and take down Felix!"