Chapter 3

3

Bianca stayed in Preston's arms, but her eyes drifted to me. She raised an eyebrow, her gaze full of triumph.

A second later, she shoved him away.

"Preston, we can't do this. Serena... she'll be heartbroken."

Her eyes went dull, and she wrapped herself in an aura of deep sadness.

Preston reached out, wanting to say something, but the words wouldn't come.

Bianca's shoulders shook.

"Preston, this is where we end. Goodbye."

With that, she turned and ran toward her room.

That evening, I was having dinner.

Preston kicked the front door open.

Before I could ask what the hell was going on, he stormed toward Bianca's room.

"Bang!" The door flew open.

By the time I got there, the bathtub was stained a deep, horrifying red.

There was a fresh cut on her wrist.

Preston's pupils contracted. He lifted Bianca out of the tub and laid her gently on the bed.

Bianca's face was ghostly pale, and a weak smile touched her lips.

"Preston, you shouldn't have come."

"I thought, if I can't marry you in this life, there's no point in living."

"Just let me go."

She sobbed into his chest, her whole body shaking.

The veins on Preston's fists bulged. He was barely holding it together.

He turned around and glared at me with pure hatred.

"Serena, does your family have to push people to the edge just for a damn business deal?"

The tenderness he used to have for me was gone, replaced by a wall of ice.

Bianca was inconsolable. Preston patted her shoulder and made a vow.

"Don't worry, Bianca. I won't let them send you to the Holts."

He turned and marched out of the room.

The second Preston was gone, Bianca stopped the act.

"Serena, how does it feel? Watching the man you love hate your guts?"

She still looked weak, but her eyes were full of malice.

"I really didn't expect you to volunteer to marry into the Holt family."

I frowned. "How do you know that?"

Bianca didn't answer. She pulled a necklace from her pocket.

My heart stopped. "Give that back."

That was the last thing my mother ever gave me.

I had kept it locked in my room. How the hell did she get it?

Bianca smirked. "You look like a dog right now, Serena. Get on your knees and beg. Maybe I'll consider giving it back."

I bit my lip hard, my voice low and cold.

"Aren't you afraid Preston will see who you really are?"

"Preston loves me. No matter what I do, he'll love me."

"But as of today, Serena, he won't even look at you anymore."

She threw the necklace onto the floor.

Then, Bianca let out a piercing scream and threw herself down the stairs.