Chapter 4 They All Forced Lily to Apologize to Elsa


    As if realizing something, John let out a coldugh.


    So that’s what this was–Lily was throwing a tantrum and threatening him with a resignation. ying hard to get, was she?


    He knew better than anyone how much she wanted to be his personal assistant.


    She’d buttered him up for days just tond that role.


    If he really approved her resignation, she’d be the first to panic.


    She needed a lesson–to understand she had gone too far this time.


    “Sign it.”


    After letting out that icy aura, John added coldly, “And when you do, tell her–if she resigns, she better nevere back.”


    Wayne shrank his neck.


    He wanted to say Lily seemedpletely determined this time, like she never intended toe back at all.


    But the killing intent radiating from John was too terrifying, so he kept quiet.


    He just nodded and respectfully went to sign off on her resignation.


    Once Wayne signed, Lily quicklypleted all her paperwork and left thepany.


    Almost the moment she got back to the hotel, a message came in from John.


    “Come to Flora Club.”


    Flora Club–the ce John always took his friends for drinks and parties.


    Lily had broken up with him. She had no intention of going.


    She was about to refuse when another message followed:


    “If you still want your parents‘ keepsake, be in front of me in half an hour.”


    Lily desperately wanted to get that pendant back. She didn’t dare dy and rushed to Flora Club.


    Inside the private room, Elsa and several of John’s close friends were already there.


    When Lily pushed open the door, she immediately saw John seated in the center of a deep red leather couch, Elsa curled up beside him.


    <b>Elsa </b>lifted her chin proudly, striking and radiant as ever.


    John sat protectively at her side, every movement full of tenderness and care.


    Lily felt a sharp sting behind her eyes.


    But she hade for a reason. She swallowed the bitterness and stepped inside.


    “Apologize to Elsa!”


    The moment John saw her, he mmed his ss down at her feet.


    “How dare you send thugs after Elsa to steal the pendant? If Simon hadn’t happened to pass by and save her, she would’ve been assaulted by those animals!”


    His friends all jumped in, shouting their indignation.


    “Hey, you, that was too much!”


    “We get that you’re jealous of Elsa, but this? You can’t just send people to attack her!”


    “Apologize to Elsa now. Maybe if she lets it go, John will still forgive you!”


    <i>Elsa</i><i>… </i>


    Lily stood frozen, face pale.


    She’d loved John so much. She had gone out of her way to be nice to his friends, always trying to fit in.


    But in all the years she was with John, not one of them ever called her by name. Their attitude had never even been respectful.


    She used to think they were just arrogant and blunt by nature.


    But hearing the way they now fawned over Elsa, she finally understood–they had nevercked manners. They simply knew John didn’t truly care about her. She wasn’t worth respecting.


    But Elsa–despite having betrayed John four years ago–was cradled in the palm of his hand. So now, they all worshiped her too.


    “Lily, apologize to Elsa!”


    John’s cold voice snapped in her ear. Lily snapped out of her daze.


    She hadn’t done anything. Of course she wouldn’t admit to something she didn’t do.


    “I didn’t send anyone to hurt Elsa. I—”


    “Those thugs said you were behind it. Elsa wouldn’t lie!”


    John cut her off without letting her finish. “I’ll say it one more time. Apologize.”


    <i>Elsa </i>wouldn’t <i>lie</i>…


    Lily almostughed out loud.


    <i>So </i><i>if </i><i>Elsa </i><i>said </i><i>something</i>, it <i>was </i><i>the </i><i>truth</i><i>? </i><i>But </i>when I <i>spoke</i>, it <i>was </i><i>all </i>lies<i>? </i>


    Even if he loved Elsa more, after four years together<b>, </b>shouldn’t he know what kind of person I was?


    Shouldn’t he trust me, just a little?


    Was it really that easy for him to condemn her?


    “I didn’t do anything wrong. I won’t apologize to Elsa.”


    Lily hated being falsely used. Even as the cold in her chest turned to ice, she still stood up for herself.


    “If someone’s word is all it takes to convict a person, then what if I say Elsa’s a murderer? Should we send her to jail? I didn’t do this. I’m not admitting to it. Call the police if you want. If they find me guilty, fine- but they’ll need evidence. Elsa’s lies don’t count.”


    “John… I didn’t lie…”


    Elsa’s voice trembled, her eyes red.


    A proud, dazzling rose now looked soft and wounded. It only made her more lovable.


    John’s patience with Lily hadpletely run out.


    He pulled out the pendant and held it up like a weapon.


    “Apologize to Elsa, or you’ll never see this again.”


    Lily’s gaze dropped to the pendant.


    It had been handmade by her parents, after studying with a master craftsman.


    Delicate gold filigree, encircling a fine piece of Hetian jade–one of a kind.


    Just seeing it brought back memories.


    Four years ago, when John was cast out by the Jones family after the ident, his father’s illegitimate son had tried to kill him.


    That snowy night, Lily had shielded him with her own body, taking two stab wounds before the police arrived.


    That night, her pendant had been stolen by those hired thugs.


    She’d lost it while saving his life.


    Even if he didn’t love her.


    Even if his heart belonged to Elsa.


    Once he recovered it, he should’ve returned it to her.


    Not used it as leverage to hurt her.


    “John, don’t be so hard on Lily.”


    Elsa cast Lily a smug nce, then pretended to smooth things over. “I don’t care about the past.”


    “Why not have Lily drink a ss of wine? Let’s just call it even and move on.”


    Hearing this, John frowned slightly.


    But unable to say no to the sickly Elsa, he gave a cold nod.


    Lily kept telling herself–this man wasn’t worth her tears.


    But when she saw him nod, her eyes still turned red.


    He knew she couldn’t <i>drink</i>.


    Her stomach’s not great; she once had bleeding from drinking too much. The doctor had warned her never to drink again.


    John had held her, eyes full of guilt, promising to get stronger, to protect her, to never let her suffer again.


    But now, for Elsa, he made her suffer over and over.


    “I’ll drink.”


    She didn’t exin.


    Exining to someone who didn’t believe her was pointless.


    All she wanted was to get the pendant back and leave.


    She looked at the rows of hard liquor on the table and gave a bitter smile.


    “If I drink all of these, will you give it back?”


    John’s eyes darkened like a gathering storm.


    For some reason, Lily’s smile stabbed at him.


    She seemed so far away now.


    But he still believed–Lily could never truly leave him.


    Elsa was dying. Even if Lily had just sent thugs to get the pendant and not to hurt Elsa, the scare alone was enough. He wouldn’t let Elsa suffer in her final days.


    His <b>voice </b>turned cold. “Drink.”


    Lily exhaled slowly.


    So he meant it. Drink it all, and he’d return the pendant.


    They were all hard liquors.


    Her eyelids twitched.


    But she didn’t back down.


    She grabbed a bottle and began to chug.


    It burned all the way down.


    Like fire searing her mouth, her throat, her heart.


    So this was what it felt like–to love the wrong person.


    Like being skinned alive, crushed to ash.


    So she had to stop loving <i>John</i>. <i>She </i><i>had </i><i>to </i><i>move </i><i>on</i>.


    “Enough!”


    Seeing her flushed face, her swaying body, the way she reached for another bottle, John couldn’t bear it anymore<i>. </i>


    He snatched the bottle from her and smashed it on the floor.


    “Take your pendant and get out!”


    “John…”


    Elsa hated anyone taking what she wanted.


    Lily had taken John while she was abroad–she wouldn’t let her get away with it again.


    She knew that pendant was too important to Lily. She couldn’t let her have it.


    As John reached to hand it over, Elsa grabbed it first and threw herself into his arms.


    “My stomach… it hurts so much… John, am I dying? It hurts…”


    As she sobbed, she even spat out a bit of blood.


    “Elsa!”


    Panicked, John scooped her into his arms and rushed out of the room.


    <b>Hold </b>on, Elsa. I won’t let anything happen to you!”


    “John-!”


    Lily staggered forward, desperate to get the pendant.


    But just as she reached him, Elsa lifted her leg–and her foot mmed right into Lily’s face.


    Lily was already unsteady. The kick sent her crashing to the ground.


    As luck would have it, she struck her temple against the sharp edge of the table.


    Blood immediately gushed down her face, blurring her vision.


    “Lily!”


    Hearing the thud, John turned in panic.


    When he saw her bleeding, her pale face stained with red, his dark eyes filled with rm.


    “It hurts…”


    Elsa’s pained whimper brought him back to reality.


    Without another nce at Lily, he turned and ran.


    Lily was injured.


    But it was just a cut. She was strong. She could take care of herself.


    Elsa, on the other hand, was dying. She needed him.


    He couldn’t let her down.