Chapter 2
Once I started packing my things, I noticed something precious missing. My jewelry box was there, but the necklace my mother had left me a simple, delicate pearl necklace–was gone. I confronted Adam in the living room, my voice shaking.
“Where’s my mother‘ s necklace, Adam?”
He glanced at Louise, who was sipping water, her expression innocent. When she saw me, she clutched her throat
dramatically, coughing as if in distress. Adam rolled his eyes in annoyance and barked at me. “Claire, why are you yelling? It’s just a necklace. What’s the big deal?”
I looked into his eyes, searching for a trace of the man I used to know. “That necklace means everything to me, Adam,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “It was my mother‘ s.
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“Oh, that?” he said, almost casually. “Lost it somewhere. I don‘ t know where. Maybe I threw it out by accident.”
My heart froze. The necklace was the last piece of my mother I had and he‘ d discarded it like trash.
“I’m sorry, Claire.” Louise spoke up softly. She walked over to me, her voice sweet as honey, but her eyes taunting. “I was the one who… well, I borrowed it, just to look. I’m so clumsy–I didn’t realize how valuable it was to you, or I’d have been more careful. Please, don‘ t blame Adam.”
She gave me a small, smug smile and I could almost hear her silent words,
“Garbage.”
I snapped. Rage overtook me and I lunged forward, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“You had no right! It was my mother‘ s! How dare you!”
“Claire!” Adam’s voice was filled with
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“Oh, that?” he said, almost casually.
“Lost it somewhere. I don’t know where. Maybe I threw it out by accident.”
My heart froze. The necklace was the last piece of my mother I had and he‘ d discarded it like trash.
“I’m sorry, Claire.” Louise spoke up softly. She walked over to me, her voice sweet as honey, but her eyes taunting. “I was the one who… well, I borrowed it, just to look. I’m so clumsy–I didn’t realize how valuable it was to you, or I’d have been more careful. Please, don‘ t blame Adam.”
She gave me a small, smug smile and I could almost hear her silent words,
“Garbage.
I snapped. Rage overtook me and I lunged forward, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“You had no right! It was my mother’s! How dare you!”
“Claire!” Adam’s voice was filled with
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Chapter 2
“Oh, that?” he said, almost casually.
“Lost it somewhere. I don‘ t know where. Maybe I threw it out by accident.”
My heart froze. The necklace was the last piece of my mother I had and he‘ d discarded it like trash.
“I’m sorry, Claire.
Louise spoke up
softly. She walked over to me, her voice sweet as honey, but her eyes taunting. “I was the one who… well, I borrowed it, just to look. I’m so clumsy–I didn’t realize how valuable it was to you, or I’d have been more careful. Please, don’t blame Adam.‘
She gave me a small, smug smile and I could almost hear her silent words,
“Garbage.”
I snapped. Rage overtook me and I lunged forward, grabbing her by the shoulders.
“You had no right! It was my mother’s! How dare you!”
“Claire!” Adam‘ s voice was filled with
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fury as he yanked me back, pushing me away from Louise. “It’s just a piece of jewelry. Calm down, or I’ll make sure you regret this.”
Pain shot through my back as I hit the corner of the table. My vision blurred, but I managed to stand up, swallowing back the tears. Then Louise, with a tiny sob, knelt before me, her face crumbling in fake
remorse.
“Claire, I didn’t realize it was so important,” she whimpered. “I’m sorry! I thought it was a mall giveaway or something. Please, I didn’t mean to cause a fight. It’s just a necklace.”
Just a necklace? A broken sob escaped me as I staggered back. The grief, the loss, the betrayal–it was all too much. In a fit of anguish, I grabbed the teapot from the
table and poured the remaining, cooled tea over her head.
“Claire!” Adam shouted, his voice
seething with anger. He pulled her away,
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slapping me hard across the face.
“What’s wrong with you? This tea
could‘ ve been hot! Are you trying to ruin her?”
a
My cheek stung from his slap, but the pain barely registered. I looked up at him, hollow laugh bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me. “That necklace was my mother’s legacy, Adam. How dare you throw it away? How dare you?”
But he only sneered, his voice icy. “Oh, please, Claire. You‘ ve lied about your mom’s illness for years. You’ll do anything for pity, won’t you?”
As I stood there, absorbing his words, I realized that I was staring at a stranger. Whatever I’d thought we shared–it was gone. And I wasn’t sure it had ever truly been there to begin with.
