1 It was the third year of my engagement to Kris Stone when he found a dazzling racing star abroad. The day before Valentine’s, he deliberately brought the girl to me to break off our engagement. “Skye and I share the same passions,” he’d declared, his gaze dismissive. “A sheltered girl like you will never understand the thrill of racing.” I asked, my voice barely a whisper of protest, “Does it have to be today?” He chuckled. “Does calling off an engagement require a special date?” I simply nodded, offering no further argument. Only to enter the same race as him the following month. What he didn’t know was that I understood the allure of racing long before he ever did. Later, I married someone else on his birthday. His eyes bloodshot, he asked, “Does it have to be today?” I smiled back. “Weddings need an auspicious date, you know. Today is perfect.” When Kris came looking for me, it had been nearly half a year since I’d last seen him. He’d spent three years studying abroad, only to return home without a single word to me. Just days prior, an audio recorder had arrived in the mail, sent from overseas. The moment I pressed play, a chorus of laughter erupted. “Hahahaha, Ollie, you’re something else! Not only did you get your racing license, but you also snagged our hottest racing star! Come on, Skye, tell us, how fast does Ollie drive in bed?” A sultry female voice purred in response: “Is that even a question? Straight to the fast lane, baby!” A chorus of piercing shrieks immediately followed, threatening to rupture my eardrums. I lowered the volume on the recorder, continuing to listen. “So, Ollie, what are you going to do about your fiancée back home? Heard you two have been engaged for three years. Aren’t your folks pressing you to marry her?” My hands instinctively clenched into fists, and I cranked the volume to its maximum. “Fiancée? What did we know about love as kids? Chloe and I haven’t seen each other in over six months. At this point, she’s barely more than a free, high-end housekeeper for my parents. She’s obedient, easy to get rid of.” Someone snickered: “Well, leave it to our Ollie, managing to get the Hayes family’s eldest daughter to willingly play housemaid.” The recording paused for a few seconds. Then I heard Kris’s dismissive scoff: “Heh, well, who told her to like me so much?” After listening to that recording, my mind went utterly blank. I waited, numb, for Kris to return and offer an explanation. Now, his red Porsche was parked right outside my front door. The window was down, and he sat in the driver’s seat. One hand cupped the chin of the girl beside him, the other cradled the back of her head. They were locked in a deep, lingering kiss, utterly unconcerned by the world. Suddenly, I remembered the day Kris left for his studies abroad three years ago. In the departure lounge, he had gently kissed my cheek, his eyes bright with promises. “Chloe, wait for me. When I graduate, I’ll come back and marry you.” But it was as if he’d forgotten every single one of them. I took a shaky breath, stepping back awkwardly, forcing my gaze away. It seemed no explanation was needed now. A full ten minutes passed before I heard the car door creak open. Kris sauntered leisurely towards me, wiping the corner of his mouth. “Saw everything, did you?” he asked, his expression utterly nonchalant. “Let’s just call off our engagement, shall we?” “You’re a good person, but you just lack… personality.” “The kind of woman I like is confident, bold, full of life. And you, well, you’re none of those things.” The Porsche’s window rolled down a few inches. The girl in the passenger seat blew a casual whistle in our direction, throwing a playful kiss for good measure. Kris clearly adored the gesture, his face softening with doting affection. “Her name’s Skye. She shares my passions.” “A sheltered flower like you will never understand the thrill of racing.” Moonlight spilled across his face, but his gaze, when it found Skye, was softer than the moonbeams themselves. I struggled to suppress the turmoil churning inside me, my voice laced with a bitter edge. “Are you sure about this? Does it have to be today?” Kris paused for a few seconds, then chuckled. “Does calling off an engagement require a special date?” Right, I thought. I nodded slowly. “Alright, I understand.” Perhaps my calm reaction was more unsettling than he expected, because Kris looked subtly uncomfortable. “If there’s anything you need help with, let me know. For example, with your family, do you need me to explain things for you?” “No need.” Thanks to that audio recorder, I already knew everything I needed to. The Hayes and Stone families had been close for generations. When I was eighteen, my mother fell critically ill. It was thanks to Kris’s mother, who donated a kidney, that my mother’s life was saved. Before the surgery, she lay in her hospital bed, tears streaming down her face. “How will we ever repay this kindness?” Kris’s mother, half-joking, half-serious, had replied, “If you truly want to repay me, then let Chloe become my daughter-in-law, eh?” I stood rooted to the spot, completely bewildered, but it was Kris who spoke first, eager to agree. “It’s settled then, Auntie. I like Chloe. I’ll definitely marry her someday.” The young man made his solemn vow, as if he’d never break his word. And so, three years ago, Kris and I became engaged. I remained in the country, while he went abroad. Perhaps out of a sense of obligation, I diligently learned cooking and nursing, spending every spare moment caring for Kris’s parents. The rumors around town grew increasingly unpleasant. They whispered that I was Kris’s “doormat,” shamelessly acting as his family’s housekeeper even before marrying him. But thinking of my mother, I swallowed my pride and endured. To vent my frustration, I secretly took up racing, even winning several competitions. 2 Later, my mother’s illness returned, and she passed away. My father remarried, finding new happiness, and my standing in our home grew increasingly insignificant. It felt as if, other than Kris, I had no one left to lean on. But now, he was telling me he’d fallen for someone else. It dawned on me that to him, I was merely a fleeting infatuation from childhood, nothing compared to the rapid, intense spark he found in a matter of days. I expected tears, but not a single one fell. Instead, I silently retrieved the tokens we had exchanged during our engagement from the safe. It was an exquisite antique hair ornament, symbolizing a wife’s lasting bond with her husband. The one I had given him was a double-sided, intricately carved jade pendant from my mother, signifying the refined character and gentle nobility of a true gentleman. That pendant was the last, most precious thing my mother had left me. I arranged to meet Kris again. Since the engagement was off, it was only right to exchange our tokens back. Just after midnight, Kris updated his social media. He and Skye were tightly embraced, their hands forming a heart shape together. Kris’s caption read: “No special skills, just managed to snag the one I wanted on Valentine’s Day.” So, he was in such a hurry to break off our engagement because he wanted to go public with his new relationship on Valentine’s Day. I simply ‘liked’ the post. If they were so smitten, they might as well be locked together forever. Minutes later, a new message popped up on my phone. Adrian Vance: “Happy Valentine’s Day.” My brain froze for a few seconds as I stared at the name. I never expected him to be the first one to say that to me. The whispers in our circles always painted Adrian as someone of impossibly high standing, utterly out of reach. And I had only met him a handful of times through racing. Perhaps he’d sent it by mistake. But the very next second, another message suddenly appeared. “You deserve better.” Before I could even process Adrian’s words, I was drowned in a tidal wave of rumors. Practically everyone around me was buzzing about Kris having dumped me. My father lectured me harshly that morning, and even my stepmother offered sarcastic remarks about my worthlessness. I found it darkly amusing. When did the one who was wronged become the one to be shamed? Soon after, my inbox began to flood with private messages. “Heard Ollie found a new girlfriend? Hahahaha, and on Valentine’s Day, no less! Don’t know how you’ll ever recover.” “Well, you didn’t lose out completely these past few years. At least you learned how to cater to people, right, Chloe?” “He’s actually soft-hearted beneath that tough exterior. Just beg him nicely, and maybe he’ll come around. If not, a good old-fashioned scene might do the trick.” I ignored their taunts, blocking and deleting them one by one. All I wanted now was to retrieve my mother’s memento. I placed the hair ornament and the audio recorder into a small box. At the appointed time, I arrived at the designated location. But upon arrival, I realized I’d been tricked. A large table full of people, all of them Kris’s usual friends from back home. He and Skye sat in the center, laughing and chatting jovially with everyone. At the sound of the door opening, every eye in the room shifted to me. Kris offered an explanation: “Skye said she really wanted to meet my friends, so I took the opportunity to invite everyone. You don’t mind, do you?” Someone, eager for drama, quickly pulled out a chair for me. “Oh, Chloe’s here! Come, come, we were just waiting for you!” I didn’t sit. Instead, I placed the box containing the hair ornament on the table. “Here’s your item back,” I said. “Now, where’s mine?” Kris froze for a few seconds, then clicked his tongue. “Oh, damn, I completely forgot.” “Then please mail it to me as soon as possible. I have other commitments.” “Chloe, don’t leave! If you go, everyone will think I’m the home-wrecker!” She frowned slightly, feigning an innocent expression. I just smiled. “Aren’t you?” The private room fell silent. Skye’s face visibly darkened. Kris shot me an annoyed glance. “Sit down, Chloe. I’ll call my driver; he’ll bring it over in a bit.” While waiting for Kris’s driver to deliver the item, the group resumed their lively chatter. Kris was right; Skye was indeed quite audacious. She spoke with lively confidence, clearly the center of attention. Someone asked, “Skye, we heard you used to be a grid girl when you were abroad? Tell us all about it!” At that, her eyes lit up, and she grew even more animated. While I quietly sipped my tea, she launched into a detailed monologue, covering everything from racing rules to techniques, sounding as if she’d been a veteran of the sport for years. “Do you know,” she gushed, “I absolutely adore the racetrack! Not only do you get that adrenaline rush, but you also meet so many amazing, handsome drivers.” Skye shot a pointed glance at Kris, who was already gazing at her, his eyes full of tender admiration. She sighed dramatically. “Oh, it’s a shame, though. That racing license is just impossible to get! I’ve tried so many times and failed.” The others, unfamiliar with the racing world, found her stories utterly captivating. “Wow, Skye, you’re already incredible! None of the girls we know have ever even touched a race car.” “Yeah, Ollie, you’ve got great taste. Finding such a gorgeous and fierce girl!” Kris instinctively glanced over at me, but I just kept my head down, sipping my tea, not uttering a word. 3 Skye followed his gaze to me, then suddenly asked, “Chloe, do you know anything about racing?” At her question, a ripple of laughter immediately spread through the group. “Her? How could she understand such a thrilling sport? Miss Hayes barely steps foot outside her family estate; she’d probably faint dead away at the racetrack!” “Now, now, don’t say that. Who says Chloe never leaves the house? I’ve seen her running to Ollie’s place often enough. Tsk, who says knowing how to cater to someone isn’t a skill?” Skye’s eyes widened, and she gasped, covering her mouth in mock surprise. “Oh? Really? My apologies, then. That was rather tactless of me. But it’s fine, really. Everyone has their own unique value, after all.” Then she turned to Kris, pouting playfully. “Ollie, I’m terrible at catering to people. When we get married, you’ll definitely have to find your parents a maid as competent as Chloe, won’t you?” A fresh wave of laughter erupted around the table. I clenched my fists, then relaxed them. As soon as I had my memento back, I wouldn’t stay here for another second. Skye pulled a ticket from her bag and had someone pass it to me. “Chloe,” she said, “this is a ticket to next month’s race. I just happened to have an extra one. Ollie and I will both be competing, so you should definitely come and broaden your horizons, alright?” I looked at the ticket and smiled. Wasn’t this the very race I’d just registered for? Too fed up to argue, I drained my teacup, then looked up at Kris. “Ask your driver where my item is,” I demanded. Kris made the call, then his brow suddenly furrowed. “Chloe, it seems I can’t give you your item just yet.” I shot to my feet, a bewildered expression on my face. Kris rubbed his temples, not bothering to lie. “I distinctly remember putting it in the box, but… it’s suddenly gone.” What did he mean, ‘suddenly gone’? That was the only thing my mother had left me. I would turn the entire place upside down if I had to, but I would find it. Skye paid no attention to my exchange with Kris. She was standing, reaching for a bottle of red wine in the center of the table. As she bent, something around her neck was perfectly exposed. It was my intricately carved jade pendant! “Wait!” I quickly stopped her, pointing to her neck. “That jade pendant you’re wearing right now – that’s mine.” Everyone fell silent, their gazes fixed on us. Skye turned to Kris, unhurried. “Ollie, Chloe says this is hers, but how can she prove it?” Kris was momentarily speechless. He had never truly cared for me, so it was unlikely he had ever really looked closely at the token. But I remembered. “The carving on it depicts two dragons playing with a pearl, intricate and pierced through, with their bodies intertwined. On one side, there’s a faint yellow spot, a slight imperfection.” That pendant had never left my side before I turned twenty; every single detail of it was etched into my memory. Skye held up the pendant, examining it front and back, then turned to Kris, smiling. “Ollie,” she cooed, “even if it is Chloe’s, I’ve taken a liking to it. Can’t I just keep it?” “No, you can’t,” I stated, my voice firm. “You need to return it to me right now, immediately.” On this, I would not yield an inch. Kris stood, gently patting Skye’s shoulder in a gesture of comfort, then frowned at me. “Come on, Chloe, don’t make such a big deal out of it. It’s just a pendant. Name your price, and I’ll transfer the money to you right away.” What on earth was he talking about? I was so frantic, I felt tears welling. I shouted, “That’s the only thing my mother left me! It’s her memento, her last belonging! Don’t you understand?!” At my words, the private room plunged into an even deeper silence, a stifling, death-like hush. “A memento? Why didn’t you say so sooner! I don’t want anything so ill-omened!” Skye abruptly ripped the pendant from her neck and, as if it were trash, slammed it onto the table without a thought. CRACK— With a single impact, the jade pendant split in two, right down the middle. In that instant, an emotional tsunami crashed over me, swallowing every last shred of my composure. I finally snapped. I lunged forward, seized Skye by her hair, and slammed her head onto the table. With my other hand, I smashed a wine glass and aimed its sharp, jagged edge at her terrified face. “Ah! You’re insane!” Skye shrieked. The entire room erupted into chaos. Kris instantly grabbed my wrist, halting my next move. Glass had sliced into my hand, and blood trickled from between my fingers, staining his hand as well. “Chloe Hayes, can you calm down?! The item is already broken, and you’re bleeding!” I suppressed the murderous urge surging within me, violently yanked my arm free, and trembling, picked up the shattered jade from the table, trying to piece it back together, but it would never be whole again. Tears finally streamed down my face. I hadn’t cried when the engagement was broken, nor when others insulted me. But this time, I couldn’t hold back any longer. Kris tentatively touched my shoulder, a hint of guilt in his voice. “Stop trying. It’s already broken. Be careful; don’t hurt yourself further.” “Get lost!” I screamed at him, slapping him hard across the face. Under his stunned gaze, I carefully gathered the broken pendant pieces and walked out without a backward glance. Every last shred of affection I had ever felt for Kris was, at that moment, finally ripped out by the roots. I had nothing left to lose, nothing left to hold me back.
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