Chapter 3

I was heavily outnumbered.

At Austin's command, several of his groomsmen lunged at me all at once.

I threw a punch, but I was quickly overpowered and pinned down.

During the scuffle, a dark brown velvet box slipped out of my coat pocket.

With a dull thud, it hit the pavement, drawing everyone’s eyes.

My heart dropped. Just as I reached out to grab it, Austin kicked my hand aside and scooped it up.

"What’s this trash? Don't tell me you brought a wedding present?"

"Don't touch it! Give it back!"

I lunged forward, but a heavy fist slammed square into my jaw.

The taste of copper filled my mouth instantly.

Above me, Austin’s mocking laugh rang out.

"Man, I thought it was something special! It's just a cheap piece of junk jade!"

My vision blurred, the strength draining from my limbs.

One of his lackeys snorted in derision.

"Hey Austin, maybe this loser really thought he could buy the bride with that flea market crap!"

Cheap junk?

That jade bangle was an heirloom passed down through generations in my family.

Years ago, my grandmother had it appraised by top auctioneers—it was valued at well over ten million dollars.

It was reserved strictly for the family's official daughter-in-law.

The only reason I hadn't given it to Chloe during our two years of marriage was because it had been kept in a specialized vault overseas for preservation, and I had only flown it in recently.

The stone was extraordinarily rare, so translucent and flawless that anyone with real taste could see its value in an instant.

Only true connoisseurs understood its worth.

Certainly not a pack of ignorant hillbillies.

My face went dead cold, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper.

"That bangle is priceless. If you scratch even a sliver of it, the consequences will ruin you."

I held out my hand, demanding it back.

The yard fell dead silent for a single beat.

Then, the entire crowd erupted into howling laughter. Austin clutched his stomach, laughing until tears came out.

"Priceless? I’ve got drawers full of this cheap plastic shit back home! It's worth twenty bucks at best, and you're trying to bluff me?"

"Watch me smash it! Let’s see your fucking consequences!"

"No!"

Before I could move, Austin opened his fingers.

The bangle went into free fall.

With a crisp, sickening crack, the jade shattered in two against the stone pavers. My heart shattered right along with it.

My vision flared blood red. Something inside me snapped. Tearing free from the groomsmen holding me down, I threw myself at Austin like a wild animal.

In that moment, only one thought possessed my mind:

I was going to kill him.

No one expected me to fight back with such ferocity. Caught completely off guard, Austin was knocked flat onto his back.

I mounted him, raining ruthless fists down onto his face.

Within seconds, the groomsmen rushed in, ripping me off him.

Austin spat a mouthful of blood, his face twisted in murderous rage.

"You're fucking dead!"

The groomsmen holding my arms twisted them back hard, chiming in with threats.

"This bastard has a death wish! You think you can touch Austin? We’re gonna carry you out of here in a body bag!"

"Let me tell you something, punk: Austin’s grandfather has deep ties in the police department! Even if we beat you to death right here, we walk away clean!"

I couldn't hear a word they were saying.

That bangle was my family’s legacy.

It had passed through generations, carrying centuries of honor and history for our lineage.

And now, it was gone.

Destroyed.

I wouldn't even have the face to face my ancestors in the afterlife.

Austin stepped up, grabbed a handful of my hair, and yanked my head back with vicious force.

A blinding pain shot through my scalp. I gritted my teeth, but my gaze remained deadly, without a shred of fear.

A dark thought crossed my mind:

Even if he beat me to death right here, I’d take him to hell with me.

"You care about this piece of shit so much, huh?"

Austin’s mocking words made my chest tighten violently.

Before I could speak, he took a step back and brought his boot down hard on the shattered jade.

Not satisfied, he ground his heel into the fragments, crushing them into dust.

I heard the terrible sound of the jade splintering under his shoe. A sharp, suffocating pain tore through my chest.

"Where are those consequences you promised? Come on, tough guy, show me!"

He whistled mockingly, slapping my cheek with hard, stinging blows.

I didn't have the strength left to fight.

The groomsmen egged him on, laughing and yelling that they should tie me to a tree so I could watch my 'goddess' marry another man.

Just as someone brought over a thick coil of rope, the loud blare of a horn cut through the noise.

A long convoy of luxury black sedans pulled up to the driveway.

Before anyone could react, a dozen burly men in tailored black suits stepped out, cold-eyed and imposing, instantly encircling Austin and his crew.