**Chapter 3**
Callum nimbly sidestepped the chaos, instinctively pulling Ivy out of harm’s way. He stepped out of the room, casting a hurried glance over his shoulder towards the guards stationed outside.
“My wife’s injured. Get the family doctor to bandage her up,” he commanded, his voice a mix of urgency and frustration.
That night, he didn’t return.
But oddly enough, I felt indifferent. I began the process of packing my life into boxes.
Callum and I had shared a bond since childhood, our lives intertwined since we turned eighteen. Now, at twenty-eight, we had a decade’s worth of photographs, gifts, and memories that had once brought me joy.
In a fit of rage and sorrow, I set fire to it all.
Four long days crawled by before he finally stumbled back home.
Drunk. Ivy was propping him up, her laughter echoing in the hallway.
I was perched on the couch, the flickering television casting shadows around the room.
Ivy shot me a sly grin.
“We were celebrating my passing the exam. He just had a little too much to drink. Don’t be mad,” she said, her tone teasing yet defensive.
“Who’s drunk?” Callum slurred, leaning heavily against Ivy and pinning her against the wall. “I could drink ten more.”
Ivy giggled, shooting me a glance that was both mischievous and conspiratorial.
“Don’t mind him. He always gets like this when he’s drunk—”
“I don’t mind,” I interrupted sharply, rising to my feet and retreating upstairs.
That night, I lay in bed, the sounds of their laughter and moaning filtering through the walls.
I chose not to react.
Later, I received a selfie from Ivy. Her neck was adorned with hickeys, a vivid display of her escapades.
“Don’t get the wrong idea—he thought I was you. He sucked so hard, these are gonna take days to fade,” she texted, her words dripping with a mix of pride and malice.
I didn’t bother to reply.
The following day, my best friend reached out with a text.
[You packed? I booked a 3 PM flight. I’ll pick you up soon.]
I responded quickly: [Ready.]
Then, I made my way to the safe where I kept the jade pendant my parents had entrusted to me, a symbol of protection and love.
But when I opened the safe, my heart sank—the pendant was gone.
Panic surged through me like a tidal wave, propelling me down the stairs.
In the kitchen, I found Callum, clad in an apron, busily preparing a meal for Ivy.
She was sprawled on the couch, her legs crossed, absorbed in the television.
And there it was—my pendant—hanging around her neck.
I approached her, my voice icy and unyielding.

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