From Ex to Aunt

Initially, I was clueless about Sean's background. I thought he was just some guy in over his head with debt. It was only after our breakup that I learned he was the scion of Riverton's influential Foster family.

To teach him independence, his family had cut him off financially. Of course, make no mistake, the Fosters ruled Riverton.

The priest shook with fear under Sean's glare, his bible slipping from his hands to the floor. He looked desperately at me for help.

Before I could utter a word, Sean yanked the tiara from my head. "My uncle designed this, Ella. Did you think you could just steal it?"

The tiara's jewels dug into my scalp, drawing blood.

I remember the time I was hauling bricks on a job site just to help him pay off his debts, and I ended up getting hurt. During the operation, they found out I was allergic to the anesthesia. I had no choice but to grit my teeth and bear it. The pain was like a diamond slicing through my skull.

Fighting through the throbbing in my head, I realized Sean was James's nephew.

"Sean, your uncle gave this to me. I didn't steal it—"

I could not even get the words out before he snapped. His hands tangled in my hair, he sneered, "Ella, who do you think you are? My uncle would never fall for someone like you. Do you have any clue who calls the shots in the Foster family? He does! How dare you even touch him?

"If you don't want to end up dead, you better get out of here, fast."

He yanked so hard on my hair that I thought my neck might snap. My necklace fell free and clattered to the floor.

Tears fell, splashing on the necklace as I picked it up, my hands shaking. Inside was a picture of my parents. My mother's biggest regret was not seeing me married with kids. Wearing that necklace felt like carrying a part of them with me.

Rage boiled inside me.

"Stop talking nonsense. You're just a bad woman trying to steal Sean from me…

"Today is Sean's uncle's big day, and here you are, clutching a picture of the dead. Are you trying to put a curse on their marriage?"

The voice belonged to Mandy Lewis, the woman who had been on the bed together with Sean last Valentine's Day.

She looked at me with a smug grin. "Oh, so you're the one who, five years ago, wanted to eat cake so badly that it led to your parents' fatal car crash? You're a jinx, you know that? You killed your own parents. Sean did the right thing dumping you.

"What's next? Planning to off his uncle too?"

Her words cut through me like a blade, the pain so intense that I could not catch my breath.

Instinctively, I reached to grab her, but before I could, she tumbled to the ground, her face the picture of innocence, tears pouring like they were free. "I didn't say anything wrong, did I? You offed your parents, and now you're after my baby?

"Sean, it hurts so much. Our baby..."

Sean froze, his eyes darting to Mandy's stomach.

Mandy glanced back at me, her face twisted in a victorious smirk. I knew right then she was playing me.

"Mandy, you better cut the crap—ah!"

I did not see it coming. Sean's slap landed hard, my face swelling instantly, the metallic taste of blood in my mouth.

He scooped up Mandy with a gentleness I had never seen, his eyes filled with worry.

He crushed my hand, the one clutching my necklace, under his foot, his eyes blazing with fury. "Ella, you ruined my uncle's wedding, and now you're trying to hurt my child. You like that necklace so much? Well, I'll just destroy it."