Papa! That Bad Man Hit My Mom!

That silent inferno didn't burn with rage, not anymore. It burned with a cold, clear certainty. I looked at Bennett, then at the scattered diamonds glinting on the floor. The broken bracelet was a symbol, not just of a gift, but of the connection to my husband, a connection he had so carelessly shattered. "I need to go," I said, my voice flat, devoid of emotion. I didn't bother to argue, to explain, to defend. There was no point. His jaw tightened. "Go? Addison, don't be ridiculous. You're not going anywhere. We're waiting for Mrs. Levy." He gestured vaguely at the empty space where a VIP would soon emerge. Jade scoffed, and her entourage snickered. "She probably thinks she's Mrs. Levy. Poor thing. Denial isn't just a river in Egypt, is it?" Chloe, the one who'd tried to play peacemaker, pointed at the sign Bennett still held. "Addison, do you even know who Mrs. Levy is? And Mr. Levy, for that matter?" Her tone held a patronizing pity. I simply looked at the sign, then back at their expectant faces. Yes, I knew exactly who Mrs. Levy was. "Oh, it's such a romantic story," Chloe gushed, turning to the other women. "Damon Levy, the reclusive billionaire. Built his empire from nothing. They say he's cold as ice to everyone but his wife. Absolutely devoted. He bought her this ridiculously expensive bracelet, a one-of-a-kind. It's meant to symbolize their unbreakable bond or something." Jade rolled her eyes. "Please, Chloe, spare us the fairy tale. The point is, Mrs. Levy is someone important. Someone powerful. Someone real. Not a faded ex-girlfriend trying to relive her glory days." Chloe continued, oblivious to Jade's disdain. "And they say she's the only one who can ever get him to smile. He's absolutely smitten. Apparently, she's the key to everything for him. His empire, his future, everything." She sighed dramatically. "Imagine having a man like that. Who would ever dare to cross her?" A quiet warmth spread through me. It wasn't the kindling of a new flame, but the steady glow of a deeply cherished reality. Damon. My Damon. My stoic, formidable husband, who was indeed a dragon to the world, but a gentle, loving partner to me and our son. The way he looked at me, the way he cherished every moment, every touch, every whispered secret. They were right about one thing: he was utterly devoted. And I, in turn, was utterly devoted to him. "It's true," another woman added, "They say he spent millions on a new private island just for her. And he always makes sure she's the first to know about anything important. He trusts her with everything." My little smile returned. They spoke of a legend, a myth, completely unaware that the subject of their gossip was standing right in front of them, holding their hand. It was almost poetic. Suddenly, Chloe's eyes fell on the scattered diamonds that had been my bracelet. Her gasp was sharp. "Wait... Is that... It can't be." Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "That's the bracelet." The air in the terminal seemed to thicken. All eyes, which had been fixed on Jade and Bennett, now darted to the sparkling debris on the floor, then to my bare wrist. A collective hush fell over them. Bennett, his face pale, grabbed my arm again. His fingers were cold, clammy. He stared at the diamonds, then at my wrist. "This is... no. It's a fake, right, Addison? You just said it was a fake." He looked desperately at Jade, then back at me. "Tell them it's a fake!" I pulled my arm away, gently. My hand went to the place where the bracelet had been, a phantom weight now gone. The significance wasn't in the material value, but in the love it represented. Damon had chosen the design himself, each diamond carefully selected. It was a tangible piece of our life together. "Addison," Bennett whispered, his voice laced with panic. "How did you get that? What is this?" He looked around, his bravado crumbling. I met his gaze, my eyes cold. He wanted answers, but he deserved none. He had judged me, humiliated me, broken something infinitely precious. He would learn the truth, but not from me. Jade, always quick to assert dominance, snatched a diamond from the floor. She held it up, scrutinizing it. "Oh, please. It's probably just paste. Addison always had a flair for the dramatic. Trying to make a scene, are we? Trying to trick us into thinking you're someone you're not?" She tossed the diamond back to the floor with a disdainful flick of her wrist. "Honestly, if you thought you could pass yourself off as Mrs. Levy, you're even more delusional than I thought." Her friends tittered nervously. But Chloe looked terrified. She knew jewelry. She knew the luminescence of real diamonds, the unique cut of a Levy piece. "You're not Mrs. Levy," Jade sneered, her eyes raking over my simple dress for emphasis. "Mrs. Levy is elegant, sophisticated. She certainly wouldn't be caught dead in a plain dress and a cheap fake. And she definitely wouldn't be standing here, humiliated, trying to cause trouble." Another burst of laughter erupted from her group, a brittle sound that masked their growing unease. "Remember, Addison," one of them said, her voice dripping with false concern, "you used to be Bennett's assistant. You were just his little shadow. Now look at you, trying to pretend you're some kind of lady. It's pathetic." "Maybe she's hoping to sell that fake bracelet to get enough money for a decent meal," Jade added, her smile venomous. "Poor thing. The world can be so cruel when you're all alone." My blood ran cold. The broken bracelet was one thing, but her words were another. Before I could even react, Bennett, his face a mask of escalating panic, did something that truly shocked me. He stepped forward, his hand swinging, a sharp, stinging slap across my face. My head snapped back. A metallic taste filled my mouth. My lip split, and a warm trickle of blood ran down my chin. "Shut up, Addison!" he hissed, his voice tight with fear and fury. "Stop lying! Stop trying to ruin everything!" He glanced nervously at Jade, then back at me, his eyes wide with a desperate, wild look. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? You're talking about Damon Levy! You don't know who you're messing with! He could ruin us all!" His sycophants immediately rallied. "She's trying to sabotage Bennett's deal!" "She's just jealous!" "How dare she spread such ridiculous lies!" "She's just a bitter ex, Bennett," Jade said, regaining her composure, though her eyes still held a flicker of unease. "Trying to drag you down. Don't let her. You're so important now. This deal with Aurelis is huge." "She probably thinks she can get a rise out of you," Chloe added, stepping back nervously. "Doesn't she know her place? A forgotten nobody." I gently touched my bleeding lip, then wiped the blood away with the back of my hand. My gaze, as I looked at Bennett, was calm, almost serene. But deep within me, the wolf that had been hibernating, the primal instinct for self-preservation and retribution, began to stir. It was a low growl, a promise of what was to come. They had crossed a line. And there would be no going back. Bennett, perhaps sensing the shift in my demeanor, or simply seeing the unexpected calmness in my eyes, faltered. He looked away, his jaw working. "Addison," he said, his voice softer now, a predatory softness. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet. A crisp, thick wad of bills emerged. He peeled off several hundreds. "For some new clothes. And maybe a better meal than whatever you're used to." He paused, then added, "And I'll talk to Jade. Maybe that nanny position is still open. It's honest work, and it would keep you out of trouble." He smirked. "Don't be ungrateful, Addison. This is me, being charitable. For old times' sake." His words, meant as a final humiliation, instead ignited a spark of pure, unadulterated contempt in me. He hadn't changed. He was still the same self-important, opportunistic man who saw everyone as a stepping stone, or a problem to be managed with money. He didn't see me. He never had. I pushed his hand away. The money fluttered to the ground, unnoticed by Bennett, whose eyes were fixed on my face, expecting gratitude, expecting defeat. Instead, I reached down, calmly picked up one of the scattered diamonds, and slipped it into my pocket. It was a small act, but a significant one. A silent declaration. "You're wrong, Bennett," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, but it cut through the noise of the terminal like a razor. "About everything." My eyes met his, and for the first time, I saw a flicker of doubt, of fear, in their depths. Before he could respond, I turned and walked away, leaving him and his sycophants frozen in their smug ignorance. "Addison! Where are you going?" he called out, his voice tinged with a new, unwelcome uncertainty. I didn't turn back. But as I walked, I whispered one last thing, a promise carried on the wind. "You'll know soon enough."