After the divorce, he begged

Chapter 13

V

Rebecca’s thoughts turned to her wedding ring the extravagant piece Jeffrey had custom–designed for their marriage.

She remembered how thuilled everyone had been when Jeffrey won that one–of–a–kind pink diamond at auction for her, and how even Jessica had confessed to feeling envious.

Even new, people still talked about what finally became of that diamond.

Rebecca’s gaze fell to the wedding ring on her left hand–one she’d somehow never really noticed. After a long moment of thought, she decided to pawn

it.

It didn’t take long for Jeffrey to catch wind of her plan. He slowly turned the wedding band on his own finger, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. “She’s actually going to sell it,” he murmured, his voice low and cold, “She’s got nerve.”

He thought it was because he had spoiled her that she now believed she could get away with anything

“Put the word out,” Jeffrey ordered, his tone deceptively even. “Anyone in our circle who so much as looks at what she’s selling will have to deal with

me.”

His assistant, Gregory Baker, didn’t hesitate. “Consider it done.”

The warning spread through their world within minutes, though everyone made sure to keep Jessica completely in the dark.

Rebecca couldn’t put her finger on why everyone had suddenly lost interest. The questions about the diamond had stopped as quickly as they had started.

Desperate to sell it, she hit up local jewelry stores, thinking she could find someone to buy the diamond. But every place shut her down the second they saw what she had.

“This is way out of our league. We don’t deal with pieces like this.”

“We only work with luxury brands. Something this unique is way above our pay grade.”

“You might want to try somewhere else.”

Every shop owner gave her some variation of the same story.

to Jessica to see if she

thought about everything that had been happening lately and took a wild guess. “Are you trying to sell

Rebecca nodded. “Yeah.”

I thought you were really into jewelry,”

want to wear anything he gave me,” Rebecca said casually. “Might as well

some guy had treated her that badly,

resale shops would take something like that,” Jessica offered, still not realizing Rebecca meant the ring. “Let me see what you’ve got–1 know

just a second before pulling the ring

small box and popped it open. Her eyes went wide when she

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Chapter 13

nodded in

649%

voice dropping to an impressed whisper. “With that custom setting? This ring

nodded slowly as the memories

made his betrayal cut deeper. She couldn’t stand the thought of him sharing the same love with someone else.

Jessica asked, needing to

thought about it,” Rebecca said, her voice firm. “I’m

her hands. “Are you in some kind

unfaithful, but Jessica also knew how genuinely he had treated Rebecca in the past. Knowing her friend’s character, she felt certain Rebecca wouldn’t part

“No trouble,” she said

buying it for

me remember how he used to treat me like I was special,” Rebecca admitted. After being completely spoiled for so many years, there was no way she could just

toward Rebecca, ever since they were

a better man than Jeffrey–whether on television, in

Rebecca the absolute best of everything and took care of every little

Rebecca didn’t deserve his devotion because she was all looks and no talent, he’d shut that

their circle used to talk about how Jeffrey–this sharp, decisive business guy–turned out to be such

But peoplé could change, and it turned out even someone who seemed perfect couldn’t

anyone reliable who might

should prepare for the possibility that nobody

know,” Rebecca replied. She’d already thought this through. “I just need to