Chapter 3

Lily's POV

The plane ultimately landed safely.

Sophia was rushed to the hospital. Payton stayed close by her side. Meanwhile, I, as the "instigator" of this "farce," was kept at the tarmac, subjected to questioning by the production team and Payton Corporation's PR department.

"Miss Lily, why did you refuse to turn back? Was this decision mixed with personal emotions?"

"There are rumors that you hold a grudge against Miss Sophia and deliberately tampered with the equipment. Are these accusations true?"

Countless microphones thrust toward me, camera flashes blinding. I repeated that same sentence expressionlessly. "Weather conditions didn't permit it. I only made the most professional judgment."

No one believed me.

With Payton's tacit permission, public opinion completely turned toward Sophia. She became the innocent victim. Someone bravely challenging herself but persecuted by a vicious instructor.

And I became the jealous lunatic.

My social media accounts were flooded with hate. Countless vicious private messages poured in.

People even mailed dead rats and razor blades to my apartment.

I ignored it all, just locked myself in my room, reviewing the meteorological data from that day over and over.

I wasn't wrong. But I knew that in Payton's eyes, even my breathing was wrong.

Three days later, Payton's mother, Claire, personally came to this small apartment.

She wore a haute couture suit. Looking around, a flash of disgust crossed her eyes. "Lily, look at yourself now." Claire sat in the only clean chair, her tone condescending.

I brought her a glass of water. "Why are you here?"

"Don't call me Mom." Claire coldly interrupted me. "If Payton hadn't insisted on marrying you back then, do you think you could have entered the Payton family? Think about what your status is."

I lowered my eyes and didn't refute her.

"I'm here today to inform you of something." Claire took out a document from her bag and tossed it on the table. "You must win the World Championship next month. Payton Corporation just acquired an overseas sports brand. We need this championship to expand brand awareness."

I looked at the document, sorrow welling up in my heart. "What if I can't win?"

"What did you say?" Claire sneered. "Lily, don't forget that your mother's medical bills back then, and your training expenses over these years, were all paid by the Payton family. The contract states it clearly. If you lose, not only do you have to pay ten times the penalty, your team will have to disband too."

She stood up, looking down at me from above. "Win the championship, fulfill the responsibilities in the contract, and then voluntarily divorce Payton. Sophia is the one I approve of. You've occupied this position long enough. It's time to give it up."

The door slammed shut heavily. I collapsed to the floor, looking at that cold contract, and finally couldn't hold back my tears. So in their eyes, I was never Payton's wife. I was just an employee who'd signed an unequal treaty.

For the next month, I practically lived at the training facility. The high-intensity training aggravated my old injuries. My shoulder and knee hurt so much I couldn't sleep. I could only get by on painkillers.

I dragged my exhausted body back to the apartment, only to see Payton's car downstairs.

He leaned against the car door, a cigarette between his fingers. Seeing me, he stubbed out the cigarette and strode over. "Where were you? Why do you look so haggard?"

"Training." I flatly uttered that word and walked past him, preparing to go upstairs.

He grabbed my wrist.

I gasped, the severe pain in my shoulder instantly draining the color from my face.

Payton froze for a moment and instinctively released his grip. "What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing." I stepped back, creating distance. "Mr. Payton, is there something you need?"

Irritation flashed in his eyes. "Sophia has a very important red carpet event tomorrow. She needs a beautiful necklace. I remember you have one called Heart of the Sun. Lend it to her for a day."

I jerked my head up, looking at him in disbelief.

That "Heart of the Sun" necklace. The ring he'd proposed with had been remade into it. Later, he'd personally fastened it around my neck, saying he wanted that necklace to stay against my heartbeat forever.

Now he wanted me to lend this necklace to another woman?

"No." I said stubbornly through gritted teeth.

"Lily, can you stop being so selfish?" Payton's voice turned cold. "It's just a necklace. It's not like you wear it."

"That's a memento from my mother!" I blurted out, randomly making up a lie. I didn't want to tell him I'd been wearing that necklace all along.

Payton sneered. "Your mother left it to you? Lily, when you lie, don't you think first? I bought that for you back then. Since I bought it, I have the right to use it now."

He reached out and directly pulled open my collar. The silver chain glinted coldly in the moonlight, and that blue diamond rested quietly at my collarbone.

Payton froze. He clearly hadn't expected that I'd been wearing it all along.

Looking at his shocked expression, my heart no longer held a ripple of emotion. I reached up without hesitation and yanked hard.

Snap.

The chain broke, its sharp edge cutting a bloody line across my neck.

I hurled the necklace, still warm with my body heat and blood, hard against his chest. "Take it! Now get the hell out!"