Chapter 2

Polina's POV

I stayed in the hospital for half a month.

During that half month, Ethan didn't show up once.

I heard the nurses gossiping that Mr. Harper had been incredibly busy lately, keeping watch in the VIP ward every day.

Because Lily was terrified and could only sleep at night if someone stayed with her.

As for me, his fiancée, only his assistant came once to deliver a fruit basket, along with a message that Mr. Harper was very busy recently.

On discharge day, no one came to pick me up.

I didn't care. I called a taxi myself.

Before getting in the car, my phone received an email from Zurich.

The doctor said my application had been approved. The surgery was scheduled for early next month.

That meant I had less than twenty days to handle everything here.

When I returned to the Harper villa, it was already three in the afternoon.

As soon as I entered, I smelled a sweet, cloying cream scent.

The living room was lively beyond belief. They were hosting an afternoon tea party.

Lily wore that pink dress originally custom-made for me, sitting in the center like a princess surrounded by stars.

Ethan sat right beside her, carefully cutting a piece of cream cake, with patience and tenderness I'd never received in seven years.

I wore the hospital gown I'd brought back, carrying a large bag of medicine, looking completely out of place.

The lively conversation suddenly stopped.

Everyone's eyes turned toward me.

Ethan looked up. The moment he saw me, his brow furrowed.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?"

He pulled out a napkin to wipe his hands, his tone clearly displeased.

I ignored him, changed my shoes, and headed upstairs.

Since I'd decided to completely forget him, I didn't even have the interest to argue with him anymore.

But someone didn't want to let me go.

Nina held a wine glass and blocked the stairway.

She was Lily's friend, and notoriously snobbish in this circle.

"Oh my, Polina's back."

Nina wore a fake smile and pulled a jewelry box from her bag, shoving it into my hands without asking.

"Lily was so badly frightened this time. Everyone's giving her gifts to comfort her. You're the one who caused this, so you have to personally give her this gift for the matter to be settled."

I was about to push it away when Nina pressed my hands down firmly, deliberately raising her voice.

"Polina, so many people are watching. Surely you won't refuse to give Mr. Harper this much face?"

Ethan also looked over, his gaze pressing down on me heavily. "Polina, don't make a scene."

I looked at him, then at the thing in my hands, and suddenly felt it was all rather pointless.

I walked up to Lily with the jewelry box.

"Take it."

Lily timidly glanced at Ethan before extending both hands to receive it.

Just as I released my grip, her hands suddenly recoiled as if electrocuted.

Crash!

The jewelry box fell heavily onto the marble floor.

A sharp sound. The contents had broken.

It was a custom diamond necklace, now shattered into several pieces.

"Ah!"

Lily cried out, clutching her chest as she fell back onto the sofa, tears instantly flooding out.

"I'm sorry... Polina, I'm sorry... I'm so clumsy, I didn't catch it..."

As she cried, she displayed the bandage wrapped around her wrist. "My hand hasn't healed yet... It's all my fault..."

The socialites around us exploded.

"Oh my God, that was expensive! Nina spent a fortune on it!"

"Polina is so vicious! If she didn't want to give it, fine, but why deliberately smash it?"

"Exactly. So petty, can't even tolerate an adopted daughter. What a disgrace to the White family."

Accusations and curses surged toward me like a tide.

Ethan stood up, looking at me coldly.

"Polina, apologize to Lily."

"I didn't drop it." I looked at him calmly. "She pulled her hands back herself."

"Enough!"

Ethan cut me off sharply. "So many people saw it. You still want to deny it? Is this how the White family taught you to behave?"

I looked at this man I'd loved for seven years and suddenly felt utterly disgusted.

"No need."

I kicked aside the diamonds at my feet.

"I won't apologize. And I'll vacate this place for you."

"I'm moving out."

With that, I ignored the uproar behind me and turned to go upstairs.