Chapter 21 Broken
The air in the apartment felt charged, heavy with the tension that had become all too familiar between Avery and me. I d barely had time to speak before she took it upon herself to open my package to take a look at what was inside.
“What s this?” she asked, practically bouncing on her feet.
I watched as she opened the box wider, revealing the glimmering piece of jewelry nestled inside, and watched as Avery’s gaze zeroed in on it. The deep green stone, a perfect oval of diamond, seemed to catch the light in just the right way, sparkling like a whisper of hope. I could feel a protective instinct rising within me, the need to keep it safe.
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“Come on, Cynthia. Just let me see how it looks! It can’t hurt anything.
Before I could react, she reached for the box, and I instinctively pulled it back.
“Avery!” I exclaimed, trying to keep my grip. on the box. “Stop!”
In the struggle, the box tipped, and the Hope Diamond slipped through my fingers. I watched in slow motion as it hit the floor, the sound echoing in the silence like a gunshot. The clasp broke upon impact, and the Diamond rolled away from us, its shine dulled by the difference with the floor.
Avery gasped, eyes wide, and the sudden stillness that followed felt suffocating.
“Why would you do that?” she cried, falling
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to her knees to pick up the broken pieces. “You’re so mean, Cynthia!”
“Me? You were the one trying to take it without asking!” I shot back, fury, burning in my chest.
But it was too late. Noel and Adrian appeared almost immediately, concern etched across their faces as they rushed to Avery’s side.
“What happened?” Noel asked, glancing between us. “Cynthia, what did you do?”
“Nothing! I was just-”
Avery cut me off, her voice quivering.
“She broke it! She doesn’t care about me or my feelings!”
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Adrian knelt down next to Avery, taking the Diamond in his hands as if it were something fragile and delicate.
“Cynthia,” he said, a disappointed edge creeping into his tone, “this was an inexpensive piece of jewelry. You didn’t need
to be so harsh.”
“Not just a piece!” I yelled, the anger bubbling over. “Nor do I care if it is
inexpensive jewelry. It was meant to be worn on my wedding day!”
“Exactly, your groom can always get you another one.” Noel interjected, his brow furrowing in concern for Avery.
I caught the use of your groom rather than me and Adrian. I swallowed at that.
“As the elder cousin, you should know better.
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Just let it go.” Noel added.
Avery sniffed, her voice rising as she continued to play the victim. “I can’t believe you would hurt me over something so trivial! You’re just mean, Cynthia! Even to Mina, my friend!”
That hit me like a punch to the gut. Mina was one of Avery’s friends, but I didn’t even know her well enough to have an opinion.
“Avery,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady, “this isn’t about that-”
“Just apologize,” Adrian demanded, cutting me off, not even glancing at the small cut on my palm where the broken clasp had sliced through my skin.
“I’m not going to apologize for wanting to keep something that is important to me.” I
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Chapter 21 Broken
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snapped back as calmly as I could, feeling the heat rush to my cheeks.
“God, Cynthia!” Noel exclaimed, exasperated. “Why can’t you just be the bigger person for once?”
I felt rage and pain coiling tightly in my chest, a dark storm building, but yet I tried important.”
Was the last thing I could make out. At the end of the sentence I felt deflated and
exhausted, unsure what were the right words to say anymore.
The room fell silent, the heaviness of my words sinking in. Avery wiped her eyes, and Adrian shifted uncomfortably, while Noel’s expression softened, realizing he had pushed too far.
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“I didn’t mean to-” I started, but the moment was broken by my phone ringing again, shattering the tension like glass.
I glanced down and saw my mother’s name flash on the screen. “Excuse me,” I muttered, stepping away from the gathering storm of emotions in the room.
“Mom?” I answered, my heart racing as I felt the need for her familiar presence.
“Cynthia,” she said, her voice warm yet weary. “Have you booked your flight yet? I really want to see you soon.”
I felt my stomach drop, the reminder of the impending visit hitting me. “I’m looking into it, Mom,” I replied, forcing a calmness into my tone. “I promise I’ll arrange something soon.
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Noel and Adrian exchanged glances, curiosity in their eyes. “What’s going on?” Adrian asked, stepping closer, trying to catch a glimpse of my conversation.
“It’s nothing, I shot back, hoping to keep my mother’s worries private. But their interest only grew, and I felt their presence pressing down on me.
“Are you sure?” Noel pushed, a hint of concern lacing his tone. “Is something wrong?”
I glanced back at Avery, who was still sitting on the floor, clutching the broken clasp. The room felt too small, the walls closing in, and I knew I had to keep this together.
“It’s just about my mom. It’s not really anything important,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt..
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They nodded, but the tension in the air remained thick, unresolved. I hung up and turned to them, ready to deflect their questions, but the truth was heavy on my
Luth w heart. I had so much to sort through, and at that moment, I didn’t know if I could bear it all.
Of course it was Avery that had to speak. “It didn’t sound like nothing, Cynthia, you even seem flustered.”
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