Chapter 5

"What is this? Are you treating me like a thief? You don't even trust me?"

He yelled angrily, trying to cover his guilt with rage.

"Ethan, I just want some security."

I lowered my head, my shoulders shaking as I let out a soft sob.

"That set was hand-carved by you for me. It’s the most precious thing in my life because it represents your heart. As long as you promise it’s mine, I’ll transfer the penthouse and the car immediately."

Ethan and Amber exchanged a quick, knowing look.

Amber gave a barely noticeable nod, a sneer of pure greed flashing in her eyes.

To them, that stone was just a hundred-thousand-dollar piece of synthetic glass. At most, the labor was worth a few thousand.

Trading a cheap stone for a forty-five-million-dollar luxury package? Only an idiot would say no.

"Fine, I’ll sign! I swear, your petty, lower-class mindset is exhausting."

Ethan grabbed a pen, scrawled his signature, and stamped his thumbprint in red ink.

He held the agreement joyfully, as if he could already see himself living in the penthouse, driving the supercar, and leaving me in the dust.

That afternoon, we went to the registry office and transferred the titles.

The moment he got the papers, Ethan’s attitude toward me turned freezing cold.

"Alright, take an Uber back. I have some finishing touches to do at the studio."

He stuffed the papers into his pocket, didn't even look at me, and hopped into the brand-new Lamborghini, roaring away.

Standing at the curb, I watched the supercar disappear into the traffic. A cold, lethal smile spread across my face.

Back in my empty apartment, I opened my laptop.

The screen lit up with live feeds from the studio and the new penthouse.

I had hired a top-tier security team to install hidden cameras yesterday while they were out.

On screen, Ethan was proudly holding the completed Imperial Jadeite necklace, presenting it to Amber.

Amber, wearing a silk slip dress, squealed with excitement.

"Oh my god! Ethan, this is gorgeous! The green looks so deep, like it’s glowing!"

"Of course it is. Look who carved it. Even though the stone itself is cheap synthetic crap, under my skills, it’s a masterpiece."

Ethan smugly fastened the massive jadeite necklace around Amber’s neck.

The brilliant green glow reflected off her greedy face.

"Ethan, are you really giving this to me? What if that dumb b*tch Chloe asks about it?"

"Who cares? I’ll just throw some leftover scraps together, make a thin ring, and give it to her. What does she know about jewelry? Wearing this on her would be a waste of art anyway."

Ethan leaned in, burying his face in Amber’s neck.

"Babe, let’s go check out our new home."

Half an hour later, the Lamborghini parked in the underground garage of the thirty-million-dollar penthouse.

The feed switched to the living room camera.

The moment they walked through the door, Ethan pinned Amber onto the expensive, custom Italian leather sofa.

Their clothes were thrown all over the floor as they tangled together.

The Imperial Jadeite necklace around Amber's neck caught the light of the crystal chandelier, reflecting a dazzling glow that made the filthy scene look incredibly ironic.

"Ethan... this place is huge... it’s ours now..."

"Yes, all ours. That idiot Chloe thought she could control me. Once we’re married, I’ll slowly drain her dry and kick her to the curb."

I watched the screen without a shred of emotion. I packaged the high-definition recordings and sent them to an encrypted email address.