Chapter 2 Jorge And I Belong Together

Jorge's hand flew to his cheek, shock twisting his usually steady features.

His voice broke with anger and disbelief. "Averie, are you completely out of your mind?"

Averie didn't answer. All he saw was her back as she walked away, shoulders shaking with silent sobs.

Averie slipped out of the master bedroom, tears streaking down her face, and made her way to the very end of the long hallway.

There was the room Jorge had given her-not as Jorge's wife, but as nothing more than a house manager.

The tiny space was cold and dim, a mirror of the emptiness she felt inside.

Wordlessly, she slid her suitcase from beneath the bed and began packing her things with trembling hands.

Only two small boxes from the cabinet were left by her on the bed, Jorge's only gifts to her over three years of marriage.

One box held a necklace, dropped in her lap after he had vanished on her birthday to comfort Rebecca over a stomachache.

The other contained a pair of earrings, an apology for skipping her sickbed to attend Rebecca's graduation ceremony.

Neither was given to her from the heart. Each one was a clumsy attempt to cover up how often she had been overlooked, always abandoned for Rebecca's sake.

She should have seen it sooner. Jorge's loyalty had never truly belonged to her.

Blinking away the sting of old memories, Averie zipped up her suitcase. She hesitated for a heartbeat, casting a final glance at the two boxes, then straightened her spine and walked away, never once looking back.

All the color had drained from her cheeks, her shoulders slumped beneath the weight of sorrow, her eyes swollen and raw.

Before she could leave the house, a cutting female voice echoed, thick with contempt. "Rebecca, why does Jorge's maid behave like this? She can't even be bothered to greet you. You are about to become Jorge's wife; how can she be so rude to you?"

Averie lifted her head and was met with the last person she wanted to see-Rebecca, trailed by her younger sister, Mia Morley.

Both wore expensive clothes, wrists and necks sparkling with jewelry.

Jorge had always claimed that their stepmother treated them terribly, but Averie didn't believe that for a second.

Rebecca's gaze met Averie's, her expression all innocence. "Mia, you're mistaken. This isn't just any maid. She's the house manager here."

Rebecca knew perfectly well that Averie was Jorge's wife, but she chose not to reveal it.

This was blatant provocation.

Mia gave a sharp laugh. "House manager, maid, whatever. They're both just servants at the end of the day."

Averie's fingers clenched around the suitcase handle until her nails dug painfully into her palm.

"Hey, you. Move our luggage already. If you keep standing there, I'll tell Jorge you're slacking off and have him fire you," Mia called out.

Averie drew in a steadying breath, the ache in her chest growing with every inhale.

Still, she refused to show her vulnerability in front of Rebecca.

She forced her voice to stay even. "I don't work for the Hardy family anymore."

At that, Rebecca's sweet expression sharpened with cruelty.

She took a step closer, her smile smug. "Ms. Peters, you don't have to worry. When I become Jorge's wife, I'll let you keep your job. After all, you've served the Hardy family so well these past years. It would be a waste for them to lose such a great servant like you."

Averie's heart twisted, each word striking her like a blade.

For three years, Rebecca had come to the estate flaunting her status as Jorge's savior. She had known all along that Averie was Jorge's wife, yet still treated her like the lowest servant, even forcing her onto her knees to scrub the floor once.

Averie refused to let Rebecca walk all over her, yet whenever she turned to Jorge for help, he would simply respond, "Averie, Rebecca is just a girl who's two years younger than you. Can't you cut her some slack? She means well and isn't trying to hurt anyone."

Averie's eyes turned red as she locked her gaze on Rebecca. Just as she drew in a breath to speak, Rebecca leaned close and whispered, "Averie, does it tear you apart? The man you love so much tossed you aside without hesitation just because of me."

She let out a cruel laugh. "Jorge and I belong together. You're a fool if you think he'll come back for you after two years. By then, we might even have a child already."

Averie knew Rebecca was trying to provoke her into a breakdown, and she fought to stay calm, her tear-filled eyes cold with resolve.

"Rebecca, you should worry less about me and more about how you'll keep Jorge fooled. Lies about your stepmother mistreating you won't hold up forever. You think a marriage built on lies will last?" she said.

Rebecca's mask slipped, anger flashing in her eyes. "You..."

Averie clutched the handle of her suitcase and headed straight for the door, determined to leave the Hardy Estate behind for good.

She failed to notice a tall figure descending the stairs.

Rebecca did.

In a flash, she latched onto Averie's wrist and flung herself backward.

The next moment, she crashed to the floor.

Mia's scream shattered the air. "You monster! How dare you shove my sister?"

Doubling over in feigned pain, Rebecca pressed a trembling hand to her stomach as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Ms. Peters, I only asked you to stay so you wouldn't end up jobless. Why would you do this to me?"

Averie, caught off guard by the sudden scene, pressed her lips together for a moment before she tried to explain, "I didn't-"

Just then, a cold voice rang out, cutting her off.

"Averie, what did you just do to Rebecca?"