Next day
In the luxurious and spacious villa, there was only Shyla. Alone. Today was her birthday, but it was devoid of people. Before, no one other than her father cared for her, and now, even he had since passed away, and so, now she was a truly lonely entity in this world.
But Shyla's heart remained positive. Even if no one in the world loved her, she would still love herself! This may be her last birthday, that it is my first birthday with my child she thought while affectionately stroking her stomach. It would not do if she let the world get her down, not today, not on her birthday! Just for today, Shyla had decided that she would be going shopping. She will shop and shop and shop until there is nothing left to buy!
Shyla had decided to buy a ring for herself. When she and Nolan married, he didn't prepare a ring for her. Looking at the ring finger on her left hand, still empty without a ring, Shyla felt the coldness and the irony stronger than ever on this day, on her birthday.
When Shyla began to look intently at the rings, she heard the store clerk exclaim excitedly.
"Mr.Bernard! Ms.Turner!"
Mr.Bernard? The startlement struck Shyla. In this entire city, is there another Mr.Bernard that would excite store clerks so? No. This could be no one other than Nolan himself.
"Mr.Bernard, this selection here is our True Love series. As per our store policy, each gentleman may be permitted to place exactly one order for one ring from it. It represents love eternal, ever-enduring, and never-ending. Might you be interested in taking a look?" The store clerk spoke to Nolan with forced calmness, trying very hard to hold back on their excitement.
The most fundamental skill of a store clerk, especially those who cater to high-class customers, is the ability to observe. Standing closely beside Nolan, was a woman of stunning beauty and grace, slender and tall and almost appearing to glow with an otherworldly glow. Together with Nolan, the two stood side by side as if they were made for each other. Really, the store clerk really couldn't be blamed for assuming that it was Mrs. Bernard standing beside Mr.Bernard.
When Shyla heard the store clerk, she twisted her neck sharply to her side, and in fact, Ekta appeared at the entrance of the store, with Nolan's arm in hers. The way she leaned against his embrace and the smile that bloomed on her face appeared so brightly to Shyla that it may as well have stabbed and blinded her eyes.
"One order. On the inside of the ring, remember to engrave the letter E with a love symbol. It's one of her letters in her name." Nolan said to the store clerk without even needing the time to think. A testament to how much he cared for Ekta.
The ring, that could only be made to order once in his life. A pang stabbed into Shyla's heart, so excruciatingly painful that she thought she might die from it right on that spot. Indeed, the one that Nolan loved Ekta the most. Redness filled Shyla's eyes immediately. The heart that pumped inside of him, the heart that used to love Shyla more than anything else in the world, Nolan now gave it freely to another woman. All strength left her, and Shyla wavered and almost fell from the sudden wave of feebleness.
Ekta recognized Shyla immediately as soon as she entered the store. Looking at Shyla making a selection of the rings, all alone herself, nothing else in the world could make her even happier.
Ekta pulled and hugged Nolan's arm even tighter, "Nolan, looks like Ms. Shyla is also here. Let's go over and say hello."
In actuality, Nolan saw Shyla even before he got inside the store. That's why he intentionally led Ekta into the store with him. This woman had expended all the ploys and tactics just to be able to marry him, and always said things like how much she loved him. Now that she could see with her very own eyes him being together with another woman, could she still be as calm and collected as she always had been? That's the part that Nolan hated most about her, that air of coolness and confidence that everything seemed to be in control in accordance with her will.
"Ms. Shyla, what a pleasant coincidence to see you here. Are you buying something?" Ekta put on her brightest and most innocent smile and walked over to Shyla.
At this point, it was already impossible for Shyla to pretend to act that the two of them weren't there.
"Yes." Shyla nodded lightly.
She had already heard everything that Nolan said to the store clerk. And now, she still must pretend that she didn't care about any of it. It was painful, beyond what she ever imagined, but onwards she must keep up her pretense of perfection, and endure through with her wounded heart in tatters, still bleeding from the hundreds and thousands of ever-increasing stab wounds.
Nolan looked at the ever calm and tranquil face in front of him, and laughed coldly, "Mrs. Bernard, what a pleasant surprise. I'd never expected to see you here."
Shyla turned her eyes back to the jeweler's drawer in front of her, "Yes, a pleasant surprise indeed. It was my birthday today, and I came to buy myself a birthday present."
"Wow, that's such a coincidence, Ms.Shyla, It was my birthday too! But why are you all alone? Nolan bought me so many presents for me today. Here, Ms. Shyla, you can have some of them. All of them are really expensive brands," Ekta said, on purpose.
This woman had only come to flaunt. The corner of Shyla's lips twitched in silent anger. She could pretend that she didn't mind, but it didn't mean that she'd allow just anyone to walk all over her.
"It's fine, there's no need," Shyla replied.
But Ekta wouldn't stop there, "Ms. Shyla, there's no need to be bashful, really, since all of them came from Nolan anyway. Oh, that's right, did Nolan also get you something too?"
At that time, Shyla couldn't stand her continuously pouring salt on her wound anymore!
Shyla raised her eyes and gave Nolan a look, then looked directly at Ekta. Today, Shyla dressed as smartly and as sharply as she could. Feeling Shyla's intent eyes on her, Ekta couldn't help but stutter and back down a little.