She had fought a brutal battle against cancer when I was barely a teenager, pouring every ounce of her strength into making sure I wouldn’t feel alone after she was gone. The bracelet was her final gift to me. I could still hear her soft, tired voice: “Elliana, this is for you. Whenever you feel lost, wear this and know I’m always with you.”
I hadn’t taken it off since the day she died. It wasn’t just a piece of jewelry—it was her love, her strength, and my anchor when the world felt too heavy.
“Amber,” my voice shaking with restrained anger, “hate me all you want, but leave her out of this. Give me the bracelet!”
Her smirk turned wicked. “Or what? Huh?” Before I could answer, she tossed it to the ground. The delicate chain hit the pavement with a sharp clink.
“Noooo!!!” I dropped to my knees, scrambling to pick it up.
The clasp was broken, the fragile links snapped. My hands trembled as I gathered the pieces, tears threatening to spill over.
Amber loomed over me, her shadow blocking out the sunlight. “Look at you…” she sneered. “Crying over some broken junk? Maybe you should’ve thought about your poor mom before you decided to ruin someone else’s relationship!”