Chapter 3

It has to be Mom!

She's coming to save me.

I shove them off and lunge for the door.

Caleb goes pale.

"Who shows up now? Everyone's at the venue."

My tongue is split open. I glare at the two of them through the blood. They look stunned.

"Someone who's going to end you!"

I yank the door open—

My heart drops.

Not my mother.

He takes one look at my bloody face and flinches.Then, cautiously, testing the water:

"Miss Avery? What happened to you?"

I grab his arm and drag him inside, facing Caleb and Tiffany. My tongue is on fire but I force the words out through the pain:

"You don't know me? Fine. But you know him—he's the Family's Consigliere."

"Arthur—tell them who I am."

Caleb rolls his eyes, arms crossed, and steps forward.

"Well, Arthur? You know her?"

Arthur glances at me. Then at the giant wedding portrait in the middle of the living room. Then he smiles.

"Nope. Who's this supposed to be?"

Tiffany shrieks. "I knew it—you're a liar!"

Caleb smirks.

"My parents have been by my side since day one. Never missed a thing—not one moment of my life. He loves me so much. You? Claiming to be his kid? The joke of the century."

I stare at Arthur, too shocked to feel the pain.

"You watched me grow up. How can you not know me? I'm Avery Sterling. Richard's daughter."

He looks me up and down. The corner of his mouth curls up.

"Shame. Don't recognize you. What are we gonna do?"

His voice is ice-cold. A chill hits my spine.

And I remember.

Three years back, we caught him skimming from Family operations to cover his gambling debts. He was one of ours—my parents wanted him buried.

I stopped them. Vouched for him.

But this is how he pays me back?

He's teaming up with Caleb to bury me.

I'm done with this. I run. He kicks my legs out. I hit the floor.

"Young Boss" he says to Caleb, "this woman is deranged. She'll mess up your wedding. Deal with her first?"

I look up from the floor, shaking with rage, glaring at him.

"Playing dumb? You just wait till my mother gets back—she'll deal with you."

He smirks, raises an eyebrow, and mouths the words just for me.

You won't last that long.

That's all Tiffany and Caleb needed to hear. Tiffany kicks me down. They both lay into me again.

Caleb's phone cuts through the noise. He checks the time, frowning like it's ruined his fun.

"Baby, it's almost time for the ceremony."

Tiffany presses her lips together. Gives me one last kick.

Cut her open. Let her bleed out slow. I want her watching herself die drop by drop. So in her next life she'll know better than to come for me."