Chapter 4

The car pulled up to the Gordon house. I shoved the door open and got out on my own.

Mom's funeral had just ended. But the living room? Already changed.

Our family photo—me, Mom, Dad—was gone. Swapped out for a fresh wedding photo of my dad grinning next to Linda, the housekeeper.

Mom's body wasn't even cold yet. And this bastard was already rushing to replace her.

"You ungrateful little bitch, where the hell have you been all day?!"

Dad slammed the table the second he saw me, his face red and bloated from too much whiskey and too many nights spent with Linda.

"You skipped your own mother's funeral! You don't give a damn about this family?!"

Right next to him sat Linda, dolled up like she was already the lady of the house, cooing at him like she owned the place. But her eyes flicked toward me. Cold. Smug.

"Honey, calm down. Shea's grieving. Give her a break."

"Yeah, Uncle Richard. My sister's hurting."Mia stood there in a white dress, looking pure as a saint. Playing angel again.

Dad settled back down next to Linda, snorted. "If she had half the grace Mia's got, her mama wouldn't be dead."

I looked up at the three of them. That cheap little sitcom they were putting on. And I laughed.

"Cut the act. If you two hadn't been screwing behind Mom's back, she wouldn't have jumped."

"Shea!" Dad barked.

Linda's face went pale. "Sweetheart, I'm truly sorry about your mother, but Richard and I... we're really in love—"

I didn't let her finish.

I lunged, grabbed a fistful of her hair, and slammed her face against the table beneath Mom's memorial portrait.

"You came begging Mom to take you in! Then you climbed straight into my dad's bed!"

"If you're so sorry, then go apologize to her yourself in hell!"

Dad roared at me to let go. Mia came running, tears everywhere, yanking at my arms.

"Let her go! You can't kill your mom yourself and then blame mine—"

I grabbed the riding crop off the wall and struck her right across those lying lips.

"You—you hit me?! Preston's gonna destroy you!"

Mia clutched her face, screaming. And her eyes? Pure venom.

I smiled. "There she is. The real Mia."

"Much prettier without the halo."

"You ungrateful—you're trying to put me in the grave too!" Dad clutched his chest. The maids swarmed.

"You think making a scene will bring her back?!You killed her! Nobody in this house wants you here!" Mia shrieked.

I raised the crop again—

And my wrist got yanked back so hard I thought my bones would snap.

"Shea! Who the hell said you could touch her?!"

Preston. Standing right behind me. Those black eyes burning.

But my hand around the crop shook, just for a second.

"You heard what she said. She deserves it."

"I heard." Preston let go. Voice flat. "So what?"

My heart stopped. Then something inside me detonated—slow, ugly, everywhere.

I stared at him.

He knew.

He'd known all along Mia was a two-faced snake. Knew she wanted me out of this house. Knew I'd been fighting for my life every single day here.

And he still picked her.

"Preston!" Mia flung herself into his arms, sobbing. "She hit my mom! She whipped me!"

Preston pulled her close. His eyes locked on mine. Ice.

"Yeah? How about I whip her a hundred times? Would that make you feel better, baby?"

"Preston, you wouldn't dare—"

I glared at him, eyes burning.

He held my stare. Long, cold second. Then he lifted his hand and told his security to pin me to the floor.

Right there. In front of my father. In front of Linda and Mia.

He whipped me until blood soaked through my dress.

Somewhere around the moment I started coughing up blood, I heard something inside me collapse. Loud. Final.

Twenty years. Every last scrap of us.

Gone.

I lost count of the blows. My body gave out. I hit the floor.

Then—arms. Familiar. That faint iris cologne.

"Shea! Get a doctor! NOW!"

I'd never heard Preston Payne panic in my life.

And of course. He waits till after he beats me half to death.

I used the last of my strength to roll out of his arms. I'd rather crack my skull on the marble than let him hold me.

"Preston, you make me sick."

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