Chapter 7

Mrs. Lockwood's face darkened.

Beside me, Bridget let out a long, theatrical sigh, walked over, and slipped her arm through mine.

"Nina, sweetheart, why are you being so stubborn?" She pressed me gently back down onto the couch.

"Sit. Take relax. Let me say something to you, woman to woman."

I let myself be pushed back into the cushions.

She kept hold of my hand, leaning in close, lowering her voice the way she did at parties.

"Nina, sweetheart, you know what I do for a living. I deal with all kinds of people, every single day. And let me tell you — sometimes in life, you can't just live for your pride."

"You have to play the long game."

Her voice dropped.

"This whole mess? Yes. It's Ethan's fault. Nobody's saying it isn't. But think about it, honey. If you blow this up — what happens to his name? His reputation? The family's reputation?"

"And in the end, who pays the price?"

"You do, Nina." She squeezed my hand.

"A woman has to learn to think about the bigger picture."

The bigger picture.

I almost laughed in her face.

Once upon a time, to get herself into this family, Bridget had deliberately befriended me.

Used me to slip something into Ethan's older brother Calder's drink at a party.

Used me and walked out of that night with her wanted marriage in her pocket.

And now here she was.

"Bridget." I kept my voice perfectly level. "So what do you think I should do."

She paused for a second. Then she smiled.

"I think you should listen to Mom, sweetheart. She's been around the block a few more times than you have. She wouldn't lead you wrong."

Mrs. Lockwood nodded. The kindly mask slid back over her face as easily as a glove.

"As long as you behave, dear, I'll make sure the Lockwoods continue to treat you. Every bit of respect that's owed to you — you'll keep. Down to the last cent."

I looked at her.

"And what about my baby?"

"Why can't you listen, child?" Her voice dropped, and the warmth went out of it like someone had flipped a switch.

"You're not having a child."

She let the words sit for a second.

"Your accounts have all been frozen. If you see reason, you'll still have good life of this family. If not —"

She paused, and her eyes — those soft, grandmotherly eyes — went cold.

"The Lockwoods are not a family someone like you can afford to offend."

I bit my lip and said nothing.

They didn't bother trying to persuade me further.

They stood up, smoothed out their coats, and let themselves out.

The house went silent again.

I picked up my phone and checked my banking app.

I had trusted him completely.

Now, besides the supplementary card he gave me, even my own private accounts were useless.

My hands trembled. Every card I owned was dead in my hands.

I was sitting there staring at the screen when footsteps sounded outside the door.