Chapter 2

Ten minutes on the road, and we weren't even halfway there yet. I struggled a bit, tugging at my bound arms.

I was already starting to regret acting on impulse. I would've thought the Harts were this broke, or that their place was so far out from the estate.

"Bitch, what the hell do you think you're doing?" Vivian barked, her voice sharp and impatient. "You're only a country girl, tough as nails. We've barely tied you up and you're already acting all soft. Don't tell me you're trying to escape."

"Escape? How am I supposed to escape when you've got me trussed up like this? Go ahead, show me how it's done," I shot back.

Her twisted logic was so absurd it almost made me laugh.

"“Sam, look at her putting on this tough front. Her previous sweet demeanor was all for show,” Vivian said. She glared at me with unbridled malice before turning to Samuel to stir up trouble.

"

And just like that, Samuel totally fell for her nonsense. Samuel snapped."Hey, bitch, I'm telling you, you'dbetter sit tight and quit scheming.

"Who do you think you are? You're just a mutt the Hart Family picked up. Don't go thinking you're hot stuff just because you share their blood.

"Let me spell it out for you. Everything the Harts own belongs to Viv. Look at yourself. You're not even worth a single strand of her hair."

He paused, his contempt growing even deeper. "And as for me? Forget it. The only woman I'd ever marry is someone like Viv who was born into money and real class.

"A rough, uncultured country bumpkin like you? You're not even fit to shine my shoes. So give up on that fantasy. You'll never have a shot with me."

Vivian looked absolutely smug, a self-satisfied grin plastered across her face. But she still put on her phony, syrupy act. "Sam, don't be so mean," she said, her voice syrupy and insincere.

"Even if she came from some place nobody respectable would ever mention, she's still Mom and Dad's real daughter."

Too low-class to even mention?

No one had ever dared talk to me like that, not in my whole life.

But I forced myself to swallow the anger bubbling up inside.

My brother had always told me, 'Never waste your breath arguing with idiots.'

So I shrank back a bit, acting like the ropes were really hurting my arm.

I made myself look as pitiful as possible.

"I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have moved," I said, my voice trembling. "Viv, don't worry. I'll do whatever you say from now on. I promise I won't move again."

Vivian's smugness was written all over her face when she saw me acting meek. She let out a theatrical, exaggerated sigh.

She said: "We're just doing this for your own good. As long as you understand, that's enough.

"People like us, born into real privilege, are just in a different league than your poor country background.

"We're bringing you to the Kingston Family for two reasons: one, so you can see what real society looks like, and two, so you learn to watch your words and actions from now on. Don't mess up."

Just when I thought Vivian was done, her nastiness came back for another round.

She suddenly turned to Sam, putting on her fake worried act. "Sam, I'm still not at ease. What if she gets all nervous and clumsy, and ends up offending someone important at the Kingston Family's place? We'd all be screwed because of her.

"How about we let her get familiar with how things work over there first? That way, she won't embarrass us, and she'll know what to expect."

"What do you mean?" I snapped my head up, startled. Unease flooded through me in an instant.

"What do I mean? Wow, Emily, you really know how to play dumb." Vivian gave a sweet, cunning smile.

"Obviously, you need to rehearse for us right now. So you don't embarrass yourself when it matters."

After finishing her sentence, Vivian didn't even wait for Samuel's reply. She immediately told the driver to pull over at an empty spot on the side of the road.

Then, before I could process what was happening, she grabbed a fistful of my hair and hauled me out of the car.