Chapter 3

The annual Westbrook Children's Hospital charity gala had always been my passion project. For five years, I'd coordinated every detail—from selecting the venue to arranging the silent auction items. This year, however, I stood at the periphery of the grand ballroom, watching as Briella commanded the space in a shimmering gold gown that caught every light.

I smoothed down the front of my simple black dress—the only formal attire I'd managed to salvage before being relegated to the east wing. The fabric felt suddenly coarse against my skin as Briella's laugh rang out across the room, drawing the attention of everyone who had once smiled warmly at me.

'Elsie,' Victoria Sterling, Briella's mother, approached with a practiced smile that didn't reach her eyes. 'How... thoughtful of you to attend. I wasn't aware the kitchen staff had been invited.'

My cheeks burned, but I forced myself to stand taller. 'I've been on the organizing committee for five years, Mrs. Sterling.'

'Oh, of course,' she replied with exaggerated recollection. 'Before Briella took over. Such a shame you couldn't continue in that capacity, but I understand your... domestic duties keep you quite busy.'

Before I could respond, a microphone squealed with feedback, and all eyes turned to the stage where Briella stood beside the hospital director, her diamond earrings catching the spotlight.

'Ladies and gentlemen,' she began, her voice carrying effortlessly through the ballroom, 'as the new chairwoman of this wonderful event, I'm thrilled to announce we've raised over three hundred thousand dollars tonight—a record amount!'

Applause thundered through the room. These were my contacts, my friends, donors I had personally cultivated over years of careful relationship building. Now they beamed at Briella as if she'd performed a miracle.

'And I'd like to acknowledge,' Briella continued, her eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on me with predatory precision, 'Logan's former wife, Elsie, who helps with household management these days. She's somewhere in the back, I believe. Elsie, would you wave so everyone knows who you are?'

A spotlight swung wildly until it found me, pinning me in its glare like an insect on display. The room fell silent as hundreds of faces turned in my direction, expressions ranging from pity to discomfort to thinly veiled amusement.

My throat constricted as I raised my hand in a small, reluctant wave. From across the room, I caught Logan's gaze. For a fleeting moment, something like shame crossed his features before he looked away, lifting his champagne glass in a toast to Briella as she prepared to cut the ceremonial ribbon.

'To new beginnings,' she announced, the giant scissors poised in her manicured hands. 'And to the future of the Morales legacy.'

The ribbon fell away in a perfect slice, and with it, the last threads of my public dignity.

I slipped out during the applause, retreating to a quiet alcove where I could breathe without feeling dozens of pitying stares. That's where Franklin Bishop found me.

'Elsie,' he said quietly, his familiar face a welcome sight amidst the sea of former friends. 'I've been hoping to catch you alone.'

Franklin had been Logan's business partner since the beginning, a steady presence through the company's meteoric rise. Unlike the others, he looked at me with genuine concern rather than embarrassment.

'How are you really doing?' he asked, his voice low. 'And please don't give me the polite answer.'

I almost broke then, the kindness in his voice more dangerous than any cruelty. 'I'm surviving, Franklin. That's all I can do right now.'

He glanced over his shoulder before leaning closer. 'I'm worried about some of Logan's recent business decisions. The company's taking risks we never would have considered before. Leveraging assets that—'

'There you are, Franklin!' Briella's voice cut through our conversation like a blade. She glided toward us, her smile sharp as she placed herself between us. 'The hospital director is dying to discuss your potential donation for the new pediatric wing.'

'We were just talking about—' Franklin began.

'Nothing important, I'm sure,' Briella interrupted, linking her arm through his. 'Elsie was just leaving, weren't you? The kitchen staff mentioned something about Oaklee's bedtime routine.'

I met Franklin's apologetic gaze before he was swept away, leaving me alone once more.

Two days later, I sat across from Headmistress Winters at Willowbrook Academy, the school where I had once served as a trustee. Oaklee's application forms sat neatly on the desk between us, her test scores—exceptional for a child her age—prominently displayed on top.

'Elsie,' Headmistress Winters began, removing her glasses with a sigh, 'you know how fond I've always been of you.'

My stomach tightened at her tone. 'Is there a problem with Oaklee's application?'

'Not with the application itself. Oaklee's scores are impressive.' She hesitated, folding her hands. 'However, given your... current circumstances, the parent committee has expressed concerns about your family's fit within our community.'

'My circumstances?' I repeated, the words bitter on my tongue.

'The committee feels that the unusual domestic arrangement might create confusion among the other children. And frankly, your financial situation—' She stopped abruptly. 'I'm sorry, Elsie, but Logan has already communicated his agreement with this decision.'

The betrayal hit like a physical blow. 'He rejected his own daughter's application?'

'He suggested that perhaps a less... prestigious institution might be more suitable for now.' Her eyes couldn't meet mine. 'Until your situation stabilizes.'

I gathered Oaklee's papers with trembling hands, my daughter's future being stripped away just as methodically as everything else had been. As I stood to leave, one thought crystallized with perfect clarity: This would be the last thing they took from us.