Chapter 4

The morning sun cast dappled shadows through the formal gardens of The Cliffside resort. I walked alone along the stone path, seeking a moment's peace before facing another day of Sebastian's contempt. Three days into our "family retreat," and I already bore fresh wounds—both visible and hidden—from saving him twice. The cuts on my back still stung beneath my light cotton blouse, a constellation of pain that I had grown accustomed to carrying.

Ahead, I spotted Sebastian and Charlotte seated on a wrought iron bench near the rose garden. His head was bent close to hers, their profiles forming a…