Chapter 4

Honestly, I couldn't help but laugh. He was handing me, without even trying to change a thing, the exact same stuff Olivia flat-out rejected two years ago.

Did he really think I'd just accept whatever Olivia didn't want?

My cold reaction didn't go unnoticed by Dexter. He could sense something was off.

His voice dropped, sharp and warning as he called out to me, "Sienna."

The whole place went dead silent.

Dexter fixed his gaze on me, his expression growing darker by the second.

He was undeniably good-looking. If he weren't, I never would've fallen for him at fifteen.

But his snark matched his looks, though.

"You've been with me for two years. How come you still can't shake off that broke vibe?" he sneered.

Tonight, after I embarrassed him by turning him down in front of all his friends, Dexter snapped at me.

I was trying to let it slide, but when he suddenly scoffed and said, "This is where you and Olivia are nothing alike."

"What, did being kidnapped mess you up that bad?" he sneered.

I'd been putting up with him for ages, but tonight, I honestly couldn't stand it anymore.

I tore Dexter's hand away from me and smacked him hard across the face.

The sound rang out loud, and suddenly the entire room was filled with gasps and sharp intakes of breath. I caught a glimpse of everyone's stunned faces, mouths hanging open, and the guy who started all this looked so freaked he nearly dropped his drink.

No point pretending anymore—after this, my cover was blown for good. I grabbed my bag and shot Dexter the finger, not even giving him a chance to lose his temper.

"Yeah, right. Like I'd ever be anything like her, loser."

"You pissed me off, asshole," I snapped at him.

With that, I clicked away in my heels, leaving everyone stunned into silence.

It wasn't until I'd walked outside that the realization finally smacked me in the face.

Did I just quit, for real?

So I was officially a young, filthy rich woman with 3 million bucks in my pocket?

Hell yeah, this felt freakin' awesome.

Man, nothing beats the rush of quitting on the spot.

This definitely wasn't the first time Dexter stepped on my landmine. I'd always bit my tongue before.

He tossed out "kidnapped" like it was nothing—but for me, that word marked the beginning of a nightmare I'd never shake off.

I grew up in a run-down mountain village with just my old man who walked with a limp.

He never treated me right—either yelling or beating me, drank and gambled all his money away, and most nights he didn't even bother coming home.

If it hadn't been for the kindness of a few neighbors, I'da probably starved to death ages ago.

When I hit fifteen, the Wilkinson family showed up out of nowhere and dropped the bombshell—they said they were my real parents.

So I was actually the long-lost rich daughter, hidden away all these years.

Finally meeting my birth parents, clutching onto hope for a brand-new life, I packed up and moved across the country to a new home.

But when I arrived, I found out I didn't even have a room of my own.

My birth mom shot me an embarrassed look. "Sorry, Sienna, we never thought we'd really get you home this time. We honestly haven't had time to get anything ready for you..."

Olivia looped her arm through Mom's, trying to comfort her. "Don't feel bad, Mom. Sienna isn't going to hold it against you. My room's huge—she can stay with me. And I've got so many pretty clothes you and Dad got me, way more than I could ever wear. Sienna can wear them with me—it's no trouble at all."

Mom beamed at her, and the two of them hugged, putting on that whole loving mother and dutiful daughter act.

Dad came over and praised, "Olivia, you're really such a thoughtful girl."

Then he turned to me and said, "Sienna, you should learn from your sister."

I just stood there, awkwardly frozen, feeling completely left out—like I didn't really have a place here.

After a long, awkward pause, I managed to mumble, "Um, is there a guest room? I'm not really used to sharing a bed with someone."

Seeing I was holding my ground, my parents let it go, but I could tell from their faces they were kind of disappointed.

After all that went down, the Wilkinson family threw a party "for me."

Supposedly it was to introduce me, but with Olivia all dolled up on stage playing piano, it felt more like her personal spotlight than anything to do with me.

That was where I first met Dexter.

He had this wild, rebellious vibe, with blond hair and a look that said he didn't give a damn about anyone. He spotted me hiding in the corner and asked, "Who are you? I don't think I've seen you around before."

The Wilkinson family had just given me back my real last name, and I was still getting used to it. I whispered, stumbling over the words, "I... I'm Sienna Wilkinson."

Dexter raised an eyebrow. "You're Sienna? Then who's the one playing piano over there?"

I told him that was my sister, Olivia Wilkinson.

Dexter was blunt as ever. "You two really don't look alike at all."

He wasn't wrong, either. Olivia had pale, flawless skin, delicate features, and those big eyes. She wore a floor-length dress, looking every inch like a little princess straight out of a fairy tale.

Meanwhile, I was the kid who'd grown up in a mountain village, skinny and sallow, like some half-wilted rice shoot—heck, I pretty much looked like a walking mud doll.

Put the two of us side by side, and nobody in their right mind would peg us as sisters. We didn't even look like we were from the same universe.

I kept my head down, feeling a bit small and out of place, when someone suddenly pushed a pastry right up to my lips.