Chapter 2

That night, Silverleaf Winery blazed with light.

An extravagant charity gala filled the ballroom, attended by every important socialite, politician, and business leader in Napa Valley.

Harrison moved smoothly through the glittering crowd, playing the role of the heartbroken, devoted husband while hinting to everyone that I had suffered a complete mental breakdown.

Chloe stood nearby, dabbing fake tears from her eyes.

I knew they planned to make their move that night.

At nine, I pretended the drugs were taking effect and staggered out of the ballroom.

The instant I was out of sight, the blankness vanished from my eyes.

I kicked off my heels and slipped barefoot across the cold oak floor, moving like a ghost toward Harrison's private study.

I had to find proof that he had staged my father's crash and falsified the winery's debts.

I had already guessed the combination to the massive safe from one of Harrison's old habits. It was the date he first slept with my stepsister. How fitting.

With a soft click, the heavy safe door opened.

Inside, I found hidden mortgage contracts for the winery, a sealed nondisclosure agreement, and an old death certificate tucked into the appendix.

Deceased: Marcus Singer. Cause of death: Accidental cardiac arrest caused by pesticide poisoning. Date: Three years ago.

My mind went blank as I stared at the page.

Marcus had been my father's head winemaker. He had died suddenly three years earlier, supposedly in an accident. Why was his death certificate locked beside Harrison's secret financial records? Was my father's crash connected to the death from three years ago?

"Because your precious husband and your self-righteous father poisoned mine to cover up the contaminated soil, then made his death look like an accident."

A cold, raspy female voice came from the darkness.

My entire body stiffened. I spun around.

A woman stepped silently from the shadows of the study.

She wore a winery sommelier's uniform and turned a sharp corkscrew between her fingers. She was tall, with the eyes of a she-wolf driven to the edge.

"Mara?" I recognized her in the moonlight and sucked in a breath.

She was Marcus's daughter. She had disappeared after her father's death three years ago.

The next second, the sharp corkscrew pressed hard against my throat.

"Surprised, princess?" Mara advanced, hatred burning in her eyes. "I slipped into the gala to cut Harrison's throat. But then I realized you looked ready to tear him apart yourself."

The cold metal bit into my skin, but I did not move away.

"Mara, I don't know what part my father played three years ago, but I do know this." I held her gaze and lowered my voice. "Harrison doesn't just want the winery. He plans to lock me in a psychiatric hospital tonight and silence me for good."

I shoved the hidden contracts and the death certificate against her chest.

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. You want revenge. I want to survive and take back everything they stole." I struggled to breathe. "Help me."

Mara looked down at the documents bearing Harrison's signature. Something dark and complicated moved through her eyes. "Why should I trust the daughter of my enemy?"