Chapter 5

I had assumed the weekend gala was just another boring obligation, but Charlotte's revenge came faster and harder than I expected.

She, the one who always had to be the center of attention, showed up in a dress so plain and understated that it was almost jarring. The effect, of course, was that it made my own gown look ostentatious, turning me into the spectacle.

A knot of unease tightened in my stomach. When something was this out of character, it was never a good sign.

Sure enough, it wasn't long before my father, Max Grant, cornered me with a…