Chapter 3

When the guard reached for me again, I moved hard to the side.

His hand closed on empty air.

I caught his wrist and used his forward momentum to drive his arm down.

He had not expected me to fight back. His shoulder slammed into a display case, and the glass shook violently.

The crowd gasped.

The second guard lunged at me.

I kicked the side of his knee.

He stumbled back two steps. He did not fall, but he lost his balance long enough for me to get space.

Callum's anger exploded.

"You attacked my men?"

"They put their hands on me first."

"I only told them to stop you!"

"Stop me?" I glanced at the doors blocked by his guards. "Two grown men physically preventing a woman from leaving is what you call stopping her?"

For once, Callum had no immediate answer.

Brielle screamed and rushed at me.

"You psycho!"

She raised her hand and swung at my face.

This time, I did not step away.

I caught her wrist.

Before she could pull free, I slapped her across the face.

The sound cracked through the atelier.

She staggered back, one hand covering her cheek, her eyes wide with disbelief.

"You hit me?"

"That was for taking my mother's tiara."

I raised my hand again and slapped her other cheek.

"And that was for lying."

Crying, Brielle threw herself into Callum's arms.

"Callum, have them hold her!"

He steadied her, his expression terrifyingly dark.

"Sloane, you have gone too far."

I was done arguing with him.

"Get my tiara back," I told the manager.

He immediately brought two female employees forward.

Brielle covered the top of her head with both hands.

"Callum gave it to me!"

This time, the manager did not back down.

"Ms. Vaughn, the tiara is registered to Ms. Mercer. Return it immediately."

Brielle shrieked, "Touch me and I will have Callum cancel every Sterling wedding order with this place!"

"You do not have that authority." The manager raised his head and glanced at the unsigned design drawing on the wall. "This atelier was founded by Mrs. Lenora Mercer. After her death, ownership was transferred into the Mercer family trust. The sole beneficiary and final decision-maker is now Ms. Sloane Mercer."

The room went silent again.

Callum's expression finally changed.

Brielle whipped around to stare at me.

She had stood inside the business my mother created, wearing my mother's tiara, and ordered me to kneel.

I watched the color drain from her face.

"Who exactly made you think you could do this?"

The two employees stepped forward, removed the tiara despite her resistance, and carefully placed it in my hands.

I did not put it back on.

I returned it to its velvet case and snapped the lid shut.

The manager addressed me respectfully.

"Ms. Mercer, what else would you like us to do?"

"Effective today, Brielle Vaughn is banned from every hotel, atelier, private club, and invitation-only venue owned by the Mercer family. Also terminate every service connected to the Sterling wedding. Suspend the gowns, jewelry, reception, flowers, and hotel rooms."

Brielle's face changed.

"You cannot do that!"

"I can because we own them."

The manager nodded at once.

"I will notify every department."

Callum crossed the room in long strides and stopped in front of me.

"Do you have any idea what you are doing? You are humiliating the Sterling family in public."

I looked up at him.

"You did not seem worried about humiliation when you ordered me to kneel."

His jaw locked.

"I am willing to overlook what happened today, but you will withdraw the cancellation and tell the manager to stop those notices."

I smiled.

He still believed he had the right to give me orders.

"What if I do not?"

The last trace of fake restraint vanished from his eyes.

"This marriage is tied to Hudson Point. You do not get to cancel it on impulse. You are coming back to the estate with me today, and you will explain yourself to both families."

"I am not going anywhere with you."

"That is not your decision anymore."

He glanced toward the hallway.

Two more guards who had arrived with the butler entered the atelier.

Four in total.

They moved quickly and closed off every route behind me.

I could catch one or two men by surprise. Four trained professionals were not something basic self-defense could easily overcome.

Callum gave the order.

"Take her back to the estate."

Two guards seized my arms at the same time. A third came behind me and forced a hand down on my shoulder.

I fought them, but they were ready now. Their grip was much stronger than before.

Brielle held her swollen face and smiled again.

"You were so confident a minute ago. Let us see how long that lasts."

Callum stood over me.

"Sloane, this is your last chance. Take back the cancellation and apologize to Brielle."

His gaze dropped slowly to the floor in front of me.

"Otherwise, you will stay on your knees until you agree."

The pressure on my shoulder increased.

My knees bent inch by inch.

Four inches from the floor.

Two.

Then a sharp sound came from the hallway.

Tap.

A silver cane struck the marble.

The chaos inside the atelier stopped instantly.

An older woman's cold voice came from beyond the doors.

"I would very much like to know who thinks he can force the sole Mercer heir to her knees."