Chapter 5

I was the abandoned girl nobody wanted, living under someone else's roof.

So when it came to handsy investors, I was the one pushed out to drink with them and smile through it. That was what they called "knowing my place. "

They could do whatever they wanted to my innocence and dignity, but it still meant nothing compared to the reputation of the one he loved.

Whenever they needed someone to take the fall, I was the one they'd throw out without a second thought.

"For the past ten years, has there been a single thing you've eaten, worn, or used that didn't come from the Hart family? " Eric asked.

He had finally played his trump card.

"When your mother died, the Hart Foundation saved you. For three years since I took over, I kept you close and well cared for. Gratitude matters. I've supported you, and you won't repay even this? " Eric said.

I used to believe that if I kept chasing after him, maybe I could earn even a little pity from him.

Only now did I realize that, in his eyes, I was nothing but a useful tool.

If I broke, he could fix me. If I got dirty, he could replace me.

I sat there quietly, listening to the old fan above me creak as it spun, saying nothing.

The stifling heat hung heavy in the cramped room.

"Why aren't you saying anything? " Eric asked, his tone softening a little when he saw me stay silent.

"The driver's already at the corner. Get ready and come down quickly, " he added.

"Eric, " Charlotte said, her voice flat and emotionless.

I interrupted him, my face completely blank.

"I'm done being your little lapdog, " I said.

There was his sharp intake of breath on the other end.

"Charlotte! How dare you, " Eric began.

I didn't give him the chance to finish.

I pressed the end call button with my thumb.

I put my phone on silent and set it face-down on the wooden table.

The night air outside was still stifling.

I picked up the pen again.

I checked off the morning shifts for Saturday and Sunday on my part-time schedule.

My phone buzzed wildly on the table, silent but relentless.

I didn't spare it a single glance.

My phone buzzed silently on the table.

I didn't look at it again.

*****

Three days later, at Bay Pier.

I changed into a black-and-white server's vest and stood at the edge of the yacht's top deck, balancing a tray of champagne.

This was a high-paying temp job the agency had sent me on. I'd packed my schedule full, trying to save up the living expenses I needed to pay back to Eric as soon as possible.

The afternoon breeze off the sea was brisk and tinged with salt, carrying a hint of coolness that cut through the heat.

On the deck, the crowd shimmered with glamour, perfume lingered in the air, and well-dressed guests mingled beneath the sun.

"Hey, Charlotte, how much do you make in a day with this gig? " Mya asked, gliding over in her gradient couture gown, champagne in hand.

Before I could answer, Mya held out her phone, the screen glowing right in my face.

On it was a long list of contacts and assets, plus a huge deposit that had hit her account.

"Eric said the PR crisis at Azure Lounge a few days ago is all taken care of, " Mya whispered, leaning in close. "All these resources and cash? That's his compensation for me. "

I glanced at the glaring string of numbers on the screen.

It was a threshold I could never reach, no matter how hard I tried.

For Mya, all she had to do was stir up a little drama, and everything was handed to her without effort.

I looked away calmly and said nothing.

"If you swallow your pride and apologize to Eric, " Mya said, her smile growing even sweeter, "I could share some of the Clark family's resources with you. That way, you wouldn't have to work so hard serving drinks. "

I tugged at the corner of my mouth and ignored her provocation.

My gaze moved past her shoulder.

"Mya, " Eric called out.

Eric came up the spiral staircase onto the deck.

His eyes slid right past me, like I wasn't even there.

He slipped off his suit jacket and casually draped it over Mya's shoulders.

"The sea breeze is so cold. Why aren't you staying inside the cabin? " he asked, his brow furrowing slightly, his tone gentle.

Ten years of following him around had turned into a joke.

Back then, even if I stood in the rain for two hours, he would only frown and complain that I had gotten his car seats dirty.

Now, he was worried a little sea breeze might make someone else cold.

I set the tray in my hands steadily on the bar.

Then I turned and walked toward the staff corridor.

"Charlotte! " Mya called out.

Mya suddenly reached out and grabbed my wrist.

Her nails dug into my skin.

"Let go, " Charlotte said coldly, her voice sharp and unyielding.

I spoke coldly, then snapped my wrist back and yanked myself free from her grip.

The instant I yanked my hand free, Mya threw herself backward with the force of it, wildly overacting.

Her stiletto twisted on the slippery deck.

Without even trying to catch herself, she tumbled right over the low railing.

A heavy splash followed as she hit the water.

*****

Eric hauled himself back onto the deck, water dripping from his chin.

He looked up, fixing me with a stormy glare, his face dark with anger.

"Charlotte! " Eric snapped through clenched teeth. "It's bad enough you pushed her away, but how could you get physical with her right by the railing? "

All eyes turned to me in an instant.

Contempt, ridicule, and everyone waiting to see a good show.

"It's not Charlotte's fault, " Mya said.

Mya leaned against Eric, trembling. "I lost my balance. Eric, please, don't blame Charlotte. "

Eric was all gentle and caring toward her, his eyes soft with pity.

But when he looked at me, his gaze was full of nothing but disgust.

"You make me sick, " Eric spat, sounding totally disgusted.

He didn't even let me say a word in my own defense.

Or maybe, he never cared about the truth in the first place.

He picked Mya up from where she lay and walked away without looking back.

I stood there all alone.

I didn't say a word, didn't even try to defend myself.

The cold wind slipped down my collar.

The heavy cabin door slowly closed in front of me.

It sealed away the noise from the hallway, and Eric's fading silhouette, leaving me in utter silence.