Chapter 3

It was Charles' voice. He really hadn't changed his number after all.

Gianna fought to suppress her grin and spoke in a sweet, flirtatious tone. "Mr. Linwood, guess who this is?"

There was a pause on the other end.

They barely exchanged ten sentences before Charles made an excuse about being too busy with work and hung up.

Gianna's face fell with worry. "Oh no, I called him while he was working. What if he's upset with me? What if he thinks I'm annoying or rude or too forward?"

Then she turned her anger on me and snapped, "This is all your fault! Why did you give me his number at this time? Did you do this on purpose? Were you trying to make me look bad in front of Mr. Linwood so you could win him back?"

I slapped Gianna across the face.

Gianna threw herself into Helen's arms and burst into tears, her sobs filling the room.

I stared at her coldly. "Say that again."

Helen's face flushed with rage. "What the hell happened to you? You hit your own sister and you think that's okay? What kind of person does that?"

I used to be docile and obedient.

They learned they could withhold their love and still get all of mine in return.

Two years ago, something in me broke. I was diagnosed with severe depression and rage disorder, and I stopped holding back.

If my family made sense, I'd listen; if they didn't, I'd shut them down. The second they crossed me, I lost it.

After two years of pushing back, they finally learned I wasn't someone to mess with.

But sometimes they'd forget and test my boundaries again, waiting to see if I'd fight back.

I let out a cold laugh. "No matter how terrible I am, I'd never dump my own daughter on relatives to raise."

I grew up in Bernard's house for as long as I could remember.

Bernard and his wife, Claire, were my foster parents.

Later, after they had their own kids and I got into college, I moved back in with my birth parents.

"How dare you talk to Mom like that? Where are your manners? Is this what Uncle Bernard taught you about respecting your parents?" Julian's angry voice came from the doorway.

I shot him a look. "Even if I have no manners, at least I don't steal my best friend's girlfriend or backstab my business partner."

Julian's startup had been struggling for a year. I used to beg Bernard to help me, but I stopped caring.

He kept waiting for me to step in, and his company almost went under.

To keep it alive, Julian stole a major deal from his best friend, destroying their twenty-year friendship.

A few weeks ago, a video leaked in our social circle. It showed Julian with his buddy's girlfriend, and they were making out before they even got through the hotel entrance.

His friend came looking for him twice to settle the score. Julian hid for days, but he was found and beaten badly.

Julian lunged at me, but Richard stepped in and blocked him.

After that day, Charles started showing up everywhere in my life.

Outside my office building, at dinners with my friend Amelia Reed, and even when I went to the park to feed stray cats, I'd run into him.

Maybe he was doing it on purpose, because soon someone came looking for me.

It was Charles' first love, Vivian Lewis.

"You dumped Charles when he was poor and did everything you could to break up with him, but now that he's successful, you're shamelessly throwing yourself at him. Don't you think that's disgusting?" She was crying dramatically, like I'd hurt her somehow.

Looking at her fake performance, I knew exactly what she was up to.

I shot back at her, "Bitch, you think trashing me makes you look like the good guy?

"He was the one who broke up with me back then, and now I stay far away from him, but you come here and accuse me of chasing him. Cheating scumbag and his mistress, you two really are perfect for each other."

Vivian didn't expect me to call her out so directly instead of following her script, and a smile slipped onto her face.

"Already celebrating your plan? Careful you don't jinx it," I said, exposing her game.

Vivian saw that the paparazzi in the distance had enough footage, and her recorder had enough material to edit, so she dropped the act altogether.