Chapter 4

The cruise ship docked that day, and the pier was already swarming with reporters.

Elijah had clearly come prepared. He wanted to use the media to pressure me into backing down.

He and Mia had positioned themselves right in the center of it all, where every camera could catch them. Mia sat in a wheelchair with a heavy cast on her leg. She looked pale and fragile.

Elijah stood beside her, his face drawn and tired. He stared straight into the lenses and spoke with raw emotion.

"Charlotte only made a foolish mistake. Someone with bad intentions led her astray.…