Chapter 2

As the car hit the airport expressway and the city skyline blurred past, I closed my eyes.

Images of Alex's face kept flashing in my mind. The first time he saw me, I was sixteen, moving into Sterling Estate with my mother. He had glanced down at me from the top of the stairs, then turned and walked away without a word.

My mother tugged at my sleeve and whispered, "That's Alex Sterling. Make sure you greet him whenever you see him."

I nodded. Back then, I really did treat him like a young master.

Later, for his eighteenth birthday, the Sterling family threw a huge party. I was called in to help serve drinks and accidentally spilled red wine on some rich kid.

The guy slapped me so hard I hit the floor. Alex walked right past us, not even breaking his stride.

Daniel Reed crouched down to look at me, grinning. "Hey, little maid, the red wine actually looks good on you."

The whole room erupted in laughter.

I just got back up and kept serving drinks, my face burning with shame.

That was my second year with the Sterlings.

Jack pulled up to the terminal and unloaded my suitcase. "Take care of yourself, Ms. Lane."

I grabbed the handle and walked into the departure hall without looking back.

While waiting in the security line, I saw a girl clinging to her boyfriend's arm, whining about how much she'd miss him. The guy ruffled her hair and told her he'd only be gone for three days.

I looked away.

Alex never once ruffled my hair.

The only times he ever touched me were when he needed me to play the girlfriend in front of others; he would put his arm around my shoulders or hold my hand, or when he was mad, he'd push me away or hold me back.

Once, when Daniel got wasted and tried to kiss me, Alex slammed his glass onto the table. "Back off," he'd snapped. "That's disgusting."

I actually thought he was protecting me.

Daniel just smirked and teased, "Look at Alex, getting all protective of his simp."

Alex replied, "If my stuff gets dirty, I just throw it away."

The security guard signaled for me to put my suitcase on the belt. The machine let out a sharp beep.

I stepped through and raised my arms for the pat-down. The guard ran the scanner from my shoulders to my ankles. "You're clear," she said.

I grabbed my belongings and headed toward the gate. Outside the window, a plane sat on the tarmac, the lights on its wings blinking steadily.

I pulled out my phone and hopped on the airport Wi-Fi. Daniel's messages blew up my phone.

[Sophie, answer your damn phone!]

[Alex woke up. The first thing he did was ask for you.]

[Where the hell are you?]

[The Sterlings sent people to find you. Alex ripped out his IV and bolted from the ICU.]

[He's out there looking for you, do you hear me?]

The last message came through five minutes ago.

[Emily admitted she was the one behind the empty box. Alex had nothing to do with it. He didn't even know about the birthday incident. Sophie, listen to me; he was in the dark about everything.]

I stared at the screen. My thumb hovered over the keyboard for a second. Then, I shut the phone off, popped out the new SIM card, and snapped that one too.

The boarding announcement echoed through the hall. I stood up, gripped my belongings, and walked toward the gate.

As the plane took off, I leaned back and glanced down. Riverside City shrank beneath the clouds until it was nothing more than a gray blur. I didn't even realize I was crying until the tears hit my cheeks.

A flight attendant handed me a tissue and whispered a question about whether I was feeling alright.

I shook my head.

I turned my face toward the window. The clouds were a blinding, brilliant white.

My mind raced back to Alex's eighteenth birthday. I remembered being slapped and hitting the floor while he walked by without a second glance.

But later, while I was clearing plates, the kitchen ladies had pressed an ice pack into my hand, saying Alex had it sent over.

I had clutched that ice pack and sobbed in the kitchen for a long time. I honestly thought he cared. I thought he was just too shy to say it.

But now I get it. It was just an ice pack. In his eyes, that's all I was ever worth.