Chapter 2

I tilted my head and let out a bitter laugh.

My mother's hand was still shaking from the slap.

"Are you done? After everything we've given you, this is what you turn into? A spoiled, ungrateful brat?"

"You want to walk out? And go where? So the whole city can talk about how we're the bad guys, how we don't love you enough?

When are you going to stop embarrassing this family, Celeste? God, I wish I'd never had you. Seraphina would never pull this shit."

The taste of blood filled my mouth.

I ran my tongue along the corner of my lip.

Yes, every other time, I would have made a scene.

Because I didn't understand.

I didn't understand why when Seraphina broke my father's antique, they said I was the one who smashed it.

I didn't understand why there was security footage and they still refused to believe I hadn't pushed Seraphina down the stairs.

I didn't understand how buying flowers that happened to trigger Seraphina's allergies made me a bully.

This wasn't the first time my mother had hit me.

The last time was two days ago.

Because Seraphina wanted to wear my wedding dress and I said no.

Then she fainted on the spot.

My mother shoved me and cut up the custom gown I'd waited six months for with a pair of scissors.

Over Seraphina, my mother and I had become almost enemies.

So yes, I used to fight back. I used to scream and demand that someone, anyone, tell me I wasn't crazy.

But this time, I wasn't going to make a scene.

I'd always been the lucky one in this family.

The day after I was born, the Vane Empire landed a deal that pulled it back from the edge of bankruptcy and made my father the richest man in Oceana.

His stage-two liver cancer went into full remission around the same time, and the doctors never could explain it.

My best friend Jade was a plain, forgettable girl before she met me.

After we became inseparable in grade school, she grew into the kind of beautiful that made people stare.

She landed every audition, won Best Actress, and became the most bankable star in the country.

And Julian.

He used to be nobody. A guy hawking knockoffs at a flea market, chased off by cops and beaten up by competitors.

Until the night he found me lost at a street fair and walked me home. I fell for him on the spot.

After that, everything he touched turned to gold. He built his own brand, never lost a deal, and took Sterling Global public before he turned thirty.

They adored me for over twenty years. Julian treated me like I was the center of his universe.

And they got everything they ever wanted.

Then Seraphina was brought into the Vane family.

And everyone changed.

My father's voice went cold.

"Take all her things. Everything here belongs to this family. She doesn't walk out with a damn thing."

"You want to go, Celeste? Go. But nobody's chasing after you this time. We'll hold a press conference and cut you off for good. You won't be a Vane anymore."

They didn't even let me grab a change of clothes before they pushed me out the front door.

Julian sighed and quietly slipped me a key.

"Here. It's an apartment. You can stay there. Celeste, we're done. None of us have the energy for this anymore."

"I wish I'd saved Seraphina that night instead of you."

I scoffed. "Then marry her."

Julian let out a long, exhausted breath.

"Don't start. I said I'd marry you and I will. That's not going to change."

"Seraphina is a good person. A genuinely good person. I'm not going to let you talk about her like she's something you can throw away. Don't say that again."

He turned and walked back up the steps.

I dropped the key on the ground and turned to leave.

Seraphina rushed over and grabbed my sleeve.

"Don't leave, Celeste. I'm the one who overstepped. I wanted things that were never mine to want. I don't deserve any of it."

"You stay. I'll go. I'll leave the house right now."

I knew exactly what she was doing.

So I just stood there and let her cling to me and fake-cry.

But when she realized I wasn't going to shove her away like I always did, she gasped for air and collapsed at my feet.

"Seraphina!"

"Call the doctor! Seraphina, my baby girl!"

Everyone came running and swarmed around her.

Julian's hand closed around my throat and his eyes were murderous. "You touched her? You really think I won't hit you?"

Turns out when you're past the point of anger, all that's left is a laugh.

I didn't even touch her.

And somehow I was still the one who did.

"Julian, I hope none of you ever regret this."

My father's voice cracked like a whip. "Someone get her out of my sight. Lock her in the basement. I'll deal with her myself."