Chapter 3

Vanessa points at me the second she sees my mother.

“Who else?”

She raises her voice so the entire lobby can hear.

“Everyone should be careful around this woman. She’s been sleeping with my fiancé.”

My mother stares at her.

“You must have made a mistake. My daughter can’t possibly—”

Vanessa cuts her off and lifts her hand toward my face.

“Why not?”

“She’s been trying to get into Ethan’s office since she got here.”

My mother moves before I can.

“Don’t touch my daughter!”

Vanessa’s hand lands across my mother’s face instead.

The sound cracks through the lobby.

My mother stumbles, one hand flying to her chest. Her breath catches.

“Mom!”

Vanessa takes two quick steps back.

“She jumped in front of me. That has nothing to do with me.”

Then she looks at my mother with open disgust.

“So you’re with her too?”

“Don’t start pretending you’re hurt. If you try to scam this auction house, you’ll never be allowed through these doors again.”

A few people nearby immediately start agreeing with her.

A few people nearby murmur that my mother stepped in on her own.

Someone mutters, “Just take this outside before somebody gets hurt.”

I barely hear them.

My mother’s lips have gone pale.

My stomach drops.

She has a history of heart problems. Stress like this is the last thing she needs.

I catch her before she can fall.

“Mom. Look at me. Can you breathe?”

She tries to answer, but no words come out.

Then I remember the emergency station in the lobby.

I stand and rush toward it.

Vanessa moves in front of me.

“What are you doing?”

“My mother is having a medical emergency. Move.”

I reach for the emergency kit, but Vanessa blocks my hand.

“No.”

For a second, I think I misheard her.

“What?”

“That equipment is for Whitmore clients.”

I stare at her.

“She is having chest pain and can barely breathe.”

“And if you use our equipment and something happens to her, then what?”

I can hardly believe what I am hearing.

“This is emergency equipment. It is here for anyone who needs it.”

Vanessa pushes the kit back against the wall.

“Not today.”

Her mouth curls.

“Ethan runs this place. I decide what happens on this floor.”

Behind me, my mother lets out a low, painful sound.

My hands start shaking.

“Move.”

Vanessa does not.

“Go act somewhere else. You are not turning this place into a scene.”

One of the employees finally speaks up.

“Vanessa, she really doesn’t look well.”

Another says, “We should call 911.”

Vanessa whips around.

“No one does anything unless I say so.”

She points at them.

“She’s faking it. If anyone here wants to ignore me, go ahead. I’ll tell Ethan exactly who refused to follow instructions.”

The employees fall silent.

I pull out my phone and call 911 myself.

Then I open the camera, take several photos of the lobby, the emergency station, and my mother on the floor, and send them to my family group chat.

Vanessa sees me.

“What did you just send?”

She grabs my phone before I can step back and hurls it onto the floor.

The screen cracks.

“You don’t get to post lies about this auction house.”

I stare at the broken phone.

“You’re the one destroying its reputation.”

Her phone rings.

She looks at the screen, and her entire expression softens.

“Ethan.”

She answers in a sweet voice.

“Baby, when are you coming back?”

His voice comes through clearly enough for me to hear.

“Everything okay there? Did your client finish the appointment?”

Vanessa immediately starts complaining.

“I was handling Diane’s consignment, and this crazy woman refused to wait. Then she started attacking me.”

“Ethan, come back. I’m so upset.”

He exhales.

“Don’t waste your energy on random people.”

His tone turns gentle.

“I’ll make it up to you. We can take that island trip you wanted.”

Vanessa smiles.

“And the bag?”

“I’ll get you the bag too.”

Diane nudges her with a grin.

“He really does spoil you.”

Something inside me goes completely cold.

I step toward Vanessa and raise my voice so there is no chance Ethan can miss it.

“Ethan Cole.”

The line goes silent.

“You have ten minutes to get back here.”