Chapter 2
Meanwhile, she reinvented herself as some rags to riches Cinderella story, became Lucas’s precious little princess, living her fairy tale
But honestly? I was past caring
After watching my family lose everything, after my parents couldn’t handle the shame and took their own lives…well. Let’s just say nothing really phases me anymore.
Except for the two promises Lucas made me before I went in
First, that we’d get married when I got out. Second, that he’d buy back my grandmother’s bracelet from the auction house.
hat was all I had left of my family
Marriage was off the table now. But that bracelet? That
My stomach cramped harder, snapping me back to reality. 1 dragged myself to the kitchen, hoping to scrounge up some crackers or something.
The moment I touched the cabinet handle, one of the maids slapped my hand away.]
Don’t even think about it. Mr. Montenegro and Miss Lawson don’t want randoms eating their food“]
“Suck it up and wait.“[]
She rolled her eyes and walked off like I was some kind of pest.]
Three more hours crawled by. Still no Lucas
I was sprawled on the couch when everything went black
When I came to, I was in a bedroom with an IV drip in my arm. Some doctor was packing up his stuff.
Lucas was across the room, absolutely ripping the staff a new one.
Meanwhile, she reinvented herself as some rags to riches success story
Lucas’s precious little princess, living her best life
But honestly? I was past caring
After watching my family lose everything, after my parents couldn’t handle the shame and well. Let’s just say nothin
Except for the two promises Lucas made me before I went in
say nothing really gets to me anymore |
First, that we’d get married when I got out. Second, that he’d buy back my grandmother’s bracelet from the auction house.
Marriage was off the table now. But that bracelet? That was all I had left of my family
My stomach cramped harder, snapping me back to reality. I dragged myself to the kitchen, hoping to scrounge up some crackers or something
The moment I touched the cabinet handle, one of the maids slapped my hand away
“Don’t even think about it. Mr. Montenegro and Miss Lawson don’t want random people eating their food.“]
You’ll just have to wait-
She rolled her eyes and walked off like I was some kind of pest
Three more hours passed. Still no Lucas
I was sprawled on the couch when everything went black
When I came to, I was in a bedroom with an IV drip in my arm. Some doctor was packing up his stuff |
Lures was across the room, absolutely tearing into the stal
“Are you people brain dead? Someone passes out from hunger and none of you thought to make her a sandwich?
“Pall this shit again and you’re all fired!”]]
Iris glided in right on cue. “Babe, chill out. Come have some wine with me.”
She tugged ham toward the door
The maids looked like they wanted to crawl under a rock.
“Jesus, I haven’t seen Mr. Montenegro that pissed in forever.”
“It’s all her fault! Playing the victim and getting us in trouble!”
“Whatever. Mr. Montenegro will dump her in a month anyway.”
They scattered like roaches
I pulled out the IV and walked downstairs, still feeling wobbly.]
Lucas was in the living room with some guy I didn’t recognize
The friend spotted me first and looked confused.
“Dude, did you hire new help? Why’s she coming out of your bedroom?”
Lucas whipped around. When our eyes met, I caught that split second of… something. Shock, maybe []
Six years later and he still looked like he stepped off a magazine cover.
I looked like I’d been hit by a truck. Repeatedly.
Iris laughed, this tinkling sound that made my skin crawl. She floated over and smiled at the guy
“Nash, this is… a family friend of Lucas’s. From hack home. Not staff.”
I looked at Lucas, waiting for him to correct her. He just stared at me and said nothing.
Right. Of course. His ex–con former fiancée wasn’t exactly dinner party material
Made sense. I was nobody now. And our engagement? Ancient history.
Thankfully, dinner was ready and we could all stop pretending this wasn’t awkward as hell
They talked about business stuff I couldn’t follow. I focused on not inhaling my food like a feral animal
Then Nash dropped this bomb out of nowhere.
“Oh dude, that reminds me–didn’t your girlfriend get out of prison recently?”
“Just cut her a check and ghost her. You don’t need some desperate ex clinging to you when you’ve got a good thing going.”
The entire table went dead silent.
Tris shot me this look that was pure poison wrapped in a smile
Luras kept hus poker face, but I could see his jaw tense
