Chapter 2

I packed a suitcase and headed for the door. When I opened it, my best friend, Chloe Mercer, was standing outside. I hadn't seen her in months.

For one foolish second, I thought she'd heard what happened and come to take me home. Tears stung my eyes.

But before I could say anything, she looked at my suitcase. "Where are you going?"

"Home."

"Isn't this your home? Where else do you have to go?"

I stared at her. She was my best friend, yet suddenly she felt like a stranger. I tightened my grip on the suitcase and stayed silent.

"Stop putting everyone through this, Nora." She sighed. There was something complicated in her eyes. "Everything Julian did was for your own good."

"My own good?" I let out a bitter laugh. "Destroying my father's company was for my own good?"

"You brought that on yourself!" Chloe snapped. "If you hadn't gone completely off the rails and humiliated Vivian in public, none of this would've happened! Don't you understand? Vivian lost her baby because of you!"

Her words hit me like a slap.

Lost her baby?

My mind went back to that day in the plaza. I'd lost my temper and shoved Vivian.

She'd fallen, and blood had soaked through her dress.

Soon after, Julian started tearing my father's company apart.

Now I finally understood why.

I looked at Chloe, my throat tight. "So they were already sleeping together. Vivian was pregnant with his child, and you knew? My best friend for more than ten years knew, and you helped them hide it from me?"

"Yes, I hid it from you!" Chloe shot back. "When I first found out about Julian and Vivian, I was furious too! I thought she was a shameless homewrecker sleeping with a married man. I even wanted to storm into her office and drag her out by her hair for you! But then..."

She hesitated. "The more time I spent with Vivian, the more I realized I'd been wrong about her.

"She's lively, sweet, and considerate. She knew I was your best friend, but she never treated me badly because of it. I don't have to watch everything I say around her. Nobody does. She's easy to be around."

Then Chloe looked at me with open disgust. "But you? You've been spoiled your entire life. You think everyone has to put up with you no matter what you do. How long did you think people would keep taking it? Look at yourself!"

Chloe pointed at me. "You're jealous, vindictive, and cruel enough to kill Vivian's innocent baby! Everyone you loved has turned their back on you. And you did it to yourself!"

For a moment, I couldn't hear anything but the ringing in my ears.

This was the same woman who had once begged me to make her godmother to my future children.

My stomach twisted. Nausea rushed up my throat.

I doubled over, clapped a hand over my mouth, and retched.

Tears fell onto the floor. Somehow, I started laughing.

The sound echoed through the empty hallway, broken and almost painful to hear.

So that was it. To all of them, I was just the crazy bitch who wouldn't let go.

My pain didn't matter. My parents' deaths didn't matter. To them, it was all just another mess I'd created.

I slowly stood up and wiped the tears from my face. Then I looked at the woman I'd called my best friend for ten years.

"Warm and sweet?" My voice came out calm. Strangely calm. I wasn't shaking anymore. "Chloe, since the three of you love each other so much..."

I gave her one last cold look. "Then I hope life stays this easy for all three of you. Just pray you never get exactly what you deserve."