Chapter 5

“Mom.”

Susan turned toward Josie, and her eyes immediately filled with tears.

Josie gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Mom, don’t get worked up. He is not worth damaging your health over.”

Zac finally seemed to notice the wheelchair. His voice tightened. “Is your foot alright?”

Josie looked at him with thinly veiled mockery. “Even if I died and turned into dust, Mr. Lucas, what would that have to do with you?”

His mind was entirely fixated on Suzy. He had even forgotten how she hurt her ankle in the first place.

Zac frowned. “I am sorry. I know you are angry. But I truly love Suzy, and I hope you can understand my choice.”

Whether it was his choice in the fire or his choice now.

Josie’s heart twinged again, but when pain reached its limit, numbness took over.

She let out a short laugh. “A man who calls off a wedding at the last minute. What kind of husband would that make you? Zac Lucas, let me make this clear. Even if you got on your knees and begged to marry me, I still wouldn’t want to marry you.”

Zac’s brows drew together as he stared at Josie, his gaze steady and intent.

Her reaction stunned him.

He had imagined tears. He had imagined her shouting and demanding answers. He had even imagined her rushing up to strike him across the face. That would have been the Josie Lindsay he knew at twenty: fiery, impulsive, and unfiltered.

He had mentally prepared himself how to calm her.

But she did none of that.

She was composed and detached, watching everything with an almost chilling clarity.

It unsettled him.

For a fleeting moment, he wondered if she had also come back.

His eyes tightened as he studied her, emotions swirling beneath the surface.

Suzy sensed something strange between them and stepped forward, blocking Zac’s line of sight. She looked guilty and fragile.

“Josie, I truly am sorry. I never meant to hurt you. But Zac stayed with me the entire night. He even murmured my name in his sleep. I simply could not turn him away.”

She reached toward Josie with a hopeful look.

“Will you forgive me? Can we go back to how we were before, as the best of sisters?”

Josie rolled her eyes and refused to waste a single word on her.

Suzy froze, humiliated. She bit her lip and tried to look delicate and wounded.

Carl noticed Josie refusing to play the role he expected and immediately deepened his voice.

“Josie Lindsay. Our guests have been here all this time, and you choose now to come downstairs. Have you no manners?”

Susan had barely held herself back until this moment. Then she ignited.

“Josie inhaled smoke in that fire. Her ankle is injured. And you, as her father, have not asked even once whether she is alright.

“If you cannot bother to care about her, fine. But you have no right to lecture her about manners.”

She raised her voice sharply. “Mrs. Wilson.”

The housekeeper, Mrs. Wilson, came forward quickly. “Yes, ma’am.”

Susan turned her gaze on Suzy, her tone icy cold.

“Since Miss Bell clearly has no intention of staying in this household and has already chosen another home, it's clear that our Lindsay residence is too small to host such a distinguished guest.

“Go upstairs and pack every one of her belongings. Not a single item stays in this house.”

For six months, Susan had poured generosity into Suzy.

Chanel outfits. Hermès bags. Dior perfumes. The newest fine jewelry.

If she felt something suited Suzy, she bought it without hesitation.

She had even planned to help Suzy find a suitable marriage match after Josie’s wedding.

Now the irony of it felt like a punch in the chest.

Mrs. Wilson acknowledged the command at once and headed upstairs.

Carl quickly stepped forward to stop her. “Susan Spencer, that is enough. You gave those items to her. What right do you have to throw them out?”

Susan did not look at him. Her eyes stayed fixed on Mrs. Wilson.

“Mrs. Wilson, take the staff and go. I’d like to see who dares to stop you.”