Chapter 2

Rebecca walked over to the bed and looked down at me. "Awake?"

With Joseph gone, she didn't bother pretending anymore. The sweetness vanished, and her spite showed through.

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

I gave her a cold look. "What do you want?"

She pulled over a chair and sat down. "I came to see you, of course, my dear sister. Just look at you. You look like hell."

She reached into her bag and pulled out a clear, sealed bag. Inside was the broken paintbrush my brother, Noah Caldwell, treasured most.

My eyes widened. "What did you do to Noah?"

Rebecca toyed with the bag and laughed softly. "Relax. We just gave him a little warning. He refused to hand over the patent, so Joseph got angry and had someone break his right hand.

"For a brilliant painter, losing the use of his right hand has to be worse than death, don't you think?"

My breathing turned ragged as rage surged through me.

Noah was the only family I had left.

"Rebecca, you're both going to pay for this," I said through clenched teeth.

She covered her mouth and laughed. "Pay? Lillian, did those shocks fry your brain? You're a lunatic now, and Noah's a cripple. How exactly are you two going to make us pay?"

She stood and leaned close to my ear. "I might as well tell you. Joseph and I are getting married soon. Once I become Mrs. Stout, the Caldwell family's billions of dollars will all be mine."

I looked at her greedy expression. "Is that so? Then you'd better make sure you can keep it."

She frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

I closed my eyes. "Exactly what it sounds like."

"Quit playing games with me."

Rebecca slapped me across the face, the sharp crack echoing through the hospital room. My head snapped to the side, and blood trickled from the corner of my mouth.

She grabbed my chin, her nails digging into my flesh. "I can't stand that face of yours. Joseph says you look like me? Please. You couldn't hold a candle to me.

"You really think he ever loved you? Every time he touched you, I was the one on his mind."

I opened my eyes, taking in how worked up she was. "If he loves you so much, why are you here trying to prove it to me? What are you afraid of?"

I'd hit a nerve. Her face went livid.

"Shut up. Afraid? I'm about to become Mrs. Stout. And you? You'll rot in this psychiatric hospital, living in filth."

She raised her voice. "Attendants!"

Two burly female attendants walked in.

"Yes, Ms. Rebecca?"

Rebecca smiled viciously. "Strip her and dump her in the hallway. Let everyone see what happens to a slut who goes after someone else's fiancé."

"Yes, ma'am."

The attendants stepped forward and started yanking at my hospital gown.

I didn't fight them. I just stared at Rebecca, making sure I would never forget what she'd done to me.

"Enjoy the good life while you still can, Rebecca. Soon, you won't even be able to cry."

Rebecca stormed out, her heels clicking against the floor. The room fell silent again.

I licked the blood from the corner of my mouth.

Joseph had 70 hours left before his world came crashing down.

Rebecca's voice came from outside the door, laced with malice. "Doctor, increase her dosage. I want her completely out of her mind."

They dumped me in the freezing hallway, where the other patients pointed at me and giggled.

It was early winter, and the floor was ice-cold beneath me. I curled up in a corner as the minutes ticked by until only 68 hours remained.

Joseph didn't return to the psychiatric hospital until two days later. He walked down the hall in a custom-tailored suit, his dress shoes clicking sharply against the tile.

He stopped in front of me and stared down at me. "Had enough yet?"