Chapter 5

They forced me in front of the cameras, and I didn't say one word of apology.

Sophia sat just out of frame with Adrian's coat around her shoulders. Lucas was crouched in front of her, tucking a blanket over her knees.

I was still in a thin hospital gown, and blood had already soaked through the fresh bandage on my shoulder.

The host slid the teleprompter in front of me. The first line read, "I'm sorry. I ignored the no-fire signs."

I kept my mouth shut and didn't read a single word.

But Lucas stood in front of dozens of news outlets and announced that losing my baby had left me so unstable I'd lit the bonfire in the no-fire zone.

Adrian promised to pay for all the damages and said his "ex-wife" would be getting therapy.

My head whipped around to stare at him.

The police took me away on the spot.

A huge crowd of protesters had gathered outside the hospital. The bodyguards marched me straight through them on purpose, and people pelted me with ice water and trash.

It didn't take long for the wound on my shoulder to split open again. As they put me in the squad car, Adrian was still standing inside the doorway, and Lucas was bent over Sophia, comforting her.

A reporter shoved a microphone through the car window. "Ms. Grant, will you apologize to Sophia?"

I'd dragged her out of a fire, and now I was the one expected to apologize to her.

Because of Lucas's testimony, I spent seven days in jail.

The wound got infected and started to fester. Every night, burning up with fever, I dreamed about my baby.

When it started oozing pus, I begged a guard to take me to the infirmary. All she said was that the Holt family hadn't paid the medical deposit yet.

I called Adrian three times. Every time, his assistant, Taylor, picked up.

"Mr. Holt is with Sophia right now. She's trying on her engagement dress."

"Please tell him I have a fever of 102.2°F, and my wound is oozing pus."

Taylor covered the receiver to ask, then came right back. "Mr. Holt says a woman only tries on her engagement dress once in her life. He'd like you to hang on one more night."

In the background, I could hear Lucas telling the salesclerk to bring Sophia their most expensive veil. She laughed and asked Adrian which looked better, the long one or the short one.

I stood there holding the receiver, my shoulder throbbing as chills ran through me. Taylor had to say "Mrs. Holt?" twice before it registered.

I hung up and never called again.

By the time Adrian came to get me, a court-ordered ankle monitor was strapped to my leg. Rachel's legal team had secured my release on the condition that I stay at my registered address—Adrian's estate.

He locked me in a guest room at his estate outside the city.

"Just hold on until the engagement party. Once they're engaged, I'll have the charges dropped."

I shoved him out the door. "Don't touch me."

That night, I heard arguing coming from the study.

"I only told you to pressure her into admitting it. I never said to leave her in jail for seven days," Lucas said.

"Weren't you the one who told the prosecutor she was a flight risk?"

"The ankle monitor's the only way to make sure she doesn't show up at the engagement party."

My hands and feet went ice-cold.

They both knew I hadn't started that fire. They were only keeping me locked up because they were afraid I'd show up at Sophia's engagement party.

I was so angry I was shaking all over, and my shoulder started bleeding again.

I gripped the sheets and kept telling myself: Just until the party.

As soon as I'm out of here, they'll never find me again.