Chapter 4

My phone vibrated. A picture from an unknown number.

My blood turned to ice.

It was Ava, holding my mother's brooch over the deep, dark sea, looking like she was about to drop it.

If you want it, Marina Bay, dock seven. You have one hour. After that, it's gone. —Ava

I knew this was a trap, but I didn't care. I had to get my mother's brooch back.

When I stepped onto the yacht, Ava was leaning against the railing, a glass of champagne in her hand.

"You finally made it." She turned, a sickeningly sweet smile on her face. "I was starting to think the great Romano princess was too good to see someone like me."

"The brooch. Give it back," I said, cutting to the chase.

"Not so fast." Ava walked over to a sofa on the deck and sat down, crossing her legs elegantly. "Let's chat. After all, this might be the last time we get to talk alone."

She pulled the diamond brooch from her purse, turning it slowly in the sunlight. The flashes of light stung my eyes.

"It's beautiful," she sighed. "Dante told me it was the only thing your mother left you. Such a shame she died so young. She never got to see her daughter marry such a wonderful man."

"Give it back to me," I said, fighting to keep my voice from trembling.

"Oh, I forgot." Ava feigned surprise."You're not Dante's wife anymore. He told me you just got divorced. I almost died laughing."

She stood up and walked toward me.

"You know what he said? He said, 'Elara finally let go, so now we can be together for real.'" Her voice was dripping with triumph. "Then he picked me up and spun me around, and told me I was the woman he's been waiting for all these years."

Every word was a knife in my heart. But I wouldn't let her see it.

"Should I congratulate you?" I said, my voice flat. "Now, can I have the brooch back?"

Ava smiled, a look both sweet and vicious. "Seeing as you're about to be a washed-up divorcée, I might consider it."

She stuck out a foot shod in a white high-heeled shoe.

"Kneel. And shine my shoe."

I thought I'd misheard her. "What?"

"You heard me. Kneel and shine my shoe." Ava's smile widened. "Do it, and I'll give you the brooch. It's not too much to ask, is it? It's my property now, after all."

The sea breeze howled in my ears. I felt dizzy.

"What's wrong? The great Romano princess is too proud?" Ava taunted. "Fine. If you don't want it, I'll just throw it away right now."

"Wait!" I cried out. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Then, I knelt.

"Good girl. That's more like it," Ava's voice was smug. "Use your sleeve. I want them spotless."

My hands shook as I reached out and began to wipe her shoe. The white leather gleamed in the sun as my tears fell, one by one, onto the deck.

"You know, Elara," Ava said, looking down at me, "I've hated you since the first day I met you. I hated your high-and-mighty attitude, your confident smile."

I didn't answer, just mechanically continued the humiliating task.

"But look at you now," she went on. "Kneeling at my feet like a servant. Is this the great Romano princess? A pathetic divorcée who couldn't even hold on to her own baby?"

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I stopped.

"It's clean," I said, getting to my feet, my voice eerily calm.

"Hmm, not bad." Ava inspected her shoe and nodded. "Well then, a deal's a deal…"

She pulled the brooch from her purse and dangled it in front of me.

Then, before I could react, she drew her arm back and threw it. The brooch sailed through the air and disappeared into the sea with a small splash.

"Oops. My hand slipped," she said, her expression one of theatrical shock. "How clumsy of me."

I stared at the spot where the last piece of my mother had vanished into the blue water. My mind went blank.

She stood up, smoothing her dress.

"Thanks for the shoeshine, Elara. It's probably the most useful thing you've ever done. After all, you're not good for much else—couldn't even hold on to a baby. How does it feel to lose a baby? That's what you get for taking the spot that should have been mine. And this is just the beginning."

I understood her meaning then—my miscarriage was her doing.

My sanity snapped.

A wave of pure hatred crashed over me. I grabbed Ava's wrist and dragged her to the railing.

"You vicious bitch!" I tightened my grip on her throat. "You killed my baby!"

There was no fear in Ava's eyes, only triumph. "So what if I did? Who's going to believe you?"

I was breathing heavily, determined to expose her, to make Dante see the monster he was protecting.

Just then, Ava looked over my shoulder and a strange smile spread across her face.