Chapter 5

For the first charity gala after the IPO, Noah insisted I had to be there.

"You've always run the foundation," he said over the phone. "With all these rumors going around, if you refuse to show up, everyone's going to assume our marriage is over."

"You know better than anyone where those rumors came from."

"Evelyn, at least get through tonight's event."

I wanted to just say no. But the foundation funded care for children with heart disease. My mother had been deeply involved in it while she was alive, and several rehabilitation specialists Dad needed to see would be at the gala. I couldn't let Claire take the work I'd poured years into, along with everything my mother had given to it.

Sophia went with me to the museum. Before we went in, she checked the splint on my hand and made sure the recorder in my bag was working.

"Just say the word, and I'll get you out of there."

"You think I'm a 12-year-old?"

"When I was 12, I had better taste in men than you."

I couldn't help a small laugh, but when I thought of Dad still waiting at the hospital for his evaluation, my heart grew heavy again.

In the middle of the hall stood a clear donation box, and the wall held a list of the foundation's donors over the years. I spotted my mother's name, Margaret Harper, and gently ran my hand over the cold glass frame. At the very top hung a photo, taken more than ten years ago, of my mother reading stories to sick children here. Back then, she hadn't been worn down by illness yet.

"So that's your mother," Sophia said softly.

I nodded. "She brought me here for the first charity event I ever went to."

Before I'd even finished, Claire walked over in a borrowed silver gown. She shook hands with every guest, called herself "Noah's closest family," and talked about her time in the hospital as a teenager, like the foundation had been set up just for her.

A few donors I knew well didn't want to talk to her much, so she headed straight for Sophia.

"Evelyn really scared me that night," she said with a smile. "You've been friends so long. You must know she's always had a bad temper."

Sophia handed her wine glass to a server. "I know her, and I saw that kiss of yours with my own eyes. Which one do you want to talk about?"

The smile on Claire's face froze.

I stepped forward. "Tonight is about raising money for sick kids' surgeries, not for you to explain that kiss at the IPO party. Your name isn't on the list of speakers for the press. Don't go up on that stage."

She glanced at a camera nearby and suddenly picked up a tray of pastries.

"I just want everyone to accept me. Why do you have to—"

She tipped the tray onto herself. Silver forks clattered to the floor, and crystal plates shattered. She went down with them, clutching her throat, her breathing turning harsh and fast.

"Something... I'm allergic."

The guests panicked, and the medics rushed over right away. Sophia had kept her phone up the whole time and recorded Claire tipping the tray onto herself from start to finish.

Noah ran over from the other side. The first thing he did was take off his jacket and put it over Claire.

"What did she eat?"

"I don't know," I answered. "Let the medics check her first. The kitchen can give us a list of what was served."

Claire tugged at his sleeve. "I only took one bite. Is it because Evelyn doesn't want me here?"

Noah's head snapped toward me.

"You know she has allergies. Why would you leave that food where she could reach it?"

Everything around us went quiet, and every camera turned to me. I looked at my mother's old photo on the wall and watched Noah stand among the broken glass, blaming me while he protected Claire.

"I have no idea what she took," I said calmly. "You can check the kitchen records. But don't decide I'm guilty before the doctors have even finished examining her."

He didn't seem to hear the second half at all. He turned to the foundation staff. "Tonight, Claire will do the press interviews instead of Evelyn."

I froze.

"She doesn't run the foundation."

"Then you're not fit to face the cameras right now, either."

This was a project I'd worked hard on for four years. For several winters, I'd sat in hospitals with anxious parents while they waited for donations to come through, and I'd mailed every donor the thank-you letters children wrote after their surgeries. In just ten seconds, Noah erased my name from all of it in front of everyone.

A reporter shouted a question. "Ms. Harper, are you picking on this fragile woman out of jealousy?"

I looked straight into the camera. I wasn't going to lie for anyone.

"At the IPO party, I slapped someone in public. I take full responsibility for that slap. But tonight, we need the medical findings and the evidence from the event to establish what she ate and why she collapsed. Please don't pin things on me that I never did."

Noah looked furious.

I got a copy of the original list of what was served and was about to leave with Sophia. In the hallway, Noah caught up and grabbed my right hand, still in its splint.

"Record an apology statement. Claire's still crying, and every reporter out there is watching."

A sharp pain shot through the fracture, and I sucked in a breath. Sophia rushed over and pried his hand away.

"Can't you see she's badly hurt?"

Noah looked down at the splint, and his hand froze in midair.

"Evelyn, I just want you to stop fighting."

"You just took everything that was mine in front of everyone." I looked at him. "What else do you want to take now?"

"Don't make me handle this the hard way."

I took a step back. "Go ahead. And make sure you keep the footage from tonight."

When we got into the car, my future self touched her neck. The deep purple ligature mark there began to fade.

"You didn't take all the blame for her," she said softly.

A message from Emily popped up on my phone, passing along news from the doctors. Dad had finally met the criteria for a consultation about transferring him, but he'd still need to stay in the hospital for a few days for observation. In the meantime, visitors should be kept to a minimum.

I read the message over and over, then replied to the hospital, "Starting today, all visitors must be confirmed with me in advance."