Chapter 2

STAR'S POV

Not even basic manners?

The words hit harder than they should have.

Maybe because for one foolish second—

one fragile, stupid second—

I thought he might say, Welcome home.

My fingers tightened around the fabric of my dress.

My throat suddenly felt dry.

“Excuse me…?”

He raised a brow.

“Excuse you? Don’t you feel ashamed for dragging our family name down? For God’s sake, everyone knows you’re a Vanderbilt.”

“I…”

My voice came out barely above a whisper.

Atlas’s sharp eyes remained fixed on me—cold and unreadable—waiting.

The silence stretched.

Heavy.

Judging.

I instinctively lowered my head, my hands twisting together nervously in front of me.

“You made a scene in front of an officer over some nanny. Make sure you’re on your best behavior before I toss you back to wherever you came from.”

The words got stuck in my throat.

I thought he would welcome me after seeing me for the first time in so long.

But I was wrong.

The resentment never left.

“I’m sorry,” I said softly, too afraid to look into his cold eyes—the eyes that held no warmth for me.

The room went still.

Atlas’s expression shifted—just slightly.

Not softer.

Not warmer.

Just… momentarily caught off guard.

As though that wasn’t the answer he expected.

His gaze slowly swept over me, taking in everything—

the plain white dress,

the tear-swollen eyes,

the trembling hands I was trying so hard to keep still.

And for the briefest second—

something flickered in his eyes.

Something unreadable.

Then it was gone.

“You look pathetic,” he said flatly.

The tiny flicker of hope inside me quietly cracked.

I lowered my eyes even more, staring at the marble floor so he wouldn’t see the fresh tears gathering.

“I apologize,” I whispered again, even though I wasn’t sure what I was apologizing for this time.

Atlas let out a slow breath, irritation flashing across his face.

“Stop apologizing every time you open your mouth.”

I flinched.

My lips immediately pressed shut.

Wrong again.

I was doing everything wrong again.

Atlas noticed.

Of course he noticed.

His jaw tightened.

“You’re scared of me?”

The question caught me off guard.

My eyes lifted slightly before quickly dropping again.

“I… no—yes… I mean, no,” I lied softly.

His voice turned colder.

“Look at me when you speak.”

My body stiffened.

Slowly—hesitantly—I raised my eyes.

The moment our gazes met, my chest tightened painfully.

“If you’re not, then you better be scared of me. I didn’t bring you back to give you princess treatment.”

He paused, then scoffed.

“You lost that right the moment you decided killing my brother was worth it.”

He muttered the words under his breath—

but I heard them.

I shook my head.

“No… I didn’t. I didn’t do it!”

“LIAR!”

He slammed his fist against the table, making me flinch violently.

“Go back to your room, and don’t show me your face unless you’re dying. Looking at you only reminds me of what I lost.”

My feet stayed rooted to the floor.

I couldn’t move after hearing his words.

Was this reality—

or some cruel nightmare?

“Get out, Hannah!”

He threw a file at me, and I barely dodged it.

My feet finally moved backward, and the door opened.

The moment I stepped out, Franklin quietly shut it behind me.

His words played in my head like a broken tape recorder—

repeating the same things over and over again.

The way he called me Hannah…

I was never Hannah to him.

I was Star.

To everyone, I was Star.

“Ms. Vanderbilt…”

Franklin called softly.

I didn’t look at him, but I knew he was staring at me with pity.

“Your room is this way.”

I nodded and silently followed behind him.

We reached the second floor.

He opened the door to the room farthest away from where everyone else stayed.

And I knew that wasn’t unintentional.

They couldn’t even bear to stay near my room.

I let out a quiet sigh before stepping inside.

It was like any other room—

nothing special,

nothing personal,

nothing warm.

“I’ll take my leave now. If you need anything, let me know.”

I nodded.

Before he could close the door, I stopped him.

“When does he leave for work?”

I asked quietly, and Franklin knew exactly who I meant.

“Sir leaves at eight in the morning with the others, but today he stayed behind for your arrival. He should be leaving soon.”

I nodded, and Franklin left, gently closing the door behind him.

The estate sat high on a hill, so every window had a magnificent view.

I walked toward the large French window and pushed it open.

Cold wind immediately brushed against my skin, making me shiver.

From here, the town looked small—

tiny beneath the vast horizon—

divided by a thick forest that separated it from another town beyond.

The trees on that side looked taller—

darker—

almost unnaturally so.

I shook my head and looked down—

only to gasp.

There was barely one or two feet of ground beyond the window—

and then—

a sheer drop.

Jagged rocks.

Towering trees with sharp branches jutting upward like spears.

“Holy…”

I immediately slammed the window shut.

No wonder everyone’s rooms were on the other side.

And no wonder they put me here.