Chapter 4

There was an important gala that weekend.

Afraid I'd embarrass the family in public, Mom and Dad ordered me to learn proper etiquette and ballroom dancing from Sienna.

"No need. I can manage on my own."

Sienna pouted. "Don't you trust me, Maren? Or do you think I'm not good enough to teach you?"

In my previous life, I'd practiced with Sienna before this same gala.

But when she realized I already knew all the rules and could dance even better than she could, she panicked at the thought of me stealing the spotlight.

So she deliberately slipped egg into my food, triggering an allergic reaction that kept me from attending.

I looked at her coldly. "Exactly. You're not."

The words had barely left my mouth when Evan clenched his fists, his voice cold and mocking.

"You've spent eight years out in the middle of nowhere. You've probably forgotten every rule of high society by now, Maren. Keep pretending you know what you're doing, and you'll only embarrass the Hartwells."

The night of the gala arrived soon enough.

A cocky young man with a smug, careless air suddenly appeared in front of me.

"Maren, this is Blake Whitman," Sienna said. "He's the man Mom and Dad picked for you to marry."

The absurdity of it hit me all at once. They hadn't even bothered to discuss it with me.

"I told Dad you still seemed hung up on Evan," Sienna continued. "He agreed right away that the sooner you got married, the sooner you'd get over him.

"Evan agreed too. In fact, he's the one who suggested Blake."

The malice in her voice made my blood run cold.

I'd heard all about Blake in my previous life.

He was a notorious womanizer in our social circle who'd slept with countless women. Not long after, he contracted HIV and later died from AIDS-related complications.

And Evan had actually recommended someone like him for me?

Was he really that desperate to get rid of me?

Evan met my furious gaze.

Something unreadable flashed in his eyes, and he had just started toward me when I turned back to Blake and splashed my glass of red wine straight into his face.

"I don't date men with HIV."

Judging by the timing, he had to be infected already.

The entire room fell silent.

Sienna went pale and let out a startled cry.

"Maren! Even if you're still hung up on Evan and don't want to marry Blake, you can't make up something like that just to humiliate him!"

She reached for my hand. I shook her off, and she stumbled to the floor, instantly looking pitiful and helpless.

Evan's expression darkened. He raised his hand and slapped me across the face.

"Maren, what the hell is wrong with you now?"

Mom and Dad saw him hit me, but neither of them blamed him.

Instead, they were furious with me for making a scene and embarrassing the family.

"You ungrateful girl. Get outside!"

Dad forced me to kneel outside the ballroom.

His face was livid as he sent someone home to bring back the leather strap he used for punishment.

"Maren, do you have any idea who might be here tonight? Someone very important! And now you've ruined everything!

"Is this really the time and place to throw a jealous fit and make wild accusations?"

The first lash struck my back.

Pain flared instantly.

"Ninety-nine lashes should teach you a lesson," Dad said coldly.

Then he handed the leather strap to Evan.

"You do the rest. Maybe then she'll finally get over you and stop picking on Sienna."

Evan took the strap.

He looked down at me, his gaze dark and unreadable.

On his first strike, he held back just a little.

"Maren, do you admit you were wrong?

"If you admit you were wrong and beg for mercy, I'll go easier on you."

The metallic taste of blood filled my mouth, but I stared back at him with stubborn defiance.

What had I done wrong?

My biggest mistake was insisting on coming back to the Hartwells and foolishly expecting anything from them.

Crack!

Evan stopped holding back.

Ten lashes.

Twenty.

I bit down hard, refusing to let a single cry escape.

By the ninety-ninth lash, I was barely conscious.

"It's okay, Evan," Sienna said quickly. "Don't worry. I've already called our private doctor. If anything's seriously wrong, the doctor can have her taken straight to the hospital. Maren will be fine."

Then everyone left.

I had no idea how much time passed.

Through the haze, I heard the distant thump of helicopter rotors as one descended nearby.

Then came a familiar voice calling my name.

...

Third-Person POV

Meanwhile, Evan's phone rang in the car.

He answered, his expression sharpening.

"Are you sure? The Ashfords showed up after all? I thought something came up and they weren't coming tonight."

The person on the other end sounded certain.

"Absolutely. A helicopter bearing the Ashford family crest landed outside the venue. And apparently, they're looking for one of the Hartwell daughters."

Evan froze.

His eyes immediately shifted to Sienna.

"Got it. I'll bring her over right now."