Chapter 4

At the gala celebrating Jordan heir's return to take over the family business, the who's who of the city had gathered.

Zane went off to handle something, so I walked into the ballroom alone. Along the way, I caught knowing smiles from people in the know—silent congratulations, no words needed.

Nico, Arlo, and Rhett walked in with Daisy. She was wearing an elaborate princess gown, thriving under their care—chin up, confident, striding toward me without a trace of the timid, shoulders-hunched little maid she used to be.

I still remembered the first time she came to the manor. She'd knocked over my housekeeper's soup tureen in the kitchen and was shaking like a leaf as she got scolded. I stepped in for her. She said her mother was sick and she had to work, so I felt sorry for her, looked out for her from time to time. Even when I went out with the three boys, if I saw her standing alone under the hallway, I'd bring her along.

They were annoyed at first, thinking I was dragging along a stranger. I told them she was pitiful, asked them to go easy on her.

Then I watched them go from annoyed to protective. From frowning to accommodating. From accommodating to taking her side. From taking her side to having eyes only for her.

Little by little, the one shut out became me.

"Freya, I heard at that villa the other night, Nico and the others left you all alone to come find me?" Daisy walked up, her voice pitched just right—loud enough for everyone nearby to hear. "Don't blame them, okay? Blame me if anything. I'm such a scaredy-cat, crying over some thunder, making them worry."

She said it all sweet and innocent, but the smugness in her eyes was impossible to miss.

To them, though? This was pure thoughtfulness.

"Daisy, Freya's not going to blame us. She handled it well that night, even helped out." Nico's voice was surprisingly calm.

Arlo smiled too. "Freya, if you could just be that reasonable from now on—stop hurting Daisy, be good to her—we'd all welcome you back."

"Yeah, Freya," Rhett chimed in. "You know Daisy grew up with nothing, always at someone else's mercy. Isn't it only right we look out for her more? Stop being jealous and picking on her, okay? Can't we all just be good to her together?"

Daisy blinked, then grabbed Rhett's arm. "Freya, come back. I'll make them all be nice to you. If they're not, I won't talk to them—I mean it!"

The three of them immediately played along, hamming up their fake panic.

"Okay, okay—the queen has spoken. How could we dare not treat Freya well?"

"As long as Freya stops bullying you, of course we'll welcome her back."

They were laughing, joking around, their voices dripping with affection.

Nico turned to me, his expression turning a little serious. "Freya, see how Daisy's willing to let bygones be bygones? If you come back, just treat her well and stop making her unhappy."

I shrugged. "No thanks. You guys have your thing going on. I've got mine. I'm not interested in being nice to anyone, and I'm not joining your little group either."