Chapter 2

The next morning, my lawyer, Cole Jepsen, texted me the divorce papers.

When I opened them to review the documents, Blaine was standing with his back to me while calling his assistant.

He instructed, "Keep the police report under wraps. Don't let it affect Lizzie's homecoming banquet. And send Wanda another piece of jewelry she likes. She'll calm down after a few days."

I closed the document and forwarded it to a print shop. This time, I didn't want to wait for him to come and make it up to me.

When I finally got discharged from the hospital, Blaine didn't come to pick me up. Instead, his driver handed me a jewelry box.

"Mr. Zahn said you wouldn't be angry once you saw this."

Inside was a diamond necklace with a price tag enough to buy the mountain cabin Mom had left me.

Nevertheless, it wasn't my seven-star necklace.

I closed the box and said, "Take it back."

The driver looked troubled. "Mr. Zahn also said you have to attend Ms. Sterling's homecoming banquet tonight. Word about the police report has gotten out, and people are saying Ms. Sterling broke up your marriage. He needs you to show up and clear things up."

"Clear up what?" I asked apathetically.

"Tell everyone you only got out of the car that night because you were angry, and that Ms. Sterling had nothing to do with it."

So the necklace wasn't an apology. Blaine was trying to buy my silence.

The banquet was being held at Stargazer Mountain Resort, one of the Zahn family's properties. Mom had run a tiny six-room inn there when she was alive.

After she passed away, I included the inn in the Zahn family's resort, but I kept the wooden cabin in the backyard. Blaine had once told me it would always be a place I could return to.

By the time I arrived, the banquet was already underway.

Lizzie stood in the middle of the crowd in a white dress, with the seven silver stars resting against her collarbone. The clasp had been replaced, but the center star had a noticeable scratch across it.

Blaine was standing beside her.

When he saw me walk in, his eyes immediately fell to my thin shoes and socks. "Didn't the doctor tell you to keep warm?"

He took off his coat and held it out to me. Right away, Lizzie sneezed beside him. His hand stopped in midair. A moment later, he draped the coat over her shoulders instead.

He commented, "It's cold up here. Why didn't you wear something warmer?"

Lizzie pulled the coat tighter around herself and looked at me apologetically. "I'm sorry, Wanda. Blaine was just being thoughtful. Don't take it the wrong way."

People around us laughed awkwardly, trying to smooth things over.

"Taking care of Lizzie has practically become second nature to Mr. Zahn."

"If it weren't for that accident back then, maybe they would've ended up together."

Blaine's voice remained indifferent. "That's in the past. Don't make assumptions."

He didn't deny the last part.

Soon, the host invited me onto the stage. A microphone was placed in my hand. Down below, Blaine looked up at me and gave me a slight nod.

It was his usual way of handling things. He never needed to give me an order. With one look from him, I was supposed to clean up whatever mess he left behind.

I gripped the microphone and began, "About the police report that night when it snowed..."

Lizzie nervously grabbed Blaine's sleeve.

He patted her hand and said reassuringly, "Don't be afraid. She knows what she's doing."

I watched the gesture and continued, "The police will handle the matter according to the facts. The surveillance footage and statements clearly show who left me on a road that had been closed and who took my personal property."

The room fell completely silent.

Blaine's face darkened. "Wanda."

I lowered the microphone and went on, "And there's one more thing—that necklace wasn't a gift. Please return it to me now, Ms. Sterling."

Lizzie's eyes immediately reddened. "Blaine said I could wear it until the banquet was over. I didn't know it meant that much to you."

"Well, it's over now," I said, holding out my hand.

She didn't move. Blaine, however, stepped onto the stage and positioned himself between us.

He lowered his voice and hissed, "Everyone is watching. Do you really have to humiliate her in front of all these people?"

I shot back, "I was the one left out in the snow."

"I already apologized, and I compensated you."

"So I'm supposed to lie for you?"

He caught me by the wrist. His grip wasn't hard, but it kept me from moving forward.

Blaine commanded, "You're still recovering. Go upstairs and rest. I'll give you the necklace tomorrow."

"I want to go back to my cabin," I said firmly.

His gaze flickered. "You can't stay there for now."

"Why?"

Lizzie quietly explained, "Blaine is turning it into my studio. The workers just moved in today, so it might be a little messy."

There were only two keys to Mom's cabin. I had one, and I had handed the other one to Blaine on our wedding day.

I looked at him and questioned, "Did you agree to this?"

Blaine explained, "Lizzie needs a quiet place to start over. The cabin has been empty for three years, and you hardly ever go back."

I retorted, "That's because you told me the mountain roads were dangerous and wouldn't let me come here alone."

He released my wrist.

His tone was calm and almost matter-of-fact as he said, "If you're not going to live there, there's no point letting it sit empty."

A row of newly installed lights illuminated the backyard. Under their glow, workers were removing the wooden sign Mom had personally nailed to the cabin door.