Chapter 1

I had just stepped off the plane and headed straight to the bakery. To surprise my mother, Liliana Lane, I had commissioned a custom cake half a month in advance.

But before I could reach it, a figure came charging at me, and the cake went flying through the air, hitting the ground in a ruined mess.

"Are you blind? Can't you see me standing here?"

I crouched down, my hands shaking as I tried to salvage what I could. The cream was already smudged. It was completely destroyed.

The woman stomped on my fingers, and I gasped at the sharp pain.

"You're the cheap woman engaged to Kylo, aren't you? Dressed up like that, who exactly are you trying to impress?"

I looked up sharply, instantly understanding what was happening. This was Kylo Winston's childhood friend, Nora Cullen.

Before returning home, I investigated the two of them. Marriage required caution, after all. When I discovered their affair, I decided to come back in person and call off the engagement.

I never expected her to come looking for trouble first.

Nora must have thought she intimidated me. A satisfied smirk curved her lips as she raised her hand and slapped me.

"That whole outfit probably costs less than 50 dollars. You still want to climb into Kylo's bed? Keep dreaming.

"Get on your knees right now and beg for mercy. Then stand at the door and call yourself a shameless slut. Maybe then I'll be merciful enough to spare your pathetic life."

I gathered all my strength and struck her hard across the right cheek. Nora's face swelled visibly. Her eyes widened in fury as she glared at me.

"You deliberately crashed into me and ruined my cake, then even laid a hand on me. Do you really think you own this city?

"If you know what's good for you, pay me for the cake and apologize. Otherwise the Cullen family will pay the price along with the Winstons."

A beat of silence passed before she erupted in mocking laughter. Nora's bloodshot eyes turned vicious. She dialed Kylo's number.

"Kylo, come quickly. Someone's saying they'll destroy both our families and make you step down as CEO."

I heard an angry roar from the other end before the call disconnected. Nora stared at me triumphantly, then raised her high heel and aimed a vicious kick at my stomach.

I dodged quickly. She lost her balance and fell face-first into the remnants of the ruined cake.

The bystanders' expressions changed. Some of the bolder ones called out to me to run.

"No one in Silverlake can fight the Winston family. Her life is over."

"Even the heavens can't save her now."

I scoffed. Two local thugs thought they could turn this city upside down? They seemed to have forgotten that the Winston and Cullen families weren't the only influential families here.

The words had barely left my mouth when the screech of tires sounded. Kylo strode through the crowd, tenderly lifting the cream-covered Nora into his arms. When his gaze turned to me, his eyes instantly turned cold.

"So you're Eleanor Lane? I didn't expect your jealousy to run this deep. You just got back, and you've already come looking for trouble."

Rage surged through me. I pointed sharply at the ruined cake at my feet. "Today is my mother's birthday. She was the one who crashed into me."

I thought he would distinguish right from wrong. Instead, Kylo froze for two seconds, then let out a cold laugh.

"So that's your excuse for hitting Nora? Forget about some cake. Believe it or not, I could make today your mother's death anniversary instead."