Chapter 3

"Who the hell do you think you are? What makes you think you can fight me for Marvin?" Alyssa snarled. "I'm telling you—Marvin has only ever loved me. You're nothing but a dog he keeps around, a walking blood bank he can discard whenever he wants!"

She slapped me hard across the face, and a burning pain exploded across my cheeks. I bit on my lip so hard I could even taste blood.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Alyssa," I said. "You caused that car crash, and though Marvin might have destroyed the security footage, no one can escape justice forever. You'll never get away with it."

Alyssa burst into hysterical laughter like I had just said the most ridiculous thing in the world. "Justice? In Ashwood, Marvin is justice! He's erased every single piece of evidence, so right now, all the clues point to you."

She leaned close to my ear, her voice dropping to a venomous whisper. "You only have two options right now, Hannah. Either you obediently take the blame, and Marvin might actually let you live, or I'll have that orphanage director, the only family you've ever had, locked away in a psychiatric hospital!"

My pupils shrank. "Don't you dare!"

"Try me!" Alyssa snapped.

She shoved me away with a violent burst of strength, and I crashed heavily onto the floor covered in broken glass. Shards sliced into my palm, and fresh blood immediately poured from the wound.

She stood over me, looking down at me as if I were a pathetic lowlife.

"I'm giving you half a day to think about it, Hannah. If I don't see your face at the police station by midnight tonight, get ready to collect that old hag's body!"

With that, she strutted away in her heels, followed by her bodyguards.

Sitting amid the wreckage, I looked at the mess around me and clenched my fists tightly.

Suddenly, the phone rang. It was from an unknown number, and when I picked up, I realized it was from Marvin.

"So, how do you like Alyssa's little gift? If you've come to your senses, hurry up and turn yourself in!"

After hanging up, I fought through the pain in my hand and dug a first-aid kit out of the wreckage to give my wounds a simple bandage.

Alyssa's threat hung over my head like a knife.

I was greatly indebted to the orphanage director, Charlotte Gallagher. There was no way I would allow her to get hurt. I had to confront Marvin face-to-face to keep him under control and buy Nathaniel enough time to act.

I hailed a cab to Nightshade, the elite private club Marvin frequented.

The second I reached the door of his private room, I could hear a wave of raucous laughter coming from the inside.

"Hey Marvin, hasn't Hannah cracked yet? She's got quite a backbone, doesn't she?"

"Backbone? She likely just wants more money. Now that Marvin cut off her cards, she's probably crying under some bridge right now."

I threw the door open to see a room heavy with a thick cloud and cigar smoke. Marvin sat in the center of the main couch like a king holding court, while Alyssa delicately nestled in his arms.

The room instantly fell silent when everyone saw me.

Marvin raised an eyebrow as a cruel, malicious smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Well, well, if it isn't Tough-Bone Ms. Huston. What happened? Couldn't you even last that long before coming to beg for my help?"

Ignoring the mocking, amused stares from the crowd, I walked up to Marvin and demanded, "Leave Charlotte out of this, Marvin. Let's talk about the crash."

He let out a cold, dismissive scoff before pushing Alyssa aside and getting up. After walking up to me, he grabbed my chin and forced me to lift my head.

"Talk to me? What leverage do you think you have to negotiate with me right now? Get this through your head, Hannah. You're the one begging me, not the other way around."

He swung his hand away and pointed at the rows of liquor bottles lined up across the table. "If you want me to spare that old hag, sure. Get down on your knees, bow to Alyssa three times, and down every single one of these bottles. Then maybe I'll think about it."

The private lounge erupted into uproarious laughter.

"That's a brilliant move, Marvin!"

"Exactly! She's just a free nanny, yet she thought she was somebody important."

Alyssa covered her mouth and giggled, her eyes shining with evil satisfaction.

"Don't be so mean, Marvin," she said. "Ms. Huston can't handle her liquor. What if she drinks herself to death right here?"