Chapter 2

Brenda let out a scoff. "Please. You're just jealous you don't have a shot like I do."

Just then, Joseph's voice echoed from outside.

Brenda's eyes lit up like Christmas morning. She shot to her feet, already smoothing her dress, ready to go out there and make sure he saw her.

She spun back and pointed a finger at me. "You—hide. Don't you dare screw this up for me."

We were twins. Same face. She was terrified I'd step out and pull his attention away from her.

But she was worrying over nothing. I had zero interest in the Don. If anything, I wanted to be as far from him as possible.

She swayed her hips out the door, and a minute later I heard her laying it on thick for Joseph. That fake-sweet voice, dripping with concern, so cloying it'd make your teeth ache.

I'd just given blood, and my body was running on empty. I curled up in a chair and let myself drift off.

When I woke, the place was dead quiet.

Checked the time. Time to head home. The elevator was taking forever, so I ducked into the stairwell.

That's when I heard voices—Joseph and his underboss, just below me.

"Don, we traced her phone. It was here at the hospital earlier—but it's moved now."

I froze. Didn't even breathe.

Neither of them noticed me.

Joseph's voice dropped to ice. "Keep it off the books. No cops."

"Maria would never go to a place like that. Something's off. And that Brenda girl—she was at the scene too damn fast. Start with her."

A pause. Then Joseph's voice again, low and venomous:

"If I find out who did this to Maria, I'm putting their whole family in the ground."

Those words hit me like a bucket of ice water. I had to move. Now.

This time, I was going to stop her.

I ran home. The second I walked through the door, I heard Brenda laughing with Mom and Dad in the living room.

Mom was fussing over her—all that money she'd dropped on the hospital bills, all that blood she'd donated—and had already stocked up on iron supplements for her.

Brenda waved it off. "No risk, no reward. Paying that bill keeps me in Joseph's orbit."

They launched into their usual fantasy—Brenda in the big house, dripping in diamonds, the don's wife.

I stepped out from the hallway and pointed straight at Brenda. "You can't do this."

The three of them went dead silent.

I grabbed Brenda's arm, trying to pull her toward the door. "Come with me. Turn yourself in. Now. It's not too late."

She shoved me off like I was dirt. "Have you lost your mind? My plan's flawless. No cameras. The car's already taken care of. As long as you keep your mouth shut, nobody's ever gonna know."

I stared at her, jaw tight. "You think rich people are as stupid as you? There are witnesses. You called the press, for God's sake—you put yourself front and center. You're not clever, Brenda. You're an idiot!"

She blinked, caught off guard for half a second—then the sneer came back. "Even if there are witnesses, nobody's gonna point at me. What's your problem, Sharon? Jealousy?"

"Try self-preservation," I shot back. "You're gonna drag this whole family down with you. If you won't go to the cops, I will."

I didn't even finish the sentence before a fist twisted in my hair.

Dad yanked me backward and drove his foot into my leg.

"No one's calling the cops!"

I crumpled to my knees, the pain shooting through me—but he wasn't done. Two hard slaps cracked across my face.

"Your sister's doing this for all of us, and you want to report her? I should've never brought you home. Never!"

Brought me home?

The words barely registered before his boot connected with my ribs again.

Brenda stood there, arms crossed, watching with a cold little smile. "Hit her harder, Dad. Make sure she stays out of my way."

Then her phone buzzed.

Her face lit up like she'd won the lottery.

"She's dead. Maria's dead. I have to get to the hospital—I have to be there for Joseph!"

She flew upstairs, changed, reapplied her makeup, and came back down in stilettos, ready to play the grieving angel.

She paused at the door and shot Mom and Dad a look.

"Keep her locked down. Don't let her ruin this for me."