Chapter 2

Summer stepped out of the suite.

Behind her, screams continued to ring out from the room she'd just left.

She pulled Ian's shirt tighter around herself and was about to head back when Moira, who was leaning against the hallway wall, grabbed her arm.

Moira stepped closer, a mocking smile playing on her lips.

“What's wrong? He doesn't want you anymore?”

She spoke quietly enough that only Summer could hear.

Summer said nothing.

Moira looked even more pleased with herself.

“And here I thought your love was so strong that even if another man had his way with you, Ian would still love you just the same.”

Summer shot her a hateful glare.

“Save it. Just remember your promise.”

Moira tilted her head slightly and glanced toward the suite where Ian had gone.

“Of course. As long as you do exactly what I say and stay away from Ian, your little secret will stay safe with me.”

Summer pressed her lips together.

“Fine. I've done what you asked. Can I leave now?”

“Not so fast, Summer. I wouldn't want you sneaking around behind my back and teaming up with Ian to fool me. So I've got something new to show you.”

Moira pulled an envelope from her purse and shoved it into Summer's hand.

“Don't open it until you've left. And remember, if I find out you're pretending to cooperate while secretly plotting against me, what's in that envelope will ruin your life for good.”

Summer felt the envelope between her fingers.

She had a pretty good idea there was a photograph inside.

She said nothing, merely staring coldly at Moira.

“Remember this, Summer. You're nothing but a bug I could crush whenever I feel like it.”

“You're cruel.”

“Cruel?” Moira's face twisted with rage. “If I were truly cruel, I'd have been the one standing beside Ian four years ago!”

For a moment, she looked ready to tear Summer apart. Only the possibility of Ian appearing at any moment seemed to hold her back.

“I'm the one who's good enough for him! We're from the same social class. You're nothing but a maid's daughter! Your shameless mother climbed into my father's bed. How could I not hate you?”

Summer clenched her fists, fighting to keep her anger under control.

“Hate me all you want. I don't care. But if you dare lay a finger on my mother, I'll make sure you go down with me, even if it kills me.”

“As long as you do what I say and stay away from Ian, nothing will happen to your mother.”

“Fine!”

Summer's chest tightened.

She turned, pulled free of Moira's grip, and headed back toward the suite.

Inside, the man she'd been in bed with was curled up on the floor, his arms covering his head as a group of bodyguards beat him.

Summer didn't say a word.

She grabbed her purse and turned to leave.

She knew that the more concern she showed for the man, the more brutally Ian would have him beaten.

She didn't care what happened to him.

What worried her was that Ian might end up killing him and ruining his own reputation in the process.

As she stepped out of the suite, she looked up and saw Ian standing beside Moira.

He'd changed into a fresh white dress shirt.

Standing together, they looked like a perfect couple.

Both attractive, both from the same world.

Summer felt a lump form in her throat, making it almost impossible to breathe.

She tightened her grip on her purse, lowered her head, and tried to hurry past them.

But the moment she got close, Ian grabbed her wrist.

His grip was so tight she thought he might crush it.

“Summer, do you even have a heart? That guy you just slept with is getting beaten half to death, and you can't even be bothered to look at him?”

“He's pathetic. All he can do is lie there and take a beating. Why would I ever want to sleep with someone like that again?”

Summer gritted her teeth, forcing herself to say the words she knew would hurt him most.

“Besides, he wasn't the only one. While you were away, I had several other guys keeping me company. And since you want to know so badly, every single one of them was better than you.”

“Shut up!”

Ian's voice shook with rage.

His handsome face was drawn so tight that the veins stood out beneath his skin.

Summer raised her free hand and pretended to brush a loose strand of hair away from her forehead.

In the same motion, she secretly wiped away a tear at the corner of her eye.

“Ian, I met you when I was eighteen. We've been together for four whole years. If you hadn't found out how greedy I really am, maybe we would've gotten married and had children.

“But now you've seen the real me. There's no point pretending anymore. If you hate me that much, if the very thought of me disgusts you, then stay away from me. Pretend we never met. Pretend we were never together.”

Ian staggered back a step.

His eyes were so red they looked almost painful.

“So that's what this comes down to? You're blaming me because I couldn't satisfy you?”

“I'm not blaming you. I'm the one who wanted too much.”

Ian suddenly released her wrist.

Summer felt something inside her go hollow.

Slap!

Her head snapped to the side.

Moira lowered her hand, still seething.

“That was for Ian, Summer! You were together for four years! Are you seriously telling me those random guys you slept with meant more to you than everything you had with him?”

Summer gave a cold laugh and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

“Yes. They did.”