on

le bag; everything I had left in the world and watched Dustin's smug face disappear behind the man

river's voice cut throu

But as the car pulled away from the curb, the adrenaline that had carried me throu

he'd shoved those photographs against my chest. The staged shots of me limp in that

eyes filled with concern, not hunger. The way he'd carried me upstairs, gentle despite his obv

this. That's t

mbling around me, my body remembered the way he'd traced my bare breast with his

truly seen me, never made me feel the way a stranger had in one night. Dustin had touched my body countless time

lanced at me in the rearview mirror, c

cracked. Because I wasn't fine. I

ned tracks down my cheeks. I pressed my palm against my m

ned together. Three years of supporting his dreams while hiding my own identity, my

cking foo

et in the cool evening air. "Take your time," he said

n anger against her father, so desperate to forge her own path that she'd walked away from everything. The girl who'd fallen in love with the wrong man and convinced her

ng else stirred. Something hot

eriority, Paige with her vicious triumph. They had no idea who they were de

heiress who'd been playing t

, but something fierce burning in my gaze. This wasn't how I'd planned to return home. I'd imagined it would be on my

awling back broke

I'd spent too long trying to be someone I wasn't

settling back into hi

now, steel threading throug

, I found myself thinking ab

ext, wherever this path led me, I'd carry that night with me. The reminder that I was more than just a dis

and reality hit me like a slap. The sight of those familiar iron bars sen

id apologetically. "Private estate. They don't allow pu

. The main house was still a good half-mile down the private road-a deliberate is

iress to a billion-dollar empire, standing at the gates like a beggar bec

wasn't surprised about, because I knew my father would be able t

ate gate," I said th

you," his voice was measured, careful, "but he wo

anipulative mother, stealing the place that should have been mine. I'd never even met him-had refused to, actually. I'd left ho

mily's empire, so I heard, while I'd bee

nding the call befor

The driver who stepped out was unfamiliar-o

racticed deference. "The Chair

This wasn't home anymore. Home was supposed to be the mansion I'd ju

ugh these same grounds. The fights with Dad after she died. The night I'd packed my bags, screaming that I

se and never come

ay, building a life that was supposed t

cular failure

fe-was probably preparing for my return with barely concealed glee. The prodigal daughter, crawling ba

s coming home, but not as the daughter who'd le

ing da

e their first mistake wh

d be th