Chapter 2
The Betrayal
An hour earlier, Victoria had been smiling at her guests, her cold fingers adjusting the diamond necklace at Aria’s throat.
She had leaned in close, her breath smelling of mint and champagne as she whispered into Aria’s ear: Mr. Vance is a generous man. He’s powerful enough to save our family enterprise.
Moments later, Victoria had shoved her into the upstairs master suite, locked the heavy mahogany door from the outside, and left Aria alone with a man old enough to be her grandfather.
When Aria resisted, Victoria had struck her across the face so hard the room spun. When Aria wept, Victoria told her that gratitude sounds best in silence. And the moment the old man reached for a wine glass on the nightstand, Aria’s eyes locked onto the bathroom window.
She didn’t think. She just ran.
Now, the howling storm swallowed her cries as she burst onto the empty, slick asphalt of the main road.
Suddenly, a pair of headlights cut through the gloom. Out of the darkness, a sleek black sedan materialized, moving fast and silent, its tires hissing against the flooded pavement. Aria threw herself into the middle of the road, raising both hands.
“Please… stop… please…”
The brakes shrieked. The car skidded sideways, coming to a halt so close that the radiant heat of the hood brushed against her bare knees.
May you like
For one agonizing second, nothing moved. Then, Aria rushed to the passenger window, slamming her palms against the tinted glass.
“Help me! I beg you! Don’t leave me here!”
