Chapter 3 3

Augustina changed into a cheap, oversized hoodie the hospital nurses had bought from a discount store.

She walked out of the sliding glass doors of Cedars-Sinai. The midnight Los Angeles wind whipped her damp hair across her face.

A black Lincoln Navigator idled by the curb.

The family driver, Gus Kowalski, stood by the hood. He didn't move to open the door for her. He just chewed his gum and looked away.

Augustina didn't wait. She pulled the heavy door open herself and climbed into the very back row, squeezing into the narrowest seat.

Cindy and Kayleigh were already settled in the spacious, reclining captain's chairs in the second row. The heavy scent of Chanel No. 5 suffocated the air inside the cabin.

The SUV pulled smoothly away from the curb and merged onto the interstate heading toward Bel Air.

The interior was dead silent. The only sound was the low hum of the climate control system.

Cindy couldn't handle the quiet. She turned slightly in her seat, her tone dripping with condescension.

"Your behavior in front of those nurses was appalling," Cindy scolded. "Gulping water down like a refugee. You have no concept of high society etiquette."

Kayleigh reached out and gently patted Cindy's hand.

"Don't be too hard on her, Mom," Kayleigh said, her voice sickeningly sweet. "She just doesn't know any better."

Kayleigh paused, making sure Augustina was listening. "By the way, Mom, I need to go to the Ivy League alumni fitting tomorrow morning. The tailor is flying in from Milan."

It was a blatant display of power. A reminder of the elite resources and status Augustina would never touch.

Augustina leaned her head against the cold glass of the window. She didn't even blink.

She watched the streetlights blur past, her mind already calculating how fast she could liquidate whatever assets she could grab and disappear.

Cindy frowned. Augustina's lack of reaction felt like a direct challenge to her authority.

Cindy twisted her body around to glare at the back row.

"Are you listening to me?" Cindy snapped. "Tomorrow morning, you will stand in the living room and formally apologize to Kayleigh in front of the entire family."

Augustina slowly turned her head.

Her dark eyes locked onto Cindy in the dim light of the cabin.

She kept her voice completely flat, devoid of any emotion.

"No."

Cindy gasped. Her hand flew to her chest. She couldn't believe this girl, who usually craved her approval like a starving dog, had just flat-out refused.

Kayleigh's fingernails dug hard into her own palms. A flicker of genuine panic crossed her face.

In the driver's seat, Gus glanced in the rearview mirror. He shook his head in disgust, assuming this was just another pathetic cry for attention.

Before Cindy could scream, the Navigator took a sharp turn. The tires crunched onto the private driveway of the Bel Air estate.

Massive wrought-iron gates swung open, revealing a sprawling, brightly lit European-style mansion.

The SUV stopped in front of a towering fountain. Two rows of servants stood at attention on the front steps, holding umbrellas.

Gus threw the car into park and rushed out. He opened the doors for Cindy and Kayleigh, holding a large umbrella over their heads to shield them from the drizzle.

Augustina pushed open her own door.

She stepped out. Her foot landed squarely in a deep puddle on the stone pavement.

The freezing water instantly soaked through her cheap canvas shoes, chilling her toes to the bone. She didn't even look down.

A butler rushed forward, handing Kayleigh a warm, thick towel. He completely ignored Augustina, leaving her standing in the rain.

Augustina tilted her head back and stared at the massive structure.

This was the cage that had buried her dignity in her past life.

She took a deep breath of the cold air. Her jaw set. She walked up the pristine white marble steps with heavy, deliberate strides.