Chapter 3 3

Adela dragged a massive Louis Vuitton trunk out from the back of her walk-in closet.

Her fingers were stiff and numb, trembling slightly as she gripped the leather handles. A cold sweat had begun to form on the back of her neck, mixing with her damp hair, but she forcefully pushed the rising fever down.

She pulled open her velvet jewelry drawer.

She grabbed the Van Cleef & Arpels necklace Preston gave her last year and tossed it into the trunk.

Her face remained blank as she picked up the limited-edition Hermes bracelet from Brock and threw it in.

Every single piece of jewelry, every gift she used to treat like a sacred piece of their love, was now being packed away like garbage.

She zipped the heavy trunk shut.

Without looking back, she grabbed the handle and dragged the heavy luggage out of her room.

Downstairs, the luxurious banquet hall was filled with the sound of a string quartet.

The elite socialites of the Hamptons stood in small groups, holding crystal champagne flutes.

Kalyn stood in the absolute center of the room.

She was wearing a custom Chanel haute couture gown that had originally been tailored for Adela.

Preston stood next to Kalyn, holding a drink, showing off the perfect image of the Franks family to the guests.

Adela appeared at the top of the spiral staircase, dragging the trunk behind her.

The heavy wheels hit the solid wood steps with loud, dull thuds.

The noise caught the attention of everyone in the room.

The conversations died down, and the musicians awkwardly stopped playing.

Adela walked down the stairs wearing a plain black turtleneck sweater and faded jeans.

Her cheap, casual clothes violently clashed with the expensive gowns and tuxedos surrounding her.

Preston saw her outfit, and his face instantly darkened.

He marched up to her, lowering his voice to a harsh whisper.

"Do not embarrass this family in front of these people," Preston warned.

Adela ignored him completely.

She walked right past him and headed straight for Kalyn.

Kalyn took a step backward, pretending to be terrified of Adela.

The wealthy guests started whispering, their eyes darting between the real and fake daughters.

Adela stopped in front of Kalyn and shoved the massive trunk forward.

The heavy luggage hit Kalyn's shins, forcing her to stop backing away.

Kalyn looked down at the trunk, her eyes wide.

"Sister, what is this?" Kalyn asked softly.

Adela looked around at the guests who were leaning in to listen.

She raised her voice so the entire room could hear.

"This is my apology gift for scaring you at the pool this afternoon," Adela announced clearly.

Preston let out a cold laugh.

"Do you think throwing some random junk at her makes up for what you did?" he sneered.

Adela did not argue.

She bent down and grabbed the zipper of the trunk, pulling it open.

The lid popped up.

The crystal chandeliers reflected off the diamonds, the haute couture jewelry, and the limited-edition bags packed inside.

The wealthy women in the crowd immediately recognized the priceless, discontinued items and gasped out loud.

Preston stared into the trunk.

His pupils shrank.

He recognized every single item. It was everything he and his brothers had given Adela over the last three years.