Chapter 4

Arthur got out of the driver's seat. He walked around the back of the limo and opened Leland's door. He stood at attention.

He did not open Ella's door.

Ella pushed the heavy door open herself. The icy Manhattan wind hit her bare legs instantly. She shivered, clutching the black paper bag to her chest, and stepped onto the greasy asphalt.

Leland didn't walk toward the bright lights of the lobby. He pointed a manicured finger at the dull metal service door.

"You don't get to walk through the front doors of a Campbell event," Leland said, his voice dripping with venom. "In there."

Ella nodded. She followed him into the building.

The heat of the hotel kitchen hit her like a physical blow. The air was thick with the smell of searing meat, truffle oil, and sweat.

Line cooks and waiters in white aprons paused their chopping. They stared at the pale, skinny girl in the faded blue dress trailing behind the billionaire. Their eyes held a mix of raw curiosity and blatant pity.

Ella kept her eyes on the floor.

Leland led her to a massive, dented metal freight elevator. They stepped inside. The doors rattled shut, and the elevator jerked upward to the second floor.

When the doors opened, they stepped out into a narrow, unlit corridor. It was a hidden passageway used by audio-visual technicians.

The entire right wall of the corridor was a massive two-way mirror.

Through the glass, the grand ballroom of the Four Seasons exploded in a riot of color and light. Crystal chandeliers cast a warm, golden glow over hundreds of guests in tuxedos and evening gowns.

In the dead center of the room stood Ashlyn.

She wore a custom haute couture gown. It was midnight blue, covered in thousands of tiny Swarovski crystals that caught the light with her every movement. She looked like a flawless, untouchable princess.

Leland stepped up behind Ella. He stood so close she could feel the heat radiating from his suit.

"Look at her," Leland whispered harshly in her ear.

Ella kept her face perfectly still. She watched the scene unfold.

The ballroom lights suddenly dimmed. A single, blinding white spotlight snapped on, illuminating Ashlyn and the man standing across from her.

Caleb Thorne.

He was the heir to the Thorne financial empire. He was also the boy who had kissed Ella in the rain four years ago and promised he would never let her family hurt her.

Caleb dropped to one knee. He pulled a velvet box from his pocket. The diamond inside was the size of a robin's egg. It flashed violently under the spotlight.

The crowd erupted into applause. Women gasped. Ashlyn covered her mouth with both hands, weeping perfect, delicate tears.

Leland's breath hit Ella's neck. "Did you really think Caleb would wait for a psycho? He never loved you. You were just a charity case."

He waited for Ella to break. He waited for the tears, the screaming, the jealous rage that Dr. Finch had documented in the medical files he had paid so handsomely for.

Ella watched Caleb slip the ring onto Ashlyn's finger.

Her heart didn't ache. Her chest didn't tighten. She felt absolutely nothing but a cold, heavy sense of absurdity. It was like watching a bad play performed by strangers.

She turned her head slowly. She looked Leland dead in the eye.

"When can I go out there and apologize?" Ella asked. Her tone was as casual as if she were asking for the time.

Leland's face fell. His eyes widened slightly in shock, followed immediately by a surge of furious red creeping up his neck. He had wanted to break her, and her apathy felt like a slap to his face.

"Down the hall," Leland snarled, pointing a shaking finger into the darkness. "There's a staff restroom. Put that ugly dress on. And don't you dare come out until I send someone for you."