Chapter 5

The beeping was the first thing she heard. A steady, rhythmic pulse that matched the throbbing in her neck. The smell of antiseptic filled her nose again.

Adriana opened her eyes. White ceiling. Hospital.

She reached up, her fingers brushing against the thick gauze wrapped around her throat. She was alive. Again.

She turned her head on the pillow. A figure was slumped in the chair beside the bed, red hair spilling over the armrest.

Janna.

Adriana's breath hitched. She looked so young. Her skin was fresh, her face relaxed in sleep. She wasn't bruised. She wasn't broken.

"Janna," Adriana whispered, the word scraping past her sore throat.

Janna jerked awake, her eyes flying open. When she saw Adriana looking at her, she gasped, leaning forward to grab her hand. "Oh my god, Adriana. You're awake. Are you in pain? Should I call the nurse?"

Tears spilled down Adriana's cheeks. She squeezed Janna's hand, holding on like it was a lifeline. "You're here. You're real."

"Of course I'm real," Janna said, her brow furrowed with concern. "I've been here all night. You scared me to death. Why would you do that?"

Before Adriana could answer, the door was thrown open. It hit the wall with a bang, making Janna jump.

Hector and Dolores Guzman strode into the room. They looked impeccable, dressed in designer clothes, their faces set in matching expressions of fury.

"What were you thinking?" Dolores demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut glass. "Do you have any idea the damage control we've had to do? The press is circling like sharks!"

Hector stood at the foot of the bed, his arms crossed over his chest. "Mills called us. He was furious. Do you want to destroy this family? Is that your goal?"

Not a single question about her health. Not a single glance at the bandages on her neck.

In the past, this would have gutted her. She would have begged for their approval, cried for their attention. But now, looking at their cold, calculating faces, all she felt was a chilling clarity.

"I'm tired," Adriana said, her voice flat. "I want to rest."

"Rest?" Dolores scoffed. "You try to kill yourself over a man, and you want to rest? You will fix this, Adriana. You will apologize to Everette, and you will make him believe it."

Adriana looked at her mother. The woman who had sold her to the highest bidder. She knew that fighting them head-on would only bring more pain. She needed to be smart.

She let her shoulders slump. She lowered her eyes, letting her face crumple into an expression of defeat. A tear rolled down her cheek, perfectly placed.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I panicked. I was so scared. I didn't mean to ruin everything."

Dolores blinked, clearly surprised by the quick surrender. Hector's frown lessened slightly.

"I'll apologize to him," Adriana continued, keeping her voice meek. "I'll tell him it was a mistake. I just need a little time to recover. Please, don't be mad at me."

Hector nodded, satisfied. "See that you do. The Mills connection is everything. Don't mess this up again."

Dolores patted her leg stiffly. "Get well soon. We have a reputation to maintain."

They walked out, leaving the door open behind them.

Janna stared at her, wide-eyed. "Adriana... are you okay? You just agreed to-"

Adriana looked up, meeting Janna's eyes. The meekness was gone. In its place was a cold, hard determination that made Janna go silent.

"I'm not apologizing," Adriana said quietly. "I'm surviving."

She closed her eyes, her mind already racing. She needed money. Her trust fund was controlled by her parents, but her grandmother's was different. She had access to that on her terms.

She needed to protect Janna. She couldn't let her friend fall into the trap that was Troy Boggs.

And she needed to get as far away from Everette Mills as humanly possible. This time, she wasn't going to just die. She was going to disappear.