Chapter 5

Three days later.

Elizabeth sat on the white leather sofa in the penthouse. She scrolled through the digital edition of the New York Post on her phone.

There he was. Dorian Underwood, sitting in a VIP booth at a SoHo club, a blonde model draped over his lap. His smile was lazy and arrogant.

Her phone vibrated, replacing the photo with an incoming call. Kerr Goodwin.

She swiped to answer.

"Get to the estate for dinner tonight," Kerr barked through the speaker. "You've been married three days and your husband is already publicly humiliating you. You're making us look like fools."

Elizabeth stared at the city skyline. "I'll be there." She hung up before he could say another word.

At seven o'clock, her cab pulled up to the wrought-iron gates of the Goodwin estate in Long Island.

She walked through the heavy front doors alone. The air in the house was stale, thick with years of unspoken resentment.

She walked into the dining room. Kerr, Meredith, and Jami were already seated at the long mahogany table. The silence was suffocating.

Jami looked up. A fake, sympathetic pout formed on her lips. "Where's Dorian? Couldn't drag him away from the club?"

Meredith scoffed, slicing her steak with unnecessary force. "What did you expect? A man like that doesn't take a foster system stray seriously."

Elizabeth pulled out a chair and sat down. She picked up her heavy silver fork and knife, her face completely blank. She ignored them.

Her silence hit Meredith like a physical blow. The older woman slammed her hand onto the table. The crystal glasses rattled.

"You ungrateful little bitch," Meredith hissed. "We took you in. We fed you. And you destroy your sister's engagement with your filthy tricks!"

Elizabeth slowly raised her eyes. Her gaze was dead, devoid of any emotion.

"Who put the drugs in my champagne, Meredith?"

The temperature in the room plummeted. Kerr stopped chewing. He turned his head slowly, staring at his wife.

Meredith's face flushed a violent shade of red. Panic flashed in her eyes before anger swallowed it. "You lying whore! You carry the trash genes of whatever junkie left you in the system!"

Jami sniffled loudly, dabbing her dry eyes with a napkin. "Acey and I love each other. You just couldn't stand to see me happy. You had to steal him."

Elizabeth dropped her fork onto the porcelain plate. The sharp clatter made Jami jump.

Elizabeth let out a cold, hollow laugh. "Steal him? Jami, you can keep the garbage. I just took out the recycling."

Jami's face crumpled. She looked at Kerr. "Daddy, make her stop!"

Kerr threw his napkin onto the table. He pointed a thick finger at Elizabeth. "Apologize to your sister right now. You are a disgrace to this family."

Elizabeth pushed her chair back and stood up. She looked at the three of them, feeling nothing but absolute disgust.

"I came here to tell you one thing," Elizabeth said, her voice eerily calm. "I am done. I owe the Goodwin family nothing. Do not call me again."

She picked up her purse from the empty chair next to her.

Meredith shrieked. She grabbed her half-full glass of red wine and hurled the liquid across the table.

Elizabeth twisted her body, but the dark red wine splashed across the side of her black dress. It dripped down the fabric like fresh blood.

Elizabeth stopped. She turned her head slowly and locked eyes with Meredith. The sheer, murderous intent in Elizabeth's stare froze the older woman in her seat.

Elizabeth didn't say a word. She turned on her heel and walked out of the dining room, leaving the toxic rot of the Goodwin family behind her forever.