Chapter 3

I had to see. I had to understand how deep this went.

I took my car keys.

The Vineyard Tap was crowded, noisy.

I saw Derek near the entrance, scanning the room. He hadn't seen me yet.

He was looking for Chloe, ready to play hero.

I moved through the crowd, my eyes searching.

There.

A small, secluded booth in the corner.

Chloe.

Tears streamed down her face. Perfect, glistening tears.

Ethan was beside her, arm around her shoulder, murmuring softly.

He looked up, saw me. His expression hardened.

Chloe followed his gaze. Her eyes widened.

She let out a small, theatrical gasp.

She shrank back against Ethan, clutching his arm.

"Ava! No, please!" she cried, her voice trembling.

As if I was about to attack her.

Ethan stood up, shielding Chloe.

"Ava, what are you doing here?" he demanded, his voice low and angry.

Derek pushed through the crowd, reaching the booth.

"Ava! I told you to leave her alone!" he yelled.

He moved to stand with Ethan, a protective wall in front of Chloe.

Liam appeared, materializing from the throng as if summoned.

He must have come with Derek.

"See?" Liam said, his voice filled with righteous anger, pointing at me. "She can't even leave Chloe alone here. She's harassing her."

"I came to talk," I said, my voice barely audible over the bar noise and their accusations.

"Talk? Or torment?" Ethan shot back.

Chloe sobbed louder, burying her face in Ethan's shoulder.

"She's always been like this," Liam declared to the small crowd of onlookers we were attracting. "Remember that charity auction? For the scholarship fund? My scholarship fund?"

I remembered. Chloe had "accidentally" spilled wine all over my presentation notes just before I went on stage. I'd stumbled through my speech. Chloe had looked horrified, apologizing profusely.

"Ava humiliated Chloe that night," Liam continued, his voice ringing with conviction. "She made it seem like Chloe ruined her speech on purpose. But Chloe was just trying to help. Ava was so cold, so dismissive of Chloe's apology."

A complete distortion. Chloe's blog entry about the auction had been smug. "Operation Sabotage Speech: Success. Ava looked like a fool. Liam bought my tears."

"And the pendant," Liam pressed on, his face flushed. "Her family's sapphire pendant. Chloe told me Ava accused her of trying to steal it. Chloe just admired it. She would never steal anything."

The pendant. My grandmother's.

Chloe's blog again: "Almost got the sapphire. Ava walked in. Had to pretend I was just looking. Next time."

They stood there, Ethan, Derek, Liam. My fiancé, my step-brother, my mentee.

Three men I cared about.

Three men completely blinded by her.

Chloe peeked out from Ethan's shoulder, a flicker of something unreadable in her tear-filled eyes before she resumed her heartbroken facade.

She was good. Masterful.