Chapter 2

I hesitated. The ghosts of my first life clung to me, whispering warnings.

"Mrs. O'Connell," I said softly, "what I do carries risks. And I've learned to be cautious."

"I understand," Bridget pleaded, tears welling. "But Liam... he's all I have. I'll take any risk. Please."

Her desperation was a stark contrast to Eleanor Vanderbilt's entitled demands.

I looked into her honest, grieving eyes. This was different. This wasn't for a Vanderbilt.

"Alright, Mrs. O'Connell. I will see your son."

A few days later, the Vanderbilt charity gala was in full swing. New York's elite glittered, oblivious to the undercurrents of desperation and deceit.

I was there at Bridget's insistence, a quiet observer.

Then, a stir at the entrance.

Veronica Croft made her grand return, looking artfully disheveled, a single, exotic-looking orchid clutched in her hand.

"I have it!" she announced, her voice ringing with triumph. "The Healing Orchid of the Amazon! Ethan will walk again!"

A murmur of excitement rippled through the crowd. Ethan, wheeled to the front, looked at her with adoration.

Eleanor, however, shot me a quick, almost imperceptible glance. Her earlier confidence in Veronica seemed to have waned.

"Miss Hayes," Eleanor said, her voice carefully neutral, drawing me forward. "Perhaps you could offer your expert opinion on this... specimen."

Veronica bristled. "My orchid needs no validation from *her*." She looked down her nose at me. "While some rely on outdated notions, I braved the perils of the jungle for a true cure."

She turned to the assembled doctors and medical experts. "You all said it was impossible. You said Ethan was a lost cause. But I, Veronica Croft, have proven you wrong!"

Ethan beamed. "She's incredible, isn't she? My Veronica. Unlike some so-called healers who offer nothing but insults." His glare was fixed on me.

I remained calm, my composure a deliberate counterpoint to Veronica's theatrical display.

"An interesting bloom, Miss Croft," I said evenly. "Though its medicinal properties are, as yet, unproven in this context."

My calmness seemed to infuriate her more than any argument.

"Unproven?" Veronica scoffed. "Are you questioning my sacrifice? My discovery?"

She stepped closer, her eyes blazing. "I'll prove it. And I'll prove you for the fraud you are."

She raised her voice for all to hear. "I challenge you, Amelia Hayes! A bet! I will cure Ethan with my orchid. You... you try to wake Liam O'Connell. He's been in a coma for weeks. A much harder task, wouldn't you agree?"

The crowd gasped. This was better than any entertainment.

"The loser," Veronica declared, her voice dripping with malice, "will be publicly shamed. Ostracized from every circle in this city. We'll reveal the results in ten days. What do you say, Miss Hayes? Or are you afraid?"

Ethan smirked, clearly relishing the prospect of my humiliation.

I met Veronica's challenging gaze. "A public shaming? How dramatic."

Then, I smiled. "Alright, Miss Croft. I accept your bet."

But I added a condition, my eyes flicking to Ethan, then back to her.

"I will awaken Liam O'Connell. And you, Miss Croft, will attempt to cure Mr. Vanderbilt. Ten days. Let the best... methods... prevail."

The wager was set. The media would have a field day.