Chapter 2

Weeks passed.

An invitation arrived, embossed with the Davenport crest. A charity gala.

A handwritten note from Mrs. Davenport was tucked inside.

"Elara, my dear, I know our last meeting was... difficult. But Veronica has returned with the Sunpetal Orchid. She insists it will work. Would you consider attending the gala? Perhaps... discreetly assess it? For my peace of mind."

Discreetly assess a flower. Right. She was still hoping.

The gala was a sea of diamonds and forced smiles.

Veronica Sterling was the star, of course. She clung to Ethan' s arm, her smile radiant as she presented a wilting, ordinary-looking flower on a velvet cushion. The "miraculous" Sunpetal Orchid.

"Isn't it wonderful, darling?" she cooed at Ethan, loud enough for everyone to hear. "Soon, you'll be walking again. And then, our wedding!"

Ethan beamed, his eyes full of adoration for her. "The biggest wedding Boston has ever seen, my love."

Then Veronica saw me. Her smile tightened.

She glided over, Ethan in his motorized chair following her like a devoted pet.

"Well, well, look who it is," Veronica announced, her voice dripping with scorn. "The famous folk healer, Elara Vance. Or should I say, charlatan?"

The crowd quieted, turning to watch.

"It seems your... traditional methods failed where true dedication succeeded," Veronica continued, gesturing to her sad little orchid. "I traveled to the ends of the earth for Ethan."

A few prominent doctors, men the Davenports had consulted and dismissed before I was ever called in my first life, murmured nearby. I could hear their skepticism about Veronica's "find."

"She's right, you know," Ethan chimed in, his voice full of disdain for me. "Veronica is a miracle worker. You couldn't do a thing."

He looked at me like I was something he' d scraped off his shoe. The same look he' d given me for years in our miserable marriage.

I met Veronica's smug gaze. Ethan' s contempt was a familiar sting, but this time, it fueled a cold fire within me.

"A miracle worker?" I repeated, a slight smile playing on my lips. "Is that so?"

Veronica bristled. "Are you doubting me?"

"Not at all," I said smoothly. "I'm merely curious about results."

"My results will speak for themselves!" Veronica snapped. "Ethan will walk!"

Ethan puffed up his chest. "She's right! This orchid is the key!"

Goaded by their arrogance, an idea sparked. A dangerous, public idea.

"Alright then," I said, my voice clear and carrying through the sudden hush. "Let's make a wager."

Veronica's eyes narrowed. "A wager?"

"Ten days," I declared. "Let's see if your orchid gets Ethan walking, or if I can wake Liam McKenna from his coma."

A collective gasp went through the attendees. Liam McKenna. Everyone knew his situation was dire.

"The loser," I continued, my gaze fixed on Veronica, "publicly admits their incompetence. And they will be ostracized from Boston's elite circles. No more parties, no more respect. A social death."

Veronica' s eyes gleamed with malice. The chance to utterly humiliate me was too tempting for her to resist.

"You're on, charlatan!" she spat. "It will be my pleasure to see you ruined."

Ethan, ever her champion, laughed. "I'm betting a considerable sum on Veronica, of course! Prepare for your downfall, Vance!"

The high-society crowd buzzed with excitement. A real-life drama, better than any theater.