Chapter 3

A few weeks later, my phone rang. It was my mother, her voice frantic.

"Ellie, it's Leo. He's in trouble, real trouble this time. The police..."

My younger brother, Leo, who I' d practically raised after our parents divorced and Dad disappeared.

He had a knack for finding minor scrapes, but this sounded serious.

"What happened?" I asked, my own anxieties momentarily pushed aside.

"Some stupid fight, a misunderstanding, but they're talking about assault charges, Ellie. He needs a good lawyer, someone Marcus..."

Her voice trailed off, the unspoken plea hanging in the air.

Marcus.

The last person I wanted to ask for anything.

But Leo was my brother, and Mom was already frail, her heart weak.

I found Marcus in his study, on a video call, looking important.

He motioned for me to wait, finishing his call with a crisp, authoritative tone.

"What is it?" he asked, not looking up from his papers.

I explained Leo' s situation, my voice tight with the effort of asking.

He listened, a small, unreadable smile playing on his lips.

"Assault, you say? Not good for the family image."

He leaned back in his chair. "I can make a call, get him the best. But..."

There was always a 'but' with Marcus.

"But what?"

"Skyler was rather upset by your attitude on set the other day. She felt you were unprofessional, perhaps even jealous."

I stared at him, speechless. Unprofessional? Jealous? I' d barely said two words.

"She' s the face of a new charity campaign I' m backing. There' s a gala next week. I want you there, by my side. And I want you to apologize to Skyler. Publicly. For your rudeness."

My blood ran cold. Apologize to her? For an imagined slight?

"Marcus, that' s insane. I did nothing."

"My terms, Ellie. Or Leo can take his chances with a public defender."

He knew I couldn't refuse. For Leo. For my mother.

The night of the gala was a nightmare.

I wore a dress Marcus had picked out, feeling like a doll on display.

Skyler was radiant, soaking up the attention, Marcus glued to her side.

During a lull in the speeches, Marcus led me to their table.

"Skyler, darling," he said, his voice smooth as silk. "Ellie has something she wants to say to you."

All eyes were on us. I could feel the flush creep up my neck.

"Skyler," I began, my voice trembling, "I... I apologize if my behavior on set caused you any distress. It was unintentional."

The words tasted like ash in my mouth.

Skyler smiled, a triumphant, venomous little smirk. "Apology accepted, Ellie. Though, do try to be more professional in the future."

Marcus beamed, patting my arm. "Good girl."

I needed a drink, anything to numb the burning shame.

I downed a glass of champagne, then another.

The room started to tilt.

The throbbing in my head intensified, and a wave of violent nausea hit me.

I barely made it to the restroom before I was sick, retching uncontrollably.

My body was screaming, a protest against the poison of his cruelty and my own forced submission.

Marcus found me there, pale and shaking.

"Pull yourself together, Ellie," he hissed, his eyes cold. "You' re making a scene."

He made the call for Leo the next day. The charges were reduced, then dropped.

He' d kept his word, a transaction completed.

The cost, as always, was mine to bear.