But when her gaze swept over me, her body trembled slightly.

"Someone like me could never afford to cross wealthy, powerful ladies like you. Noel, I was too naive. I thought love could conquer anything. I'm not worthy of you. Please, just let me go. I don't want to end up dead for no reason one day."

Noel's brows knotted tight, his eyes fixed on me with open hostility.

"Explain."

I lowered my hand, revealing my swollen, reddened cheek.

"You should ask her what she said to me."

"Ms. Simmons!" Florence shrieked, her voice shrill enough to cut glass. "Fine, I slapped you! But only because you threatened my parents' lives! They're ordinary people! If hitting me back will make you feel better, go ahead. I'm begging you, just don't hurt them."

My eyes burned red with fury. "You're lying. You were the one who—"

"Enough." Noel's voice cut through like a blade, cold and final. He looked at me with undisguised disappointment. "Brooklyn, I've spoiled you rotten."

"You think just because you have no parents, I won't touch you?"

Maybe I'd seen it coming. Maybe my heart had gone cold a long time ago.

I laughed, a hollow, useless sound. My eye sockets burned so badly they ached. "So how exactly do you plan to stand up for your precious darling?"

He walked toward me, slow and deliberate, and tore the protective charm necklace from my throat. The one he'd made with his own hands when he earned his first real money.

Then he turned to his assistant.

"Call the police. My wife committed theft. Caught red-handed."

I forgot how to move. My mind went blank.

Noel's rise had never been gentle. He was used to being ruthless.

I had been his only soft spot.

Right or wrong never mattered. He always chose his people over the truth.

And now the person driving the knife into my chest was him.

Noel rubbed his thumb across the charm, his cold features growing more and more unrecognizable through my blurred vision.

"Brooklyn, you've been very disobedient. Go in and reflect on that for a few days."

"Don't worry, it won't be long. When you come out, I'll put the necklace back on you myself."

I twisted my lips into something that might have been a smile.

I watched the officers walk in. As the cuffs closed around my wrists, I pulled my hand free of his grip, my face perfectly blank.

The sudden emptiness in his palm made Noel frown. He stared at my retreating back, seized by the irrational feeling that he would never hold on to me again.

He was about to step forward when Florence caught his arm first.

"Noel, thank you for standing up for me. I was so scared just now."

Noel clicked his tongue and pinched her cheek, indulgent as ever. "What do you want as compensation?"

Florence plucked the charm from his hand with a grin and tossed it into the trash.

When his expression shifted, she immediately let her eyes redden with hurt. "Is it that important?"

She made a show of reaching for the trash can. "I'll fish it out for you, then. You two have known each other since you were kids. Even if she hurt me, I don't want to put you in a difficult position."

Noel pulled her in by the waist, his heart melting completely. "Nothing's more important than you. Don't dirty your hands. Here, take my black card. Buy whatever you want."

Florence puffed her cheeks and refused. "I don't want your money. I only love you."

"Yes, yes, yes. I'm the one who wants to spend it on you. If you don't let me, I won't feel right."

Only then did Florence accept the card, making a reluctant show of it.

Three days later, I was led out of the detention cell in a daze.

Taken straight to a private lounge at a members-only club.

I pushed the door open. There on the couch, dead center, sat Noel and Florence, sharing a single grape between their lips.

The grape slipped. They fell into a deep, tangled kiss.

The men and women scattered around them whooped and hollered loud enough to shake the walls.

I didn't know how long I stood there before Noel finally noticed me in the doorway.

His eyes locked onto my gaunt, colorless face, and his expression darkened instantly. "What happened? Did someone give you trouble in there?"

Before I could say a word, Florence let out a sharp, mocking laugh.

"You really know how to play a man, Brooklyn. With your history with Noel, who would dare bully you? That sickly makeup is impressively realistic, though. Must've taken you ages."

Noel had been about to stand, but her words made him settle back into his seat.

He tapped out a cigarette, leaned toward the lighter Florence held up, and lit it.

Smoke curled across his face, blurring his features. Only his eyes were clear, fixed on me with barely concealed irritation.

"Since you've had time to reflect, come apologize to Florence."

Florence sat nestled against Noel's chest in a white dress, the picture of innocence, swirling a glass of something strong in her hand.

"I don't actually want to make things hard for you."

"But you insulted my parents. Anyone would be upset, right?"

She paused, then gasped with exaggerated surprise. "Oh, I forgot. Your parents dumped you when you were little. If it weren't for Noel, you'd have starved to death."

I said nothing.

Noel sat stone-faced. He didn't say a word either.

Florence set the glass on the coffee table with a smile. "Drink up."

I lowered my head. "I'm sorry."

Florence shook her head. "Words are cheap. That's not sincere enough. This is 120-proof. Drink it."

I stared at the green liquid fizzing in the glass, and instinctively looked toward Noel.

During the years I'd stood beside him while he built his empire, I'd destroyed my stomach lining at one business dinner after another.

Every time I drank, I ended up in the ICU.

After that, Noel never let me touch alcohol again.

But the man sitting in front of me now just blew out a lazy smoke ring, his expression as indifferent as if he were commenting on the weather.

"Brooklyn, it's one glass. Your tolerance isn't that bad."

I'd stopped expecting anything from him a long time ago. But my chest still clenched, tight and involuntary.

I picked up the glass and drank it down.

The burn seared a path from my throat to my stomach. A heavy weight dropped through my lower abdomen, and the pain sent me stumbling two steps sideways.

"Ms. Simmons holds her liquor so well. Why not finish the rest while you're at it?"

Florence pointed to the row of colorful drinks lined up on the table.

My expression went cold.

Florence turned to Noel, eyes brimming with hurt. "Noel, she called me a homewrecker. She threatened to kill my parents. After all that emotional damage, is it really too much to ask for this tiny bit of compensation?"

"Of course not." Noel pulled her closer and ground his cigarette into the ashtray, matter-of-fact. "Brooklyn, I'd like to help you, but you went too far. Do what Florence says. Once she's satisfied, you can make amends."

I nodded calmly.

Pressing one hand against my abdomen where the pain twisted like a knife, I reached for the decanter on the table. "A few glasses aren't enough to make amends. I'll finish the bottle."

When the bottle hit the floor, I couldn't hold it back anymore. Blood sprayed from my mouth, spattering the tiles. My legs gave out and I crumpled to the ground.

Florence recoiled several steps, wrinkling her nose. "Ms. Simmons, it was just one bottle. Did you really have to bring a blood pack?"

That was all it took to convince Noel. He pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation. "Enough. How long are you going to keep up this act? Florence has been more than generous. Stop embarrassing yourself and get up."

I didn't speak. I just lifted my head and looked at him.

The woman closest to me suddenly screamed.

"Blood. Her pants are soaked in blood. That's... she's having a miscarriage..."

I met Noel's eyes as every drop of color drained from his face. And for the first time all day, I smiled. A real one.

"Your child is hers now too. Is that enough?"