Back then, I hadn't understood what that meant. Now I did, and in hindsight, the signs had been obvious.

Chloe was the woman buried in Miles' heart. I was just the convenient choice who could help his family claw their way back.

I stumbled out of the restaurant in a daze, my eyes burning, my parents' last bits of advice echoing in my head.

I felt sorry for them because I had lost my chance at happiness by choosing a man who didn't love me.

Since Miles didn't love me, he didn't care about my dignity or my feelings. He made me the punch line and turned the night I dreamed of most into the cruelest joke.

I walked home alone. Our place looked exactly the way I had arranged it, with candles and flowers and the silk nightgown laid out on the bed.

I covered my face and cried until the phone's ringtone cut through the silence.

"Aria, where are you?"

I swiped at my tears. "I'm—"

A crash answered me as the bedroom door flew open.

"Miles, Aria's here!"

A swarm of men poured in. My hands shook so hard that the phone slipped to the floor, and I crossed my arms over my chest on instinct.

"Don't be shy, Aria."

One guy swaggered forward, reeking of liquor. Later, I learned his name was Kurt Hale.

He spotted the silk nightgown on the bed, hooked it up with a finger, and smiled like a creep. "Miles said you needed a bit of an audience for your wedding night..."

"Get out! Cameras are monitoring every corner of this place!" I forced myself to sound calm.

Kurt only got more excited. He dropped onto the mattress beside me and looked me up and down.

"Playing the prude? Miles is with another woman right now."

"Come on." Someone snorted. "You already whored yourself out in those skimpy photos. Don't start acting like a virgin now."

"Virgin?" another jeered. "Miles put her first night up for auction. There's no way she's a virgin, or he would've never done that."

"It isn't like that!" I said as hot tears rushed out.

My best friend, Ellie Klein, shot those private photos for me, and I sent them only to Miles.

Kurt's grin thinned, and he reached for me.

Just then, laughter drifted in from the doorway. "Well, well, well. How could I possibly miss Miles' big day?"

It was Chloe's voice.

She swept in, took in the circle of men around me, and lifted a brow.

I couldn't stop staring at the hickeys on her collarbone. Our eyes met, and the smug glint in hers made my stomach drop. Could it be...

"Sorry, I'm late, Aria," she cooed. "My man wouldn't let me leave."

She brushed her hair off her shoulder, and my blood ran cold.

Miles' wedding ring was on her finger.

Chloe pulled out two drinks and handed one to me. "I missed the ceremony. Let this be my apology."

The men hooted. "Miles doesn't have the stamina, does he? Chloe can still come here and mess with Aria."

"You don't get it," another said. "Kingston Group is about to be listed. When that happens, what good is the Sterling family? Of course, Miles will toss them aside!"

I backed up until my back hit the headboard. I remembered the pills Miles had been holding earlier. Who knew if Chloe had slipped them into the glass?

"Take that away! I'm not drinking that!" I shouted.

They laughed harder.

"Aria, are you refusing me?" Chloe grabbed my wrist, yanked me closer, and leaned in.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Miles already spent his wedding night with me. As for you... Are you worried I'll drug you? Aria, you already drank it. It was the toast you made at the ceremony."

My mind reeled. The memory of the ceremony came rushing back to me.

"Aria, let's toast," Miles said.

Miles handed me a glass of champagne, his gaze so tender that I let myself drown in it. I forced down my blush and tipped the glass back in one go.

So he had drugged me then?

"Aria?" Miles' voice drifted in as he walked through the door, a warm smile on his face.

His shirt was buttoned to the collar for once, but the faint hickeys on his neck told the whole story of where he had been.

I bit my lip, my nails digging into my palms, the sharp sting keeping me clearheaded.

Miles sat beside me and put my arms down. "What are you doing? They're all my friends. Don't you trust us?"

Suddenly, it felt as though the room were spinning, and a rush of heat rose from deep inside me.

"Whoa! Miles, it looks like it's kicking in."

"Miles, is this really okay?" Kurt asked hesitantly.

Miles smirked. "Don't worry. The Sterling family's in a bind. They won't pull through anytime soon. Do what you want. I'll cover you."

I clawed at his sleeve with what little strength I had left, my tears spilling hot. "Miles, tell me... Why?"

I wanted to ask, "Why do this to me? I handed you my whole heart. Why?"

His eyes turned bloodshot as he pinched my chin and said coldly, "Aria, your family hasn't exactly kept their hands clean. This is nothing. There's more coming!"

He flung my hand away, and I crumpled onto the mattress. He didn't glance back as he wrapped an arm around Chloe and walked out. Chloe turned at the door, her eyes glinting with smug satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the men surged forward and grabbed at my clothes.

"Help... Help..." I tried to cover myself, but my arms were too heavy, and my muscles felt like jelly under the drug's influence.

In seconds, the air felt cold on my skin, and the men's stares felt hotter.

They closed in around the bed. I scrambled to crawl away, but a hand clamped around my ankle and yanked me down. More hands reached for me.

I bit down on my tongue until blood filled my mouth, and the sting jolted a flicker of strength back into me.

My mom once told me to keep a pair of scissors under my pillow for protection. Tonight, they might be the only thing that could save me.

Gritting my teeth, I edged toward the headboard as their hands dragged over my skin, whistles and filthy words buzzing all around me.

"God, this is sick..."

"She's probably still a virgin. She's pink all over. It's hard to believe Miles never touched her."

"Who cares? Her first time belongs to us!"

"Come on! Let's go together!"

A hand fumbled between my legs. My breath became ragged because of the drug's effects. Pleasure and nausea collided until my vision pricked with stars.

I clamped down harder on my tongue until drops of blood spilled from the corner of my mouth.

The man closest to me caught my jaw and slapped me. "Stop resisting!"

My fingers finally touched the cool metal under the pillow.

"Stay back!" I shouted, whipping the scissors through the air in a wild slash.

"Oh, tools! What is this, Aria? Do you like to be wild? We can play."

No one took the scissors seriously. A few even laughed.

I backed into the corner with my arms cinched around my body, my mind replaying the feel of those hands on my skin.

Then, I raised the scissors, turned the point inward, and drove them into my abdomen.

The men who had been rowdy a moment ago fell silent at once. Before they could react, I struck again. Searing pain tore through me, cutting through the drug's haze and burning it away.

"You want me dead? Fine, I'll give you what you want!"

Blood seeped into the sheets. My strength ebbed away as everything darkened, then faded to black.