Before I could finish, Lily ripped the phone out of my hand and slammed it onto the floor.

"You penniless little freeloader, you really thought you could call for backup? What, your trashy relatives gonna come mooch with you?"

Her friends jumped in.

"A lowlife maid playing dress-up. Pathetic."

"Some people just love climbing over their station the second they get a chance."

"Lily, you're too soft. I'd have thrown her out a long time ago."

The praise lit Lily up. She reached out to shove me. "Hear that? Everyone wants you gone."

When she lunged, the cross necklace at her throat caught the light.

My eyes locked on it. I grabbed her wrist. "Where did you get this necklace?"

"My mom bought it for me, obviously." She yanked her arm free.

"You're lying. My mother prayed for that necklace. For me." My voice was shaking and I couldn't stop it.

After the crash, the hospital had given me up more than once.

My mother went to the church every day, devastated, praying.

She knelt in 100-plus-degree heat for seven straight days — that was how she earned that cross.

Maybe heaven took pity on her. A week later, I came back from the ICU.

But my mother never recovered.

On her deathbed, she pressed the necklace into my palm and told me to keep it forever.

That necklace was the last thing my mother left me. Nothing on this earth was more precious to me. I would never let anyone take it.

I lunged for it.

Before I could touch her, Lily ripped the necklace off and held it high above her head.

"Want it? Get on your knees."

I shook with rage. My nails dug into my palms until they bled.

"Don't push this."

"Or what?" She tossed her hair and looked at me with contempt. "You're a cheap little maid. I'm the lady of the house. Who are you to talk back to me?"

She looked down at me.

"I'll count to three. Get on your knees, or I'm throwing it in the fireplace."

"One… two…"

I bit down on my lip until I tasted blood.

My legs felt like lead, but in the end I knelt down on the cold floor.

I bowed my head and pressed my forehead to the ground.

Lily threw her head back and laughed. She stood over me, looking down.

"Since you're being so good, you can have it back."

The next second, she opened her hand.

The necklace slipped from her fingers and dropped straight into the flames.

"NO —"

I watched my mother's last gift turn to ash.

Something inside me snapped. I stood up and slapped her across the face.

"You little bitch — you dare to hit me?!"

Lily clutched her cheek and screamed. "What are you all standing around for? Hold her down! I'll give ten grand to whoever helps me teach this whore a lesson!"

The mention of cash got them moving. They came at me.

Three or four of them pinned me to the floor and twisted my arms behind my back.

Lily crouched down, grabbed my chin, and gave me a cold smile.

"You hit me? Today I'm going to teach you what happens when you forget your place."

She stood up and grabbed a fruit knife off the coffee table.

"You like getting in my face so much. Let's see how confident you are after I open up your cheeks."

When I saw the blade, my blood went cold. "Are you insane?"

Even her friends recoiled. "Lily, you're not actually going to —"

"What's the big deal? She's just a maid."

Lily crouched in front of me with the knife. The point pressed against my cheek.

The cold metal stung my skin.

"Got nothing to say now? In this estate, my word is law."

"Lily. You're going to regret this."

I struggled against the hands holding me, forcing each word through my teeth.

The room burst out laughing, like I'd just told the funniest joke in the world.

"Regret? Mrs. Hayes is a millionaire. Who the hell are you?"

"You're a hired cook. Just take your punishment."

Lily pressed harder. Pain spread through my cheek.

She gave me an icy smile. "Regret? I've never regretted anything in my life. I'd love to see you try. You wanted to play the victim and earn my mom's pity, didn't you? I'll cut your face up so badly you won't be able to fake it anymore."

She started to push the blade in —

— and the doors flew open as a fleet of black Lincoln town cars came roaring up the drive.