Chapter 4

"Why?" The word was a croak.

Ethan scoffed. "Still bitter we chose Chloe over you with Rocco? She was terrified. You' re stronger."

Stronger? I almost died.

"I was left with a criminal," I said, my voice trembling. "He tried to... to hurt Comet. To hurt me."

Liam helped Chloe to a bench, fussing over her like she was made of glass.

"Rocco wouldn' t dare harm a Sterling rider for long," Liam said dismissively. "Stop the drama, Sarah. Chloe needed us."

Drama? My father' s security team had pulled me out moments before Rocco' s men could cause a "stable accident" meant to end my career, or my life.

"Mr. Finch," I turned to him, a desperate plea in my voice. "Where were you? Why didn' t you come for me? Why didn' t you even call?"

A flicker of something – guilt? – crossed his face before it hardened.

"I was... busy," he said. "Ensuring Chloe' s emotional recovery. She was traumatized by the ordeal."

The lilies. Their scent was overwhelming.

I remembered another time, another field of lilies.

I was small, hidden in the tall grass, watching my mother ride.

A flash of color, a spooked horse, a sickening thud.

Lilies everywhere, their scent forever linked to that horror.

Mr. Finch had found me then, a traumatized child, mute with shock.

He' d been so kind. He, Ethan, and Liam had been fiercely protective of me for years.

Until Chloe.

Chloe Davis arrived on scholarship, all wide eyes and humble gratitude.

She' d been so sweet, so eager to please.

Then the little things started.

Chloe "accidentally" spraining her wrist after I suggested a new training exercise, claiming my advice was too aggressive.

Chloe catching a "terrible chill" after insisting on mucking out stalls in a snowstorm, implying I' d forced her to do it while I stayed warm.

Each incident, small on its own, painted a picture of me as careless, even malicious.

Ethan and Liam, once my staunchest defenders, started looking at me with disappointment.

Mr. Finch began to gently reprimand me, to praise Chloe' s resilience, her gentle nature.

He' d brought her in, he said, out of compassion.

"She' s an orphan, Sarah, with nowhere else to go. Just for a little while, until she' s on her feet."

He' d promised me, "You' re my star, Sarah. No one can replace you."

But Chloe stayed. And slowly, I was eclipsed.

I' d tried to be kind to Chloe, to help her.

But it was like trying to hold smoke.