Chapter 2

Leo' s face went dark with rage. "Ashley, what the hell are you doing?"

I held up a hand, stopping him. I turned to Ashley, my voice dangerously calm.

"He's buying it for me. Now get out."

Ashley looked shocked. She wasn't used to being challenged. She stared at me, then at Leo, then back at me, her mouth opening and closing like a fish.

Finally, she let out a frustrated scream and stormed out of the gallery, slamming the door behind her.

Leo rushed to my side. "Chloe, are you okay? I'm so sorry, I had no idea she'd..."

"I'm fine, Leo." I touched my cheek. It was already starting to swell. "Let's just go home."

The drive to the Upper East Side townhouse was tense. Leo kept apologizing. I just stared out the window at the city lights. I knew this was only the beginning.

We walked into the grand foyer to the sound of sobbing.

There was Ashley, collapsed on a velvet settee, our mother, Eleanor, stroking her hair.

"Oh, my poor girl," Eleanor was saying. "It's alright."

Ashley's voice was a pathetic whimper. "This... this woman, Mom. She seduced Leo. She was horrible to me. She mocked me for being from the Rust Belt, for being poor."

She held up her bare wrist.

"And she stole my watch! The vintage one you gave me for my birthday. She just ripped it right off my wrist!"

Eleanor looked up, her face a mixture of pity and anger. "Leo, what is the meaning of this?"

That's when I stepped out from behind him.

Ashley saw me. Her eyes widened. She pointed a shaking finger at me, her voice rising with theatrical outrage.

"That's her! That's the thief! Look, she's wearing my watch right now!"

She was pointing at the custom Cartier on my wrist. A graduation gift from our father.

Eleanor's face went pale. But she wasn't looking at me with horror. She was looking at Ashley.

"Ashley," my mother said, her voice trembling. "That's not your watch."

She stood up, her eyes fixed on me. "That's Chloe. My daughter."