Chapter 3

The next morning, Jaidyn Albert appeared on Eloise' s doorstep. She leaned against the doorframe, a picture of frail beauty, a smirk playing on her lips.

"I heard Holden came to see you last night," Jaidyn said, her voice a soft taunt. "He was so angry when he came back to the hospital. Angry at you, for being so selfish."

Eloise looked at her, at the designer handbag and the healthy glow that no genuinely sick person possessed. "You look remarkably well for someone who supposedly collapsed from a heart condition twenty-four hours ago."

Jaidyn' s smirk widened. "Grief is a powerful motivator. I was just so heartbroken about you and Holden. It took a toll."

"You're not heartbroken, Jaidyn. You're a liar."

The frail act vanished in an instant, replaced by a vicious glint in her eyes. "And what are you? The woman he left at the altar? The woman he chose me over?"

"He didn't choose you. He chose a fantasy you sold him."

"It doesn't matter what he chose, does it? He's with me now. He's taking care of me. He's worried about my health, my feelings. Where does that leave you, Eloise?"

Eloise felt a surge of pure, hot anger. "Get out of my house."

"Oh, am I making you uncomfortable?" Jaidyn purred, taking a step closer. "Is it hard to hear the truth? He loves me. He always has. You were just a placeholder."

That was it. The carefully constructed dam of Eloise' s composure broke. She shoved Jaidyn, not hard, just enough to get her out of her personal space. "I said, get out!"

Jaidyn, an actress to her core, let out a theatrical gasp and stumbled backward, landing on the manicured lawn in a delicate heap.

"Jaidyn!"

Holden' s voice cut through the air. He came running from a car parked down the street, his face a thundercloud of fury. He had been waiting, watching. This was a setup.

He rushed to Jaidyn' s side, scooping her up as if she were made of glass. "Are you okay? Did she hurt you?"

"Holden," Jaidyn whimpered, burying her face in his chest. "I just wanted to talk to her, to apologize for what happened. I didn't want to cause any trouble. But she... she pushed me. She' s so angry."

Holden' s glare at Eloise was filled with pure hatred. "What is wrong with you? Look at her! She' s fragile! And you attack her?"

"She' s lying, Holden," Eloise said, her voice shaking with rage.

"I don't want to hear it," he snarled. He snapped his fingers, and two large men in dark suits got out of the car and moved towards Eloise. "You' ve gone too far."

"Holden, what are you doing?" Eloise demanded as the men grabbed her arms.

"You need to learn a lesson, Eloise. You need to understand that your actions have consequences."

"Let go of me! You' re insane!" she struggled, but their grip was like iron.

"Apologize to Jaidyn," Holden commanded, his voice dangerously low.

"Never."

The word sealed her fate.

"Take her," Holden said to his men, his voice cold. "Put her in the basement at the old estate. She needs some time alone to cool off and think about what she' s done."

He turned his back on her, cradling a triumphant, weeping Jaidyn in his arms, and walked away as his men dragged a struggling, shouting Eloise toward the car. She was being kidnapped, in broad daylight, on her own property, by the man she was supposed to marry.

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