Chapter 3

Abby Talley POV:

Connor' s laughter echoed in the silent ballroom, each chuckle a small, sharp blow. He was enjoying this, performing for his audience, relishing my public humiliation. "Cat got your tongue, Abby? Realizing how ridiculous you sound?"

Jana glided to his side, her expression a perfect blend of pity and concern. It was a look she had perfected over years of practice. "Connor, don' t be so hard on her," she cooed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "She' s just nervous. It' s a big day." She turned to me, her eyes glittering with malice. "Abby, dear, you must be careful. I' ve heard such terrible things about Brannon. They say he once bankrupted a company just for sport. You wouldn' t want to end up as one of his casualties, would you?"

The crowd murmured their agreement, a chorus of hushed warnings and veiled threats. "She' s right, you know." "That man is a shark." "Connor is the safe bet. The only bet."

In my past life, their words would have been knives, carving away at my resolve. I would have crumbled, apologized, and begged Connor to forgive my foolish outburst. But the girl who feared their judgment was long gone, replaced by a woman who had faced far worse monsters than a few gossiping executives.

"My choice is my own," I said, my voice steady. It wasn't an answer, but a declaration. A boundary.

Jana' s face fell. My composure was ruining her performance. She needed a victim. She took a step closer to me, her hand fluttering near her chest as if she was suddenly feeling faint. "Oh, Abby, I just worry about you..."

Her movement was fluid, practiced. She stumbled, not away from me, but into me. Her shoulder brushed against mine with the lightest of touches.

And then she was on the floor.

A theatrical gasp escaped her lips, followed by a loud, heart-wrenching sob. She cradled her arm, her face contorted in agony. "Abby! Why would you push me?"

The room erupted. Connor was by her side in an instant, his face a mask of thunderous rage. He helped her to her feet, cradling her as if she were made of glass.

"Are you insane?" he snarled at me, his voice shaking with fury. "She was trying to help you! What is wrong with you? Is your jealousy so consuming that you' d attack your own cousin?"

His cousin. The lie was so embedded in our family' s narrative that even he believed it. My parents had taken Jana in, given her a home, an education, everything she had. But she was not my sister. She was not even my blood. She was the daughter of a distant relative, a social-climbing viper we had foolishly welcomed into our nest.

Jana, hidden behind Connor' s protective frame, shot me a look of pure, unadulterated triumph.

A dry, mirthless laugh escaped my lips. "I didn' t touch her."

"Liar!" Connor spat. "I saw it! Everyone saw it! You' ve been acting like a spoiled brat all night, and now this. Is this because I showed Jana a little attention? My God, Abby, I knew you were obsessed with me, but this is pathetic."

"Connor, please," Jana whimpered, pulling at his sleeve. "Don' t be angry with her. It' s my fault. I shouldn' t have... I just wanted us all to be a happy family." Her words were pitch-perfect, painting her as the magnanimous victim and me as the unhinged aggressor.

The whispers around us grew louder, more venomous. "Did you see that?" "Pushed her right to the ground." "Talley' s daughter has a mean streak."

Connor' s face was inches from mine, his features twisted with disgust. The charming mask was gone, revealing the monster I knew so well. For a terrifying second, I thought he was going to strike me, right here, in front of everyone. The memory of his fists, of the sharp, blinding pain, sent a jolt of ice through my veins.

His hand shot out, not to hit me, but to grab my chin, forcing me to look at him. His fingers dug into my skin.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

He slapped me.

The sound cracked through the ballroom like a whip, silencing every whisper. The sting on my cheek was sharp, immediate. My head snapped to the side from the force of the blow.

A collective, horrified gasp filled the room.

"If you ever," he seethed, his voice a low, terrifying growl, "lay a hand on Jana again, I will personally see to it that Howard throws you and your precious legacy out on the street. Do you understand me?"

The threat was clear. The line had been drawn. And in his eyes, I had just crossed it.