Chapter 4

After the chaotic, mud–slinging fight, a crowd quickly gathered, eager to see how it would all play out.

Kevin struggled to drag Stephanie away from the scene.

Olivia’s face contorted in pain, her eyes brimming with tears as she glanced at Chris. “Chris, I…”

Chris’s face twisted into a mask of rage.

He barked at Kevin, still holding on to Stephanie. “Get her out of here–now!”

Stephanie yanked at Kevin’s grip, but he wasn’t about to let go.

It was the first time he’d realized just how strong she was–he could barely hold her back.

“Come on, Miss Giovanni, let’s go,” Kevin urged.

That’s when Stephanie suddenly remembered something.

“My bag! My bag,” she rushed to say.

The bag she’d used to hit Chris was lying next to him. In a fit of fury, Chris grabbed it and hurled it at her.

Kevin snatched it out of the air just in time, shoving it into Stephanie’s arms. “Got it, let’s go.”

Finally, the chaos started to settle.

Kevin managed to drag Stephanie to the car, planning to take her home, but she wouldn’t have it.

She didn’t want to be anywhere near Chris–or anything related to him–so she drove off by herself.

Chris, still dazed from the blow to his head, stood frozen for a moment.

When his mind finally clicked back into place, his eyes landed on Olivia–her hair a mess and her leg swollen. His anger toward Stephanie flared up even more.

Without hesitation, he scooped Olivia up into his arms. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”

Tears welled up in Olivia’s eyes as she nodded weakly. She looked utterly broken.

that, Kevin rushed to bring the car around.

when he reached the spot where

took the car,” Kevin said, his voice full of frustration as he stood behind

but she’d been quick–and now she was gone in

face darkened even

growing frustration, Kevin quickly added, “I’ll

dashed off–he had to get the keys from the

light to change, her

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+5

Chapter 4

up and saw it was a call from her mother, Catlin Hart.

Catlin snapped. ‘Come home tonight. We need to talk.”

sip of water, her voice flat. “Can’t.

but she knew exactly what

“Busy? With what?

felt a jolt of bitterness rise in her chest. She was Catlin’s daughter, but there was no

take care of him instead?” Stephanie shot back.

hung on the

exactly what Catlin was after.

Olivia two years ago was still

be

back, Chris and the Hart family were

she couldn’t pretend anymore. Her voice softened slightly. “That’s all in the past, Stephanie.

was getting cold.

window let in a sharp gust of wind, and Stephanie felt the chill sweep across her neck, biting into her skin.

a moment, she almost forgot the

again, her voice laced with irony. “Catlin, I almost died in that car crash.

whole months in a hospital bed

had been the mastermind behind the crash. She feared that if Stephanie returned to the

had been meant to end Stephanie’s life,

Stephanie’s own mother,

through, cool and dismissive. “That wasn’t her fault, Stephanie. Stop holding so

her

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