Chapter 6

Julian's face changed.

The pieces I'd been struggling to reach finally locked into place.

Ten years ago. The night I ran out of Julian's room.

At the turn of the staircase, Elaine was waiting. Her expression was something I'd never seen on her before: pure, concentrated venom.

She dragged me down to the basement.

I knelt on cold marble, shame and grief crashing over me. I braced myself for the cane.

Instead, Elaine handed me a small bottle.

"One last chance, Ivy. However you have to do it — put this in Julian's drink."

I didn't need to ask what it was.

What I couldn't understand was why. Julian was her son.

"He's too proud," I said quietly. "If you drug him and he finds out — it will break him."

How could a mother do this to her own child?

Elaine's eyes were flat. "Being part of this family is the greatest privilege of his life. But the Harrington family doesn't need heirs who can't be controlled."

The next afternoon, I sat alone in the school study hall for a long time. Long after everyone else had gone.

I stared at the bottle in my hands.

Serena walked in. Saw the bottle.

"What is that?"

She lunged for it. I pulled back. The bottle slipped between us and shattered on the floor.

Below the broken glass, an electrical socket. The liquid seeped in.

Sparks. A flash. The drapes caught fire.

Serena stood there for one frozen second, staring at me.

"You think being a Harrington gives you Julian?" Her voice was low, vicious. "He has never liked you. You've been throwing yourself at him this whole time — it's revolting. You should die, Ivy."

She ran. The fire exit slammed shut behind her. I heard the lock click from outside.

The flames spread fast. I tried to rip down the drapes and stopped, staring at the shards of glass on the floor.

If I got out — then what? Go back to Elaine, try again?

I thought of Julian's face. The disgust in his eyes.

I couldn't do it. I could never do it.

Maybe this was easier. Maybe this was the only way out.

I sat back down. Watched the fire come closer.