Chapter 4
Four days before my departure, aside from wringing pushing my body, sharpening my aim.
a
‘dowry” out of that sorry excuse for a father, I s threw myself into training-
After riding practice, I came home to find Richard hosting a lavish birthday party for Vivienne.
As I walked in, she was descending the stairs in a gown from my own wardrobe–dripping in crystal sequins, playing the part of a noble heiress in front of a crowd that clapped like trained seals.
A few of her loyal little followers spotted me and curled their lips into sneers.
“Vivienne’s about to marry into nobility, and her sister can’t show up for her birthday. Talk about heartless.”
“What do you expect? She’s the one who chickened out and forced Vivienne to take her place. That kind of heartless witch doesn’t care about family.”
Clearly, while I was gone, Vivienne had been spreading her sob story to anyone who’d listen.
I turned to head upstairs, not wasting breath on idiots.
But they blocked my way–eyes darting toward Vivienne, then back to me with feigned outrage.
“Running off already? What’s the matter–guilty much?”
“Lady Sinclair must be turning in her grave, seeing how savage her daughter turned out!”
Before she could finish, I snapped the whip from my riding lesson–it cracked through the air, slamming her straight into the drink
table.
Glass shattered. Blood bloomed.
She screamed, collapsed, crystal shards embedded in her arms.
I stepped forward, cool and calm. “Now that’s savage.
>>
The entire room froze, stunned by the sudden explosion of violence.
Then–chaos.
“Call an ambulance!”
“She’s insane! She did it on purpose!”
As the noise surged around me, I climbed the stairs without looking back, whip in hand.
Vivienne stormed out of the room, rage burning in her eyes.
“You volunteered for this, remember? Now I have to stay and care for your father, and you still ruin my birthday?”
I grabbed her chin with one hand, lips curling into a faint smile. “Volunteered?”
“You’re a homewrecker’s bastard with nothing but cheap tricks up your sleeve. The Syndicate isn’t a dumpster for hand–me–down bastards. If they don’t like what they see, they’ll toss you out like yesterday’s trash.”
“And as for taking care of him?”
I tightened my grip. Her face went pale with pain,
“Are you caring for Richard Whitmore or just circling his inheritance? You know damn well which it is. So drop the act–you’re making people sick.”
Her cheeks flushed crimson with fury, but she didn’t dare argue out loud.
She fled sobbing–no, screaming–as three slender red snakes slid behind her like shadows.
Chapter 4
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do
“I know I shouldn’t have used your room but did you really have to scare me like that?”
“I… I can’t breathe… my asthma–it’s acting up again…”
She gasped dramatically and collapsed to the floor, clutching her chest.
“Vivienne!”
Sebastian rushed over and pulled her into his arms, glaring up at me with barely restrained fury.
mind? Do you even know what a shock like that could do to someone with asthma?! Are you insane?”
“Are you out of your
“You think I did this?”
He gritted his teeth. “Who else? Vivienne wouldn’t hurt a fly. But you? Helena–you ride, you shoot, you would surprise me.”
climb cliffs. Nothing you
“God, what if something rally happens to her? Then what? Who’s supposed to marry into the Syndicate in your place?”
Furious, I grabbed one of the snakes by the head and flung it straight at Vivienne.
“Ahhh!”
She shrieked as it landed inches her face, her pupils shrinking with terror–funny how her asthma vanished.
I wanted to see if Sebastian would still defend her after that.
Of course, just as it neared her, Sebastian lunged forward–his grip crushing my wrist like a vice.
“Still denying it? Helena, when did you become so cold and cruel?”
Just like before.
Whenever it came to Vivienne, we’d go to war without hesitation.
But neither of us ever walked away.
“Enough!”
Richard stormed into the room, livid.
“This is what I get for not disciplining you! Attacking your own sister like this?!”
“I don’t have a daughter like you. You are dead to me–get out of my house!”
I turned, lips curled in a frigid smile.
Vivienne, ever the fragile saint, sniffled tearfully.
“Please… don’t scold her on my account…”
But Sebastian stayed silent.
He laid her in Richard’s arms with care–and then, quietly, fell into step behind me,
“I’ll take you home.”
