Chapter 2

"Are you running a fever?"

Amara Sutton frowned as she walked toward me.

The glass window reflected my face, pale and sickly. I had been dizzy all afternoon, my forehead burning.

I shook my head. "No, I’m fine."

Better than giving her a reason to call me spoiled.

Damon Lockhart was temporarily resting in her bedroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I thought I saw Amara’s hand rise slightly before dropping back down.

Her face remained cold as she reprimanded me. "Learn your lesson this time. Don’t do anything so stupid again."

"You’re an adult. Acting jealous is just childish."

Amara knew I had feelings for her.

She had no trouble dismissing my sincerity as meaningless.

I pressed my lips together, refusing to admit any fault. Her patience grew thinner.

"Damon and I are getting married next month. Don’t create any trouble for me."

"If something like today happens again, you can pack your things and leave."

She left me with that cruel warning and walked away, her figure disappearing down the hallway.

The Amara I once knew—gentle, patient, protective—was long gone.

There was a time when Amara would have charged into my school to defend me.

When classmates bullied me, she showed up in the principal’s office, raising hell. She even sent one of their parents to the hospital.

She didn’t care about paying for medical expenses—she just wanted justice for me.

When I was sick and needed surgery, she stayed by my bedside for days without sleeping.

She even gave up a multimillion-dollar contract to make sure I was safe.

Back then, she would light candles in church, praying for my health and well-being.

Now, I carried the box of what little remained of my belongings down the stairs.

I tossed it into the trash, staring at the pieces of my past.

What was the point of keeping photos and gifts?

Amara no longer belonged to me.

That day, they were going to pick up a car—a wedding gift from Amara to Damon.

Damon, always eager to show his dominance, called out to me deliberately in front of her.

"Hey, Cole, why don’t you join us?"

"I could use your opinion. I might not have the best eye for these things."

He wanted me there, not for advice, but to rub salt in my wounds.

I kept my composure and smiled. "I think I’ll pass. I wouldn’t want to intrude on your time together."

Besides, I was busy erasing every trace of my existence from the Sutton Estate.

I needed to save up enough to repay the years of kindness I owed Amara and finally leave for good.

Amara looked at me with a sharp, lingering gaze, as if daring me to hold onto some shred of hope.

"Get in the back seat," she ordered firmly, leaving no room for argument.

"Be good, Cole. Don’t make this harder than it has to be."

Reluctantly, I followed them to the dealership.

Damon drove, chatting and laughing with Amara the entire way.

At a red light, she peeled an orange for him, feeding him a piece.

I remember how much she hated the smell of oranges.

But now, she didn’t even flinch, methodically peeling one after another for him.

Turning away, I stared out the window, catching a glimpse of Damon’s smug grin reflected in the glass.

"Hey, Cole, what do you think? The first one, or this one here?"

This dealership was one of the most exclusive in New York City. The price tags on their cars started at seven figures.

It was clear how much Amara cared for him.

"They’re both fine," I replied, unwilling to commit.

My hesitation seemed to satisfy Damon.

"What about you, babe? What do you think?"

Amara, distracted by her phone, took a few moments before answering.

"The first one," she said simply.

Damon beamed. "Alright, let’s take another look at your pick."

"Why don’t you sit in the passenger seat with me, Amara? I’m worried I might scratch it."

Despite my reluctance, Amara’s stern gaze forced me to join them for the test drive.

The car started moving slowly. I barely had time to help Damon adjust his mirrors before we heard a loud crash.

The car had backed into a pillar.

"Dammit!" Damon shrieked, his voice trembling.

Amara rushed over, her expression darkening as she looked at the damaged car, then back at us.

"What happened?"