Cold air hit my face as I stepped out of the hotel.
Ryan's mocking words echoed in my mind.
*"Since you got what you wanted, hurry up and get lost—get as far away from the capital as possible!"*
*"No one here welcomes you, and no one wants to see the bastard in your belly!"*
Just then, the baby kicked. A strong, reassuring thump against my ribs.
I looked down at the curve of my belly, then at the check in my hand.
With calm deliberation, I tore the check into tiny pieces.
Tossed the confetti into a nearby trash can.
Five million?
Even the grocery bag Sebastian bought me cost more than that.
I only asked for the money to make them believe that was all I wanted. To lower their guard.
A convenience store glowed on the corner. I walked in and bought the cheapest loaf of bread I could find. The dry, tasteless crust scratched my throat as I chewed, but it was sustenance.
An engine roared behind me.
A red Ferrari screeched to a halt at the curb.
The window rolled down, revealing Georgia's face.
She no longer bothered to hide her smugness.
"Yo, sister. Have you fallen so low that you're gnawing on dry bread?"
She didn't even get out of the car. Just raised her phone and snapped a photo of me.
"This is big news!" Her voice dripped with malicious glee. "The former number-one socialite of the capital... after marrying a Northwestern barbarian and getting widowed, she's now begging for food on the street like a stray dog."
Her fingers tapped rapidly as she posted the photo to her social media feed, waving the phone at me provocatively.
Ryan stepped out of the driver's seat. His frown deepened as he approached. "Aria, are you doing this on purpose? Trying to play the victim? Where is the check?"
"Tore it." I swallowed the dry bread. "It was too dirty."
His face darkened. He slapped the bread out of my hand, sending it tumbling into the dirt.
"What are you pretending to be so lofty for?" he snarled. "When your barbarian husband died, did he leave you penniless? We give you money, and you put on airs? You're clearly doing this to make people think we abused you!"
His grip closed around my wrist. Fingers digging into skin.
Georgia laughed, delighted by the show. She opened her designer bag, grabbed a handful of loose coins, and scattered them on the ground. They clattered across the pavement, some rolling into the sewer grate.
"Pick them up." Her grin widened, eyes shining with cruelty. "Sister, didn't you used to be obsessed with cleanliness? Now, for the sake of that child, surely you'll bend your waist?"
I didn't move.
I just stared at her, my gaze glacial.
"Georgia, you really haven't changed. You are so ugly inside, it makes me want to vomit."
Before Georgia could react to the insult, Ryan exploded.
*Slap!*
His hand struck my face hard, the sound cracking through the air.
"Watch your mouth! Is Georgia someone you can judge?"
I didn't dodge. I didn't flinch.
My cheek burned, but compared to the agony in my heart, this physical pain was nothing.
It was almost grounding.
Georgia pouted, leaning into Ryan and whining, "Alright, Ryan, don't be so mean. Sister definitely didn't mean it. She just stayed in the Northwest too long; she's gone feral."
Ryan scoffed. He pointed a finger in my face.
"Aria Henson, recognize your place. Georgia is the future mistress of the Henson family. Forget your little stunt today trying to guide public opinion against us. But listen closely: Blackstone Capital is coming for an inspection. If you and that bastard in your belly dare to come out and be an eyesore during that time, don't blame me for being ruthless."
With that, they swaggered back to the car.
But before she closed the door, Georgia left me with one final, venomous remark.
"Ryan, do you think her barbarian husband was stupid? The man is dead, not even a body to bury, yet he still left her pregnant. What bad luck!"
The Ferrari roared away, leaving me in a cloud of exhaust.
I stood there, unmoving.
My hand drifted to my pocket. Touched the cold, heavy metal of an old Nokia phone.
