"Just a reminder, Mr. Delgado. You're young, but carrying on like this... be careful. You might catch something nasty."
Noah's smile didn't reach his eyes. "You're right. I really don't take care of myself, do I?"
His gaze drifted past the decorative ficus and landed squarely on me.
My father sensed the tension. He knew Noah and my mother were like oil and water, so he quickly stepped in.
"It's normal for young men to have their fun. Just don't ruin your health over it," Edward said with a chuckle. "If you like the girl that much, just keep her as a mistress. A caged bird is clean, safe, and available whenever you want."
Noah's smile deepened. He nodded slowly.
"Mrs. Sanchez is right. I really should keep her locked by my side."
My heart slammed against my ribs. The old wounds began to throb.
Seeing the worry on Mom's face, my brother Hudson stepped in with his own twisted assurances.
"Mom, relax. My plan is foolproof. I've even got my buddies looking after Harper." He swirled his wine, looking self-satisfied. "She wouldn't sell her body for profit."
Hudson pulled out his phone and dialed. Speaker on.
"Lucas? It's Hudson. I told you to take good care of my sister. You haven't messed up, have you?"
Lucas Simmons's voice came through, strained. "Taking care of Harper? Oh, I've been taking very good care of her. Every time she receives my... assistance, she's extremely grateful." He chuckled darkly. "Your sister is incredibly obedient. She's willing to do anything for you."
Hudson looked smug. "Of course she is. A kid who grew up without love—throw her a few crumbs of attention, and she'll give you everything."
He leaned back. "Let her suffer a bit more, then we'll stop. After all, she is my biological sister."
"You... you still treat her as a sister?" Lucas slipped up, incredulous. He quickly recovered. "Right, right. Whatever Mr. Sanchez says."
Hudson made two more calls. Same assurances. He hung up, satisfied, believing his cruel game was under control.
I stood in the shadows and laughed. Silent. Broken.
Is Hudson a complete moron?
When Noah first started tormenting me, I'd gone to Hudson's friends for protection. Instead, they cornered me. Used a recording to blackmail me. Forced me to become their plaything.
They'd never had the chance to break someone of their own standing. I was a novelty. A fallen heiress.
Every time they finished, they threw money at me like I was a common whore. I was living worse than death, surviving only for my "sick" brother.
The punchline? All of this because Hudson wanted to punish me for "stealing" the identity of his beloved Eliana.
Nausea roiled in my stomach. I turned to leave.
Crash.
A force slammed into me from behind. My forehead cracked against the marble, sparking stars in my vision.
"Ow! My arm!"
Eliana clutched her elbow, screaming. While the others rushed over, she lifted her foot. Her stiletto heel came down hard on my hand.
She ground it in, twisting.
Pain exploded up my arm. Blood pooled on the white tiles.
Before I could move, a heavy boot slammed into my chest.
Hudson.
He kicked me backward, face twisted in disgust. He didn't recognize me—only saw a clumsy servant who'd hurt his precious Eliana.
"How does a Michelin-starred restaurant let trash like this inside?" he roared. "This filthy lowlife got my sister's shoes dirty!"
The manager came running, bowing and scraping, apologizing profusely for my existence.
