"Dominic just called my dad. He threatened that if I dared come pick you up, the Hartwell family's entire funding chain would collapse by tomorrow."
"My dad locked me in my room... Gabriella, please, just give in. Dominic's lost his mind!"
My heart sank.
Dominic had cut off my very last escape route.
Through the rain-blurred glass, I could see him holding a glass of red wine. He swirled it lazily, savoring the sight of me standing in the downpour.
Millicent was kneeling at his feet, massaging his legs.
The scene burned my eyes and killed whatever feeling I had left for him.
I realized then that you shouldn't go digging through the trash for something worth keeping. Garbage was garbage. It belonged in the bin.
I drew a deep breath and shoved my frozen hands into my pockets.
If no one was coming, I'd walk.
I turned around and plunged into the rain.
Bang! I hadn't taken two steps before a black Maybach screeched to a halt in front of me, spraying a curtain of muddy water.
The window rolled down. Spencer stepped out under a black umbrella.
He looked me up and down with open contempt, then dropped a garment bag at my feet.
Through the half-open zipper, I could see a cheap white bridesmaid dress inside. The loose threads hadn't even been trimmed.
Spencer stared at me, his tone dripping with condescension.
"Miss Robinson, Mr. Kessler has been generous enough to extend an offer."
"Miss Abbott is walking the red carpet tonight, and she's short an assistant to carry her train."
"Mr. Kessler says all you have to do is put this on and attend to Miss Abbott this evening."
"Your credit cards will be unfrozen by tomorrow, and there might even be a seat for you at the wedding."
He wanted me to carry the train for the woman who stole my gown?
Wearing this?
It was pure humiliation.
I stared at the garment bag on the ground. My whole body was trembling from the cold, but my spine stayed straight.
"Go back and tell Dominic."
"He can drop dead."
Spencer's expression shifted. He jabbed a finger at my face and started cursing.
"Gabriella, don't bite the hand that feeds you!"
"You think you're still the future Mrs. Kessler?"
"You're nothing now! Without Mr. Kessler, you can't even afford your next meal!"
He snapped his fingers, and the rear door of the Maybach swung open.
Two bodyguards jumped out and seized my arms from both sides, wrenching them behind my back.
"Let go of me! What are you doing!"
I fought with everything I had, but my body was so numb from the freezing rain that I couldn't summon any strength.
Spencer picked up the mud-soaked bridesmaid dress from the ground and shoved it into my arms.
"Mr. Kessler's orders. You had your chance to do this the easy way. Now we do it the hard way."
I was forced into the car. The door slammed shut behind me.
The Maybach tore through the storm, heading straight for tonight's film festival red carpet.
The air conditioning inside the car was set low. I sat there in my soaking clothes, lips turning purple, teeth chattering.
Spencer rode in the passenger seat, watching me through the rearview mirror with a thin smirk.
"Miss Robinson, if you'd known it would come to this, you might've saved yourself the trouble."
"Women. All you have to do is swallow your pride and play nice, and you'd have everything you wanted. But no, you had to go head-to-head with Mr. Kessler. And who's the one suffering for it?"
I closed my eyes and refused to listen to another word.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up behind the red carpet venue.
The bodyguards shoved me out.
In a lounge not far away, Millicent was wearing the bridal gown that should have been mine, surrounded by a swarm of reporters clamoring for interviews.
Dominic stood beside her in a tailored suit, gazing at her with open adoration.
When he saw me being dragged over, he excused himself from the press and strode toward me.
His eyes dropped to the mud-stained bridesmaid dress clutched in my hands, and a slight frown creased his brow.
