Chapter 1
When I called my father from inside the burning building, applause for Evelyn’s engagement came through the phone.
“Dad, I’ve been kidnapped. I’m at the old clinic on the Southside. They locked the door from the outside. Call the police. Please save me.”
My father cut me off impatiently.
“Claire, how long are you going to keep this up?”
Thick smoke poured through the gap under the door.
My hands and feet were tied, so I could only slam my shoulder against it again and again.
The chain outside did not move.
“I’m not making this up. They poured gasoline outside. The building is already on fire.”
Loud music filled the hotel ballroom.
Someone shouted congratulations to Evelyn and Adrian.
My father gave a cold laugh.
“Evelyn knew you wouldn’t let her get engaged in peace. First you disappear, then you try to trick us into leaving the hotel. Did you think the engagement would be canceled if we ran off to find you?”
“That isn’t true.”
I coughed until my chest hurt.
“Dad, I’m telling the truth.”
I heard my mother beside him.
“Give me the phone.”
A second later, her cold voice came through.
“Claire, you agreed to step aside and let Evelyn marry Adrian. You also promised you wouldn’t show up tonight. Why are you still forcing us to choose between you?”
The flames had already spread into the room.
I watched the curtains catch fire. My voice began to shake.
“Mom, I’m really going to die. Please believe me this once.”
She was silent for two seconds.
“Every time you lie, you say this time is different. Since you hate coming back to this family so much, then don’t come back again.”
She ended the call.
I stared at the dark screen. Suddenly, I could not even cry.
The Hart family found me three years ago.
They said Evelyn had lived with them for nineteen years. Finding out that she was not their biological daughter had already hurt her enough.
That meant I was supposed to give in to her.
She did not want to give up her bedroom, so I moved into the guest room at the end of the hall.
She was afraid our parents would favor me, so I stood at the edge of every family photo.
She loved Adrian, so I agreed to end the marriage arrangement between our families.
I had never taken anything from her.
They still believed I had come back to steal everything she had.
My phone suddenly rang.
It was Adrian.
I answered at once.
My father must have told him what I said.
Maybe Adrian had finally realized I was not lying.
“Adrian, save me. I’m locked inside the old clinic. They…”
“That’s enough.”
His voice was cold.
“Evelyn already told me everything.”
“Claire, this is our engagement party. You promised you wouldn’t interfere.”
The fire reached the hem of my dress.
I dropped to the floor and rolled desperately.
“I’m not trying to ruin your engagement. The building is really on fire.”
“Call the police first. Please.”
I heard Evelyn crying softly in the background.
“Adrian, all the reporters are waiting for us.”
His voice immediately hardened.
“You can call me, but you can’t call the police yourself? Do you have any idea how ridiculous this lie sounds?”
“I chose Evelyn. Stop bothering me.”
He ended the call.
A moment later, he blocked my number.
My last chance to ask for help was gone.
Smoke filled my lungs. I lay on the floor and coughed again and again.
Before I lost consciousness, I thought about what my mother had said.
She told me never to come back.
This time, I would not.
I would never be able to come back again.