Chapter 2

Olivia's POV

"Clear out all her crap!"

Richard's voice boomed through Sterling Manor's foyer.

The Maybach had just rolled through the gates, where a line of staff waited to welcome home their real princess—Mia Sterling.

"Easy on those steps, Mia." Arthur held her elbow like she might break, totally forgetting she just had a tiny band-aid.

Elizabeth walked in and immediately started giving orders. "Tell the kitchen to make that soup Mia likes. Poor baby's been through hell today. And I want that south bedroom cleared out."

The butler looked confused. "Ma'am, that's Miss Olivia's room. Her stuff's all in there."

"Then dump it ALL!" Richard threw his jacket on a chair. "If that little brat wants to run off, clearly she doesn't give a damn about this family! Why keep her trash around? Just looking at it pisses me off!"

I floated at the top of the stairs, watching maids march into my room with garbage bags.

That room was the only place in this house where I felt safe.

At fifteen, cops pulled me out of the projects from my drunk foster dad and brought me here, bruised all over. I thought I'd finally found a real family. Parents who'd actually love me.

Boy, was I wrong.

The second I stood in that foyer wearing some ratty old shirt, Elizabeth looked at me like I was something she'd scrape off her shoe. Meanwhile, Mia—all dolled up in her fancy dress—jumped into Elizabeth's arms and asked, "Mommy, who's this dirty girl?"

Right then I knew I'd never replace Mia here.

"Should we toss these books too?" A maid held up my Harvard Med School acceptance letter and textbooks.

I'd busted my ass to get into that program. All to make Arthur proud. To prove I belonged.

Elizabeth barely looked. "Throw it out! What does a girl need with all those books? No taste at all. Nothing like our Mia."

"Hurry up and empty that room. I'm calling designers tomorrow to make it Mia's closet. She's got that European tour coming up—needs space for all those gowns."

"Thanks, Mom!" Mia squeezed Elizabeth, that smug little smile creeping across her face. "But what if Olivia comes back and freaks out? I don't want her mad at me."

"Like hell she would!" Arthur pulled Mia against him. "She gives you one bit of attitude, I'll ship her ass back to whatever hole she crawled out of! You're too nice, Mia. Girls like her eat sweet girls like you alive."

Mia fingered the necklace around her throat. "Arthur, I feel awful about this. Ocean's Tears was supposed to be Olivia's from Grandma. I just wanted to try it on, and she went crazy..."

She started lifting it off.

"Don't even think about it!" Richard grabbed her wrist. "Looks perfect on you."

Arthur pushed her hands down. "Yeah, Grandma said something about Olivia having it, but honestly? You wear it way better. A classy girl like you deserves nice things. Olivia wouldn't know quality from costume jewelry."

My chest went cold.

Grandma had pressed that necklace into my hands on her deathbed. She was the only person in this house who ever really loved me. Right before she died, Richard and Elizabeth promised her they'd give it to me.

Now they were letting Mia parade around in it like it was nothing.

"Damn right." Richard beamed at Mia. "You're what this family's about. That ungrateful little shit... if she doesn't drag herself back here tomorrow begging..."

He paused. "I'm telling everyone at the family reunion next week that her engagement's OFF. Won't have some gutter rat embarrassing the Sterling name."

"Can't wait." Arthur kissed Mia's forehead. "I'm so done with Olivia. That sad puppy act makes me want to puke. I need a wife with class like Mia, not some street trash we felt sorry for."

Hearing them plan life without me, I wanted to laugh.

I'd killed myself trying to earn Arthur's attention. My parents' approval. Learned fancy manners, horseback riding, squeezed into designer dresses that barely let me breathe.

I even got on my knees and apologized when Mia "accidentally" dumped scalding soup down my back, then said I'd attacked her. Knelt there with my skin blistering, begging forgiveness so my parents wouldn't flip out.

I thought if I just tried hard enough, maybe they'd love me back.

What a fucking joke.

The staff moved fast. In thirty minutes, five years of my life got stuffed into trash bags and wheeled out back.

My room sat empty. Just like my whole pathetic existence.

"Don't worry about canceling the engagement, Dad." I floated right in front of Richard's cold face, my voice a whisper he'd never hear.

"Your daughter's already gone."