Chapter 4Betrayal at the Pier

Jules stared at me like I was a piece of garbage.

"I didn't push him," I said.

Nicolas's crying only got louder.

"Max, are you saying I'd cripple myself on purpose?"

"It's not impossible," I replied.

Jules's fury boiled over. She kicked me so hard I flew backward. My forehead slammed into the coffee table, and blood poured down my face.

She froze for a moment, her chest heaving.

"Have you even noticed? You're the one who's always pushed me away. Every time I asked you out, you said you were busy with work. Every time I planned a trip, you said you had a business trip. You never once put me first. Everything that's happened to you today, you brought on yourself."

She grabbed my collar in a death grip.

"I'll give you one last chance. Apologize to Nicolas publicly. Tell all of Hallahan City that you forced yourself between us and destroyed what he and I had. Do that, and I'll let your sister go."

Every part of my body was in pain, but none of it compared to what she'd just asked of me. All I could think about was my sister, in her hands. I closed my eyes, the weight of it pressing down on me.

"Fine. I'll do it."

The next day, at the press conference, they dragged me up onto the stage. The flashbulbs were blinding. I gripped the apology letter in my hand.

"I'm sorry. I apologize to Nicolas Bernstein. It was wrong of me to come between him and Jules..."

Every word felt like a tooth I had to break off and swallow.

The crowd erupted.

"The tyrant has some nerve showing his face after what he did! Nicolas can't have children anymore, and Max still has the gall to stand up there!"

"Get out of Hallahan City! The sight of you is bad luck!"

"Get down there and beg Nicolas for forgiveness!"

A rotten egg splattered across my face, blinding me. I stood frozen on the stage, unable to say another word.

"That's enough!"

Jules called a stop to the spectacle. She had me put in a car and a black bag thrown in after me.

"This car's headed for the docks. Your sister's waiting on a boat there. Once you leave, don't ever come back."

The black bag she'd thrown in was stuffed with cash. She shut the car door, wheeled Nicolas's chair around, and smiled at him, doting and warm.

I closed my eyes, heart heavy with everything I'd lost.

…

Nicolas was going on about honeymoon destinations when Jules's mind wandered.

"Jules, what's wrong?"

Jules shook her head, trying to shake off the image of how broken I'd looked in that car.

"It's nothing."

She wiped a hand over her face. That was when the phone rang, sharp and urgent.

"Jules, something's happened! The boat carrying Max out to sea exploded!"