Chapter 3

3

That night, Everett called me. He sounded frantic.

"Aria, Marshmallow is gone!"

"I just got back from the office and he's nowhere to be found. Did you see him?"

"I gave him away," I said, cutting him off.

A second later, Cora's angry voice blasted through the phone.

"Aria, that is beyond cruel! How could you just give him away like that? Do you have any sense of responsibility?"

"Do you even care about him after having him for so long?"

"How could you just treat a living thing like trash?"

I couldn't tell if I was more hurt by Cora using Everett's phone to scream at me while he stood there and did nothing, or by the fact that she was still with him at this hour.

I didn't want to hear another word. I hung up and ran to the bathroom to throw up.

Once I caught my breath, I blocked Everett on everything.

Lila knew I was in a dark place, so she dragged me out of the house for some retail therapy.

I wasn't really feeling it, even though the weather was gorgeous.

Lila loves jewelry. She dragged me into a high-end boutique to look at some new pieces.

Usually, I wouldn't care. Being an only child in the Sterling family meant I grew up surrounded by luxury.

Everett used to buy me jewelry all the time too―pieces worth millions of dollars.

My mom said that even as a little boy, Everett was obsessed with buying me gifts.

The stuff he's bought me over the years could probably fill three walk-in closets.

We were finishing up our shopping when someone blocked my path.

"Aria Sterling? What the hell are you doing here?"

It was Caleb Miller, Cora's brother. I frowned, having zero interest in talking to him.

When I ignored him, Caleb actually tried to grab my wrist.

Lila was faster. She slapped his hand away and glared at him.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Lila looked ready to throw hands. Caleb froze, then yanked his hand back with a sneer.

"Aria, does being a rich princess mean you don't have to acknowledge people? I said hello."

I looked at Caleb, my eyes cold as ice.

"Who the hell are you that I should care about your greetings?"

A couple of the shop assistants nearby couldn't help but snicker.

This boutique was owned by my family. I came here all the time, so the staff knew exactly who I was.

Seeing how much I detested Caleb, the manager immediately stepped in to escort him out.

Caleb was humiliated. He tried to lung at me again, but my security detail stepped out from the shadows and blocked him.

"Aria, you think you can just insult people like this?"

"No wonder Everett says you're a nightmare to deal with. You're just a spoiled brat with a princess complex. You're nothing without your name."

Lila shot me a worried look. I just patted her hand to show I was fine.

"Caleb, if it wasn't for Everett Thorne, someone like you wouldn't even be allowed to stand in my shadow."