Years ago, when Leona Carpenter fell for Michael Hansen, her family put their foot down hard—their social worlds were nothing alike, and the Carpenters wanted no part of it. But Leona? She was stubborn, dead set on chasing what she thought was true love. She cut off her family, buried her identity as a Carpenter, and dove headfirst into the messy, working-class chaos of the Hansen household.

When her grandfather found out, he was livid. He froze all her bank accounts, cut off every cent of her support, and tried to force her home.

This standoff dragged on for three years. The whole family waited, every single day, for Leona to come to her senses. What did they get instead? News that Michael Hansen had dumped her.

Leona Carpenter was still a Carpenter, for God’s sake. She was the one who walked away from people, not the other way around. The Hansens had some real nerve, thinking they could throw her away like trash and get away with it.

Her uncle, Henry Carpenter, couldn’t let that slide. Not even if he tried.

Leona smiled faintly, her face calm as she looked right at him. "Uncle, haven’t you already got everything sorted out for me already?"

"My real suggestion is that you come back to the family. Your grandfather’s getting on in years, running the empire is wearing him thin. I don’t want the crown, your younger uncle doesn’t either. The job’s yours if you want it. But if you’ve got other plans? Lay 'em on me. I’ve got your back, no matter what you decide," Henry said, soft warmth bleeding into his voice.

That simple, open offer crashed into her like a wave, and all of a sudden Leona couldn’t outrun the ache in her chest—it swallowed her whole.

She thought back to how she’d stormed out all those years ago, turned her back on everyone who loved her just for some deadbeat who never deserved her, and she wanted to scream at how stupid her younger self had been.

She choked back the tears burning her eyes and whispered, "Thank you, Uncle."

"You’re my only niece. Who the hell else would I look out for?" Henry gently patted her head, a soft, loving smile on his face. "Take it easy right now. I’ll be back in a few days to check on you."

After he left, Leona wandered over to the window. The sun was blazing bright outside, and she figured a walk wouldn’t kill her.

Aila Ellis leaned against the hospital pergola, wrapped in a soft knit sweater, and watched Leona where she sat in the shade of an old oak.

Even in a scratchy, one-size-fits-all hospital gown, Leona’s natural, innate elegance turned every head nearby. It was impossible to miss.

Her beauty wasn’t that cutesy, innocent kind that faded fast. It was bold, it took your breath away, and even a split-second glance was enough to stick with you forever.

"Who would’ve thought we’d run into each other this soon?" A purring voice came from behind Leona, who spun around to face her. One look at Aila, and her face went ice cold, her eyes sharp as shards of glass.

Aila held Leona’s gaze, a smug, victorious little smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Leona Carpenter. Long time no see."

Leona’s eyes darkened, a cold chill rolling off her in waves. "You’re really persistent, aren’t you, Miss Ellis."

Aila brushed the dig off like it was nothing, and kept going. "Sometimes I actually feel bad for you, Miss Carpenter. How many years do you expect a girl to waste on a man who never even loved her?"

Out of nowhere, tears welled up in Aila’s eyes. She reached out and grabbed Leona’s arm, sniffling. "Leona, this is all my fault. I’m so sorry for everything I did… please just forgive me…"

"Don’t you dare touch me!" Leona frowned, yanking her arm away in disgust.

She didn’t even pull that hard, but Aila went flying backward like she’d been shoved, overacting every step of the stumble.

Leona was still blinking in confusion at this little performance when a thunderous roar cut through the air from right behind her. "Leona Carpenter! What the hell do you think you’re doing?"

Oh. It clicked instantly. Aila’s little act wasn’t some random outburst. She’d planned this.

But hey—if Aila went to all this trouble to put on a show? Leona would be a fool not to let the drama play out just how she wanted it to.

When Aila Ellis stumbled, Leona Carpenter’s quick reflexes snagged her arm before she could fall. Aila stared up at her, completely stunned.

"If you’re gonna put on an act, at least make it look real," Leona whispered—soft, but sharp with frost. "If you can’t pull it off, I guess I can help you out."

Aila’s heart skipped a beat. She twisted to meet Leona’s gaze, and all she saw back was cold, unreadable glint. A cold wave of dread crashed over her.

The hospital garden was lined with carefully placed decorative stones, laid out to look calm and peaceful. Leona knew exactly what would happen the second she let go of Aila’s arm. And she didn’t even hesitate.

A dull thud rang out as Aila’s head cracked against one of the stones. A nasty lump bloomed instantly on her pale forehead, making her look even more delicate and helpless than she already did.

The whole thing happened in the blink of an eye. Aila was too shocked to move, and even Michael Hansen was caught so off guard he reacted a beat too slow.

When Michael finally pieced together what just happened, he rounded on Leona with a furious glare. "Leona, do you have any idea what you just did?"

Leona gave a lazy little shrug, playing it totally cool. "Oops. My bad…"

"You…!" Michael stared at her unapologetic face, realizing she didn’t feel a single ounce of guilt or remorse.

"Don’t believe me?" Leona taunted, catching the scorn in Michael’s eyes and twisting her lips into a mocking smirk. "It’s so funny, huh? Aila apologizes and you automatically buy it was an accident, but when it comes to me, suddenly you’re suspicious. Guess my acting just isn’t up to your standards, huh?"

Aila brushed a gentle hand against her forehead, pressing lightly to the thick swelling. A sharp, throbbing pain split through her skull, unrelenting. She glowered at Leona, resentment burning in her eyes, and forced herself not to snap back.

For Aila, who made her living off her looks, this was devastating. She never saw Leona coming—never thought she’d go this far.

Leona paid no mind to the hatred in her stare, amusement flickering cold in her eyes. "Aila Ellis, you’d better stay far away from me from now on. Next time, it won’t be something this minor."

Michael caught the warning immediately, stepping fast between them, his gaze dark and locked hard on Leona. "Leona, this is completely irrational!"

Leona lifted a brow casually, her mouth tugging into a icy smile. "If I’m irrational, just stay away from me. I don’t have patience for other people’s mess, and anything I throw away? I think it’s disgusting."

"You!" Michael’s face went tight, his fists clenched at his sides. "If you got a problem with me, take it out on me. Leave Aila out of this."

"You really think this little thing is worth fighting over?" Leona shot back, voice thick with disdain, her eyes dripping sarcasm. "You think an awful lot of yourself, don’t you?"

Michael’s brow furrowed as he held her stare, his voice low and dangerous. "You can hate me all you want, but I won’t let you hurt Aila."

He bent down, lifted Aila gently into his arms, and threw one last cold glare at Leona before walking away.

Leona stood her ground, watching Michael leave. The tears she’d been holding back for so long finally spilled over, tracing hot paths down her cheeks.

Three years of giving up everything for nothing. She’d turned her back on her whole family just for him, and all she got out of it was heartbreak. But from the second she decided to cut him loose for good, she’d never planned to look back.

Leona slowly closed her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to stop them, the tears kept falling. They were proof that this love she’d carried had been her ruin all along.

"You okay?"

A deep, calm voice spoke up right beside her.

Leona Carpenter’s eyes flew open, and the first thing she saw was Vance Martinez’s devastatingly handsome face. Her big, expressive eyes blew wide with shock, and she blurted out before she could think better of it, "What are you doing here?" She never expected to run into him again so soon after their quick goodbye last time.

Vance wore a perfectly tailored Victorian suit, every single detail crisp and immaculate, oozing that effortless, old-money elegance only born into privilege can pull off. "Came to check on an old friend," he answered. His dark gaze locked onto Leona’s, and a fleeting, unreadable glint flickered across them before he asked softy, "How are you holding up?"

Leona looked up, caught completely off guard by those deep, impossible-to-read eyes of his, and her heart stuttered. "I’m fine," she said.

"I meant in here," Vance clarified, tapping a single finger gently against his own chest. "Most women would’ve broken down crying by now, in your shoes. You sure you don’t want to let it all out?"

He held out a handkerchief to her. Leona hesitated for a beat, then let a faint smile tug at the corner of her mouth. "Crying won’t fix anything. And I’m not wasting tears on someone not worth it."

"It hurts, though, doesn’t it?" Vance noted quietly.

Leona stared out at the trees swaying in the breeze, her gaze drifting slowly off into the distance. She murmured, "How couldn’t it…"

She’d thought her passion and honesty would earn her the same in return. But in the end, it had all been for nothing.

Vance’s dark eyes lingered on her a long moment. His voice dropped low, threaded with a faint, almost unnoticeable thread of tenderness. "No use beating yourself up over someone who doesn’t deserve you. Save your tears for the people that actually care about you."

His words sent Leona’s heart racing. She stared into those deep, unfathomable eyes of his, and suddenly her cheeks heated. Flustered, she looked away quickly.

Vance paused, a flicker of conflict crossing his features. "If you know their heart isn’t with you, why hang on? Better to cut the cord clean than let it rot into something ugly."

Leona blinked, caught off guard by how blunt he was. They weren’t even that close, after all. But she knew he wasn’t wrong. Holding on was useless, and she wasn’t the type to lie to herself just to feel better. She had zero interest in sticking around to watch Aila Ellis and Michael Hansen get back together over and over again.

She drew a deep breath to steady herself. "We already split. There’s nothing left between him and me anymore."

For a split second, Vance looked surprised, but the expression vanished faster than it came. He hid a small smile, keeping his tone even and calm. "Cutting off unreciprocated feelings is the smart move. Ms. Carpenter, you’re a lot more sharp than I expected."

"Like you said, better to let go than end up hating each other," Leona agreed. "Besides, anything you have to beg for is just charity. Only what’s given freely is real."

Vance’s eyebrows lifted a fraction, a spark of admiration glinting in his dark eyes. "On that, we definitely see eye to eye."

Their conversation flowed easy, no awkward lulls, neither of them noticing how fast the time slipped away.

"Sir, the lady of the house is asking for you," an elderly woman said as she walked up to them. She glanced at Leona, a warm, kind smile tugging at her lips. "And if you’ve got nothing else going on, miss, why don’t you come join us?"