The boutique smelled of expensive leather and exclusivity.

Sales associates swarmed them. They knew Francesca. They knew the Pearson name.

Lila was in the fitting room.

She came out wearing a silver sequined gown. It cost twelve thousand dollars.

"It's gorgeous," Lila said, twirling. "Francesca, isn't it perfect for your engagement party?"

"It fits you perfectly," Francesca said. "Like a glove."

"I'll take it," Lila told the sales associate. "And the shoes. And the bag."

The associate beamed. She started piling boxes on the counter.

She looked at Francesca, waiting for the card.

Francesca crossed her arms. She looked confused.

"Why are you looking at me?" Francesca asked loudly.

The store went quiet.

Lila froze. "What?"

"You're buying them, right?" Francesca said. "Like you said at brunch. You've been saving up."

Lila's face flushed pink. "Francesca, stop joking. You know my trust fund doesn't disburse until next month."

"But my father froze my cards for the wedding budget," Francesca said. Her voice carried. "I literally have zero dollars on me."

The sales associate's smile vanished. She looked at Lila with sudden suspicion.

"I... I can put it on my card," Lila stammered. "I'll just pay it off later."

She pulled out her Visa.

She handed it to the clerk.

Lila looked confident. She didn't know Francesca had logged into her banking app five minutes ago and flagged all transactions as fraudulent.

The clerk inserted the card.

Beep.

"Declined," the clerk said, her voice flat.

Lila laughed nervously. "That's a mistake. Try it again."

Beep.

"Declined again," the clerk said, pulling the card out. Her tone grew cooler. "Ma'am, it says there's a security hold on the account. It's asking for a call to the issuing bank to verify your identity."

"It's not stolen!" Lila shrieked. "It's mine!"

Other customers were looking. A woman in pearls whispered to her daughter.

Lila turned to Francesca. "Did you do this?"

Francesca held up her hands. "I haven't touched your wallet, Lila."

"You have to pay for this," Lila hissed. "I'm already wearing the dress."

"I can't," Francesca said. "I'm broke. Remember?"

"Miss," the clerk said, stepping around the counter. "I need you to take off the dress. Now."

Lila looked like she was going to cry. Or explode.

The door to the boutique opened.

A hum of an electric motor cut through the tension.

Grafton Faulkner rolled in.

Two massive bodyguards flanked him.

He looked like a king on a throne. His suit was bespoke. His face was bored.

He stopped in the center of the room.

He looked at Lila, red-faced and trembling.

He looked at Francesca, calm and cool.

"Quite a show," Grafton said. His voice was deep, commanding the room. "Is someone bothering my brother's fiancée?"

Lila's eyes lit up.

"Grafton!" she cried. She ran toward him. "Thank God. These people are being awful to me."

Lila reached for Grafton's arm.

Grafton shifted the joystick on his chair. The wheel jerked to the left, dodging her hand.

He looked at her hand like it was covered in slime.

"Do I know you?" Grafton asked.

Lila froze. "I'm Lila. Julian's... friend."

"Friend," Grafton repeated. He made the word sound like an insult. "And why is Julian's friend asking me for help?"

"My card isn't working," Lila said, putting on her best baby voice. "And Francesca is being mean."

Grafton turned his head slowly. He looked at Francesca.

His expression softened. It was a terrifyingly good acting performance.

"Is that true, Francesca?"

"She tried to buy the store, Grafton," Francesca said. "She can't afford it."

Grafton nodded.

He reached into his jacket pocket.

He pulled out a black titanium card. The Centurion.

He held it out to the sales clerk.

The clerk's hands shook as she took it.

"Pack it up," Grafton said.

Lila gasped. She looked at Francesca with triumph. "See? I knew he would help."

"Pack up the silver dress," Grafton continued. "And the red one. And the entire fall collection in size four."

He paused.

"And have it delivered to Francesca's apartment."

Lila's mouth fell open. "What?"

"For Francesca," Grafton said. He looked at Lila with cold indifference. "Why would I buy clothes for you?"

"But... I'm wearing it," Lila whispered.

"Take it off," the clerk snapped. She was already moving toward Lila. "Now. It belongs to Ms. Pearson."

Lila looked around. Everyone was staring. The humiliation was total.

She ran toward the changing rooms, sobbing.

Grafton rolled closer to Francesca.

He stopped inches from her.

"Happy?" he murmured. Only she could hear him.

"It's a start," Francesca said.

"Good," Grafton said. "Now you owe me."

Lila came out a minute later. She was wearing her old jeans. She looked small and pathetic.

She grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Miss Sterling," Grafton called out.

Lila stopped. She turned, hope flaring in her eyes.

"Tell Julian," Grafton said, his voice loud enough for the whole store to hear, "that Francesca is with me tonight. Family business."

Lila's face crumpled.

"What family business?" she asked.

"None of yours," Grafton said.

He nodded to Francesca. "Push me."

It was a command, not a request.

Francesca stepped behind the wheelchair. She gripped the handles.

She pushed him out of the store, leaving Lila standing in the wreckage of her dignity.

A black Maybach was waiting at the curb.

The driver opened the rear door.

Lila came running out of the store. She was breathless.

"Grafton! Wait!"

She ran up to the car.

"My Uber app isn't working because my card is locked," she pleaded. "Can you drop me off? Please?"

Grafton was already transferring himself from the wheelchair to the car seat. He did it with practiced struggle, hiding his strength.

He settled into the leather seat.

He looked at Lila standing on the sidewalk.

"My car doesn't carry strays," he said.

"I'm Francesca's best friend!" Lila cried. She looked at Francesca. "Tell him, Fran!"

Francesca stood by the open door.

She looked at the woman who had slept with her fiancé. Who had used her for money for years.

"We were friends," Francesca said softly. "But I think we need some space."

She got into the car.

She pulled the door shut.

Thud.

The sound of the closing door cut off Lila's protests instantly.

The car pulled away.

Through the tinted glass, Francesca watched Lila stomp her foot and scream at the empty street.

She let out a breath she didn't know she was holding.

Inside the car, it was quiet. The air conditioning hummed.

Grafton stretched his legs out. He didn't need to pretend in here. The windows were blacked out.

His knee brushed against hers.

Francesca pulled her leg back. "Don't."

"Why?" Grafton asked. "No one can see."

He reached over. He took her hand.

His thumb rubbed the back of her knuckles. It was a slow, deliberate circle.

"You did well back there," he said. "You almost looked like a Faulkner."

"I just hate being played," she said.

"Then why marry Julian?" Grafton asked. "He's been playing you since the day you met."

"You know why," she said. "The merger. The money."

"If you stick with me," Grafton said, his voice dropping an octave, "you won't need to marry him to get the money."

Francesca looked at him. His eyes were intense.

"And be what?" she asked. "Your puppet with voting rights? A signature on a proxy form? That's not a secure position, it's a gilded cage."

Grafton didn't answer. He just squeezed her hand.

The car turned.

Francesca looked out the window. They weren't heading toward the Faulkner estate.

They were heading toward the Upper East Side.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"Your apartment," Grafton said.

Francesca panicked. "No. You can't. Julian might come by."

"Let him," Grafton said.

"He doesn't know!" she hissed. "He doesn't know you can walk. He doesn't know about... this."

"Maybe it's time he learned," Grafton said.

The car stopped in front of her building.

"Grafton, please," she begged.

He looked at her. He saw the genuine fear in her eyes.

He sighed.

"Fine," he said. "But I'm hungry. And I'm not eating hospital food."