The morning light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Hudson penthouse lobby was cold and gray.

Ellyn dragged her cheap suitcase out of the heavy fire door and into the lobby. The wheels squeaked against the polished marble floor.

She didn't make it to the front doors.

Arthur Vance, Baron's lead attorney, sat on the center leather sofa. He wore a bespoke three-piece suit. He slowly lowered his porcelain coffee cup onto the saucer. The clatter was sharp in the quiet room.

He stood up and stepped directly into her path.

"Mrs. Hudson. Or rather, Miss Martinez," Arthur said. His English was clipped, professional, and dripping with condescension.

He unlatched his leather briefcase and pulled out a manila folder. He held it out to her, along with a crisp piece of paper.

Ellyn's eyes dropped to the paper. It was a Chase Bank cashier's check.

The number printed on it made her stomach churn. Five million dollars.

"Mr. Hudson has instructed me to handle your departure," Arthur said, his chin tilted up. "Sign this Non-Disclosure Agreement. Take the money. Leave Manhattan today. You will not speak to the press, you will not contact any member of this family, and you will disappear."

He looked at her like she was a stray dog begging for scraps.

The sheer insult of it made Ellyn's blood boil. The heat rushed to her face, burning beneath her fake scar. They thought she was a whore they could pay off.

Ellyn let out a short, hollow laugh. She didn't reach for the check. She took a step back, her eyes locking onto Arthur's with pure disgust.

Arthur frowned. His patience vanished. "Don't be greedy, Ellyn. Five million is more than a woman of your background will see in ten lifetimes. The Hudson family's patience is nonexistent today. Take the deal."

"And if I don't?" she asked, her voice dangerously quiet.

"If you don't sign," Arthur threatened, stepping closer, "Mr. Hudson will bury you in litigation. You won't see a single cent, and you'll owe us millions in legal fees. You will be ruined."

Something inside Ellyn snapped.

She lunged forward and snatched the thick NDA from Arthur's hand.

Before he could react, she gripped the top of the document and ripped it straight down the middle.

Riiiiiip.

Arthur's eyes widened in shock. "Are you insane?"

Ellyn didn't stop. She stacked the torn halves and ripped them again. And again. Her hands moved with frantic, furious energy until the legal document was nothing but a pile of confetti in her fists.

She raised her hands and threw the shredded paper directly into Arthur's arrogant face.

The white pieces fluttered down around him like dirty snow. Arthur stumbled back, his gold-rimmed glasses slipping down his nose. He pointed a trembling finger at her.

"I don't want a single penny of his filthy money," Ellyn stated. Her English was flawless, sharp as a razor. "It makes me sick."

She stared right through him. "Tell Baron he doesn't need to worry. I am vanishing from his world today. I wouldn't stay if he begged me."

She turned her back on the stunned lawyer. She grabbed her suitcase handle and marched toward the massive double doors.

The old butler stood by the entrance. He looked at her with a mix of pity and shock. He reached out to take her bag, but Ellyn dodged his hand.

She pushed the heavy doors open herself.

A violent gust of wind hit her instantly. The New York autumn rain was pouring down in sheets, slamming against the stone steps.

"Miss Ellyn, please, let me call a car. Take an umbrella," the butler pleaded, holding out a large black umbrella.

"No," Ellyn said.

She pulled her hood up. She stepped out from under the portico and walked straight into the torrential downpour. The freezing rain soaked through her clothes in seconds, but she kept her spine perfectly straight. She didn't look back.

Inside the lobby, Arthur wiped a wet piece of paper off his lapel. His face was purple with rage. He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed the direct line to the President's office.

Miles away, at the top of the Empire State Building, Baron stood by the floor-to-ceiling window of his office. He watched the rain lash against the glass.

His phone buzzed. He answered it, his jaw tight.

"Mr. Hudson," Arthur's voice came through, shaking with anger. "She refused the money. She tore up the NDA and threw it at me. She walked out into the rain."

Baron's grip on the phone tightened. His knuckles turned white. A surge of irrational irritation flared in his chest.

He let out a cold, mocking scoff. "She's playing hard to get. She thinks throwing a tantrum will make me feel guilty."

"What are your orders, sir?"

"Freeze every supplementary credit card attached to her name," Baron commanded, his voice devoid of emotion. "Cut off her phone plan. Block her from every Hudson account. Let's see how long her pride lasts when she's starving on the street."

He ended the call and tossed the phone onto his desk.

He reached up and yanked his silk tie loose. He turned and swept his arm across the desk, sending a stack of quarterly reports crashing onto the carpet.

His chest heaved. For a split second, the image of Ellyn's dead, empty eyes from last night flashed in his mind. His heart skipped a painful beat.

He hated that feeling. He pressed the intercom button.

"Send a car to JFK," Baron barked at his assistant. "Christine's flight lands next week. Make sure she has everything she needs."

Out on the highway, the rain washed over Ellyn's face. The cheap concealer began to run, but her grip on the suitcase never loosened. She kept walking.