Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Before word of the divorce had even gotten out, Lucien was parading Lillian all over town.

At another auction, one of the lots was an antique cross pendant, said to bring peace to the souls of the dead. I wanted it for Hope.

“Thirty million.” I raised my paddle. That was far more than the cross was worth, and the room went quiet.

In the VIP box across the room, Lillian leaned in to whisper in Lucien’s ear, throwing me a look of open challenge.

Lucien’s lips curved, and he signaled the auctioneer.

The room buzzed.

“No ceiling! Mr. Sterling says whatever anyone bids, he’ll double it!”

In other words, whatever I offered, he would double it to beat me, just to make his woman smile.

In the end, he bought the cross for a ridiculous sum and fastened it around Lillian’s neck himself.

Lillian stroked the cross at her throat and lifted her chin at me, her voice sickly sweet.

“Baby, it’s perfect on me. Some people, though—once you’re old, you’re old. Anything you put on just looks like bad luck.”

Far from stopping her, Lucien only tightened his arm around her waist.

On her way out, Lillian hung on his arm like she’d won the war. She handed me a red invitation embossed in gold, her smile blinding.

“Ms. Lorenzo, Lucien and I are having the wedding of the century in three days. You have to come and see how happy we are.”

I took it and gave it a careless flick with my fingertip. “I’d love to.”

I turned away and dialed a number, my voice perfectly even.

“You won the bet we made seven years ago. Once my marital status says widow, come marry me.”

I’d meant to end things with Lucien cleanly. But he kept letting Lillian walk all over me.

He seemed to have forgotten that I, Elena Lorenzo, have never let a slight go unpaid. Swallowing my pride is not something I do.