Chapter 6
Gasps filled the room.
Nathan’s face went pale as he snapped the video off. He turned to Julia, his eyes stormy and
unreadable.
“It wasn’t me.” Julia met his gaze, her voice steady. “Do you believe me?”
Nathan stayed silent.
He grabbed the mic, his voice cold. “I’m sorry, everyone. The party’s over.”
Then he walked out, not looking back.
Whispers exploded all around. Everyone stared at Julia, their eyes full of judgment and disgust.
“I can’t believe Mrs. Haskins could be so vicious…”
“Sarah saved Mr. Haskins‘ life, didn’t she…”
“How could a woman like that ever deserve him…”
Julia watched Nathan’s back as he disappeared through the doors. Her chest ached–he didn’t
believe her. Not even for a second.
She turned to leave, but a circle of socialites closed in around her, faces hard and unfriendly. They were Sarah’s friends–her loyal defenders.
“Bitch!” sneered the woman in the red dress, slapping Julia hard across the face. “Sarah saved Mr. Haskins, and this is how you treat her?”
Julia staggered back, barely steady before someone kicked her in the stomach. She doubled over, pain stealing her breath, but they didn’t stop. Fingers twisted in her hair, yanking her toward the back garden of the hotel.
“If you hadn’t gotten in the way, Mr. Haskins and Sarah would be married by now!”
“They grew up together, but you just had to show up and make him fall for you. Who do you think you are?”
“Tonight, we’re teaching you a lesson for Sarah!”
Fists and kicks rained down. Julia curled on the ground, arms over her head, trying to shield herself. She heard her dress rip, someone spit on her, and then her head slammed against the ground, making her vision go black.
They dragged her to the garden’s glass fountain, shoved her inside, and locked the lid.
“Go to hell! That spot beside Mr. Haskins should’ve been Sarah’s!”
Water started rushing in. Julia hammered at the glass, panic rising as the water level crept up, higher and higher.
3/2
Chapter 6
Her lungs burned. Her vision blurred.
Just as darkness closed in, she gathered every bit of strength and threw herself at the glass.
Crash.
The glass burst. Julia crawled out, gasping, collapsed on the ground, coughing up mouthfuls of water like a fish flung onto land.
Nathan came home just as Julia finished changing out of her soaked clothes.
*Julia!” He grabbed her wrist, eyes blazing. “Come with me to apologize to Sarah! I already owe her so much–and now you had to send people to humiliate her? Do you realize, if I’d been any later, those people could’ve—”
“I told
you
it wasn’t me!” Julia’s voice shook, her chest aching, eyes red as she yanked her hand free. “Sarah staged the whole thing! Her friends attacked me–I’m covered in bruises, can’t you see?”
Nathan stared at her, taking in her battered state. For a second, something like doubt flickered across his face, but then his jaw tightened, his eyes cold.
“I grew up with Sarah. I know exactly what she’s like. I know her friends, too–they’d never do something like that. Even if you want to avoid responsibility, don’t you dare slander them
