Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 33412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33412 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 167(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 111(@300wpm)
“Nothing,” I say. “Nothing’s going on.”
She raises a playful brow. “You sure?”
“I haven’t had a boyfriend in forever.” I snort.
She gasps. “A boyfriend?” She leans over the table all across the fabrics I need, stopping me from continuing my work. “C’mon, tell me. I wanna know more about your past. How did you end up working for Easton?”
My whole body tenses up. “Well … I …”
She frowns, grabbing my hand. “Hey. I consider you my friend now. You can tell me anything.”
She squeezes gently, just like Easton always did when he wanted to make me feel better, and it moves me to speak up.
“Okay …” I take a deep breath in and out. “Grab a chair then because it’s gonna be a long story.”
After I’ve told her everything, it takes Charlotte a while to respond. She takes in a deep breath. “Wow.”
“Yeah …” I murmur as I grab some new cloth and start cutting it into pieces for the next dress. “It’s a lot.”
“I’m sorry,” she says.
“Oh, don’t be. It happened a long time ago,” I reply.
“But still,” she says. “Can’t imagine what it must’ve been like for you, losing your entire family like that.”
I sigh and look away for a moment, still clutching the fabric in my hand. “I do miss them. Sometimes. Mostly my sister.” A pang of guilt hits me in the stomach, and I shake my head. “I try not to think of it.”
Charlotte grabs my hand. “I’m here for you. If you need me.” The way she looks at me makes me tear up, but I swallow it down. “It’s okay to be angry. To be sad.”
“I know, but it doesn’t change anything,” I say, shrugging it off. “Besides, Easton kept me safe. I’m very grateful.”
I continue sewing, but a part of me still digs in my memories as I try to picture what Jasmine would look like right now and what she’s doing. If she’s still involved with our parents’ business. If they made her take over. If she’s happy…
“I do wonder sometimes how my sister is,” I blurt out.
Charlotte looks at me while curling her hair around her finger. “Can’t we look her up? What’s her name?”
I gaze up at her and put down my stuff, but I don’t know what to say.
“I … I …”
“It won’t do any harm to know, right? They won’t find you,” she says as she fishes her phone from her pocket and opens a search tab.
“Easton told me to never say the name out loud,” I reply. “It could get me in trouble.”
I’ve actually never searched online for any of my family members.
I was terrified.
Terrified of the consequences.
Terrified of what I’d find out.
“I won’t tell anyone,” Charlotte says, crossing her fingers. “Promise.”
I sigh again. “My full name … is Jill Baas.”
I haven’t said that name in years.
It feels odd.
And it makes my skin crawl.
“Baas … hmm …” Charlotte types on her phone but stops as her eyes widen. “Oh!”
I jump from my seat. “What?”
She turns the phone to me. “Is this her? Jasmine Baas?”
My heart comes to a stop the second I look into the eyes of my own sister.
The one girl I thought I’d never see again.
And it makes tears well up in my eyes.
I nod. “I never got to say goodbye …”
Charlotte’s face contorts. “I’m sorry, I didn’t want to upset you.”
“Can I have a closer look?” I ask.
She hands me her phone. “Of course.”
But when I take it, it almost drops from my hand.
My whole body feels numb.
Like I’m not really here.
Because my sister’s name and face aren’t just online for everyone to find.
The photo on the social media account shows her trying on a wedding dress.
With the caption “Today a Baas. Tomorrow a De Vos.”
Oh, God.
“What’s wrong?” Charlotte asks. “Your face is turning white.”
My lips quiver as I speak. “She’s getting married … to the boy who destroyed us.”
She frowns. “What?! You mean Luca De Vos?”
I nod as the phone shakes in my hand, rage bubbling to the surface.
They couldn’t have me.
Couldn’t keep me from running.
From hating him.
So they took my sister instead.
“Fuck,” I growl, and I hand her back the phone before I squash it. “I have to go.”
“What? Where?” Charlotte asks while I grab all my things and tuck them in my bag.
I don’t know where she is right now, but I can find out the wedding date and location if I just search online.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to try to find her,” Charlotte says. “It could be dangerous.”
I pull my bag over my shoulder and march toward the door, only throwing her a single glance. “I can’t let my sister take the fall for my mistake. I have to save her.”
“What if he kills you?” she yells, but it won’t stop me.
“He won’t,” I respond while I open the door to the workshop. “I have something Luca wants. Me.”