Chapter 1

On my twentieth birthday, my father made my mother take the fall for an adopted daughter, on a university bribery case.

My mother was sentenced to eight full years.

Eight years later, my father tracked me down at a bar.

"I can't reach your mother. Kathy's in trouble again. Get your mom to help us out one more time."

"It's not like your mother's some big university professor anymore. What difference does a few more years in prison make?"

My former fiancé came to talk me around too.

"Kathy just made a careless mistake. She's carrying my child now, and whatever you want to say about it, she's still your sister on paper. You can't really stand by and watch a pregnant woman go to prison, can you?"

My face stayed blank, and I turned and walked away.

This time, I was afraid they were going to be disappointed.

1

Inside the bar, the pounding music left your ears buzzing.

My father and Bryce Henson stood in front of me in their tailored suits, both of them frowning at me.

I set the drinks down off my tray and looked at them.

"Sorry. Can't do it."

"Last time my mother took the fall for Kathy Pruitt, she lost her job, went to prison, and did eight full years."

"This time, don't even think about it."

My father looked me over from head to toe, his voice thick with disgust.

"Look at the state of you. You've thrown yourself away."

"Serving drinks and carrying trays in a sleazy place like this. Do you have any shame left at all?"

"Call your mother right now and get her over here. I'd like to ask her exactly how she raised a daughter like you."

I laughed once and answered him coldly.

"Sleazy?"

"Right. This place is too small a temple to house two grand idols like you."

"Greg Pruitt, take your fine son-in-law and go wherever it is you belong."

Both their faces darkened at once.

Bryce spoke up, trying to persuade me.

"Kathy has no real sense of money. She got herself into trouble this time by accident. If your mother will just agree to help one more time, I'll give you two thousand, as a token of my thanks."

When I still said nothing, my father couldn't help adding a line.

"Kathy's pregnant right now. Whatever you want to say about it, she's still your sister on paper. You can't really watch a pregnant woman go to prison, can you?"

I looked at my father, my face expressionless.

"Greg Pruitt, have you forgotten? Eight years ago you told me to my face to get out of the Pruitt house. You said you had no daughter like me anymore."

"And now you come claiming family. Don't you disgust yourself?"

My father's face went ashen, his chest heaving several times. He was silent for a moment, then suddenly spoke.

"If your mother agrees, I can let her come back to the Pruitt house as a maid. Hasn't she always wanted to come back? She's not fit to be Mrs. Pruitt anymore, but since she's still of some use, I can bring myself to put food in her mouth."

When he said that, I froze completely.

Eight years. I'd thought that seeing them again would make me hysterical, make me lose my mind.

Instead I was strangely calm.

I only lifted a hand and signaled to security, my voice neither loud nor soft.

"Security, this man is harassing me."

My father exploded on the spot.

"Paula Pruitt! What are you talking about? Have you lost your mind? Where's your mother? Get her over here! Today I am going to ask her how she raised such an ungrateful wretch!"

Before either of them could say much more, security marched them straight out.

Fran, the bar owner, saw how frighteningly pale my face was and hurried over.

"Paula, are you all right?"

I shook my head, picked up the untouched drink in front of me, and knocked it back in one gulp.

"I'm fine."

Something came to Fran suddenly.

"Those two just now, why did they look so familiar…"

"I've got it!"

"Greg Pruitt. That's the richest man in New York!"

"And the one beside him, Greg Pruitt's son-in-law, Bryce Henson, who owns Easton Law Firm!"

She stopped short after she said it.

"What did they come to you for? Did they push you around? Don't be scared. Whatever it is, you tell me, and I'll go to bat for you!"

I set the glass down and pulled up a smile.

"Want to hear a story?"

"The story of a modern-day heartbreaker who walked out on his family."