Chapter 12
Three years later.
Rachel Leroix walked out of prison a free woman.
The people who’d thrown her behind bars were the same ones who’d once cherished her unconditionally-her doting brother, her devoted father, her caring mother.
Now that same brother, Arthur Leroix, was waiting outside the prison gates.
“What’re you standing there for? Let’s go.”
Arthur’s impatient voice cut through the air. He glanced at his watch with obvious irritation, clearly annoyed.
Rachel snapped back to reality, the figure before her gradually merging with the cold, ruthless man from the courtroom three years ago-her own brother, who had once traveled to Europe just to bid on a precious gem at Christie’s auction for her, and who had also personally sent her to prison for Sophie’s sake.
For three years, she had hoped every single day that they would come for her, that they would overturn her case, that they would tell the world she wasn’t a murderer.
But what happened instead?
Not only did they never seek to clear her name, they never even visited her once, leaving her to suffer alone behind bars. The guards took out their frustrations on her at every opportunity. Beatings became routine. The other inmates mocked her-a former socialite reduced to this-and ganged up to bully her, forcing her to do the filthiest work. For three years, she scrubbed toilets alone. When she displeased them, they forced her to drink toilet water.
Three years of hell-all courtesy of the Leroix family.
She lifted her gaze, her voice dripping with sarcasm: “Chill out. I’ve been locked up for three years-what’s another few
minutes?”
Her stare was pure ice. Arthur felt his breath catch, anger flaring hot in his chest: “Jesus, you haven’t learned a damn thing, have you? Still the same spoiled brat-actually, you’re even worse now!”
Without another glance at Rachel, he turned and slammed into his car.
The locks clicked shut with a sharp snap.
The window rolled down just enough to reveal his furious face: “Maybe you should think about what you did wrong for once! Three years obviously wasn’t enough. If Sophie hadn’t begged me to go easy on you, you’d still be rotting in there!”
He gunned the engine and sped away, leaving her standing alone on the empty street.
She’d barely taken a few steps when a sleek luxury car suddenly pulled up beside her.
The window slid down, revealing a strikingly handsome face in the passenger seat.
“Rachel Leroix?”
