Chapter 6

They all cleared out. The conference hall went from chaos to dead silence in under ten minutes.

The lights beat down white and harsh. On me. On the weightless USB in my hand.

A slow clap echoed. Heels clicked across marble. Quinn walked in from the side door. Unhurried.

"You really are your parents' daughter. Same stubborn streak. Never learn."

She glanced at her nails. "You know, before you held this press conference, Hunter asked if he should stop you. One word. That's all it would've taken. But I thought—give her hope. Then crush it myself. Much more satisfying."

She looked up. Smile deepening. Her next words were a blade. "Oh, and your parents? Before they died, they were begging me not to hurt you."

The thread of my sanity snapped. My hand flew up—

And was caught in midair.

The grip was brutal. Knuckles grinding against bone.

"Are you insane?"

Hunter's brow was tight. Disapproval.

My voice came out twisted. So shrill I didn't recognize it. "Me? Insane? Do you even know what the Kensingtons—"

Quinn's eyes narrowed. Her voice dripped pleasure. "You think he doesn't know?"

Undisguised pity in her eyes. Slow and deliberate. "He knew from the start. Everything."

"When he pulled you out back then, he was just keeping a shield for when things went bad. Someone to take the fall."

"You only ever got near him because of me. Without that, you'd still be rotting in the gutter."

"You get it now? You were never special. You were just a chess piece."

Even though whatever we had was already dead, I couldn't believe it. Not even the beginning. It was all for her.

I turned. Stiff. Looked at Hunter. His face held nothing. Didn't even look away.

"Hunter." My voice came out broken. "You knew from the start. My parents. The Kensingtons killed them."

His throat moved. Then he opened his mouth.

"Yes."

One word. A sledgehammer. It shattered the last warmth inside my ribs.

So that was it. Ten years of devotion. All calculated. The heart I had treasured—just a pawn in his hand.

I looked at him. He was a stranger. Even hatred felt like too much effort.

I pried his fingers off. One by one. Didn't look at anyone. Walked out of the hall.

***

Before my flight, Remy came to see me off. Her eyes were red.

"They buried the stuff about your parents." She sniffed. "Hunter's people did it."

I didn't know why. Maybe controlling the narrative.

Maybe a slap and then a candy—so I'd come crawling back. Maybe for Quinn.

It didn't matter.

"Remy." I hugged her. "Come visit me in Melbourne."

She nodded hard. "Take care of yourself."

The airport speakers crackled.

"Passengers for Melbourne, flight QF401 is now boarding. Please have your belongings ready. Gate 3."

I grabbed my luggage. Turned toward the jet bridge.

The plane cut through the clouds. Outside the window, endless white. Blinding.

The city shrank below me. Those towers. Those streets. That swing. Those ten years.

All gone.

Above the clouds, the sun burned bright.

In my ear, my father's voice. Turning that globe. His hand on my head.

"Aria. Don't be afraid of getting lost. Look up at the stars. You'll find your way."