Lucia’s hand tightened on the handle.
She had saved him. How did Alice steal that too?
Then came Alice’s soft, shy voice.
“Jared only went after the white fox because of me. Saving you was the least I could do, but…”
Her tone shifted—just a little darker.
“You didn’t have to bring me a white fox to cheer me up. I know the truth… You’ve always loved Lucia. That’s why you risked everything to save her from the kidnappers back then…”
“That’s not true!” one of Jared’s friends snapped, voice sharp. “That whole kidnapping? Jared planned it!”
“What?” Alice gasped.
But Jared’s buddies kept going.
“Yeah, Jared set the whole thing up to make the Lynches realize which of their daughters they love more. He paid people to stage the kidnapping, grabbed both you and Lucia.”
“That rescue stunt? Totally planned. He saved Lucia on purpose—played the hero so she’d fall for him and say yes to the marriage.”
“But don’t stress, Alice. Jared only married her for the family deal—and to get revenge for you. He’s already got the divorce lined up. Right, Jared?”
Silence. Heavy.
Then Jared’s voice came through, flat and sure.
“That’s right.”
Outside the door, Lucia staggered back.
Even the kidnapping—one of the only things she thought was real—had been a setup.
Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of the spiral.
She answered. Francesca’s voice came through.
