I woke up to a splitting headache. My eyes eventually adjusted to the light and I immediately remembered where I was.

The VVIP lounge.

And then the memory came back — stranger's hands on my skin, low voice in the dark, mad impulse I had made, the guilt entwined with lust until I couldn't tell which of them burned more.

I pushed the thought away, took my bag, and stumbled out into the fresh morning air.

The bar was quiet now, chairs stacked on tables, pale light filtering through dirty blinds, but none of that mattered, I need to get home and get some things off my chest.

My car was a coffin, the silence heavy as I drove through city streets to the mansion in which I had been raised.

By the time I'd driven up the long, curving driveway, the mansion loomed before me like it had been overnight — all white gleaming stone, tall windows, and pointed hedges trimmed so that they could slice. Within, the smell of orchids and expensive polish drifted fine through the air. The marble foyer was cold beneath my boots, my footfalls bouncing off the vaulted room.

Sienna was lounging in the living room, stretched out on the cream velvet couch as if it were her throne. Sunlight danced in her glossy hair, her legs crossed, one hand casually holding a crystal water glass as if she had all the time in the world.

"Well," she said, eyes sweeping over me with a smile, "look who managed to drag herself home.".

I plopped my bag onto the nearest armchair. "Where's Mom?"

"Got any other questions?" She drank slowly, speaking with affected innocence. "Why?"

"Great," I said, moving towards her. "That means we can have this talk without her being referee."

Her smile turned brittle. "Oh, this is about yesterday?"

"This is about you," I shouted, "in my boyfriend's apartment with your tongue down his throat."

Sienna rolled her eyes. "Don't be dramatic. I went to Liam's because I was upset. Everyone's been calling, sending me that revolting video of Mom. Because you, Dad, and Mom weren't answering, I figured maybe you'd be there. But you weren't. Liam was. He noticed I was upset, got me a drink, let me vent… and then—"

"And then you went to see how far you could push him," I cut in, my voice harsh enough to slice through her deception.

Her tone was defensive. "He leaned in himself. He said you'd been cold. He made me feel desired. If only you'd been paying attention—"

My laughter was caustic and fleeting. "You're unbelievable. You'd burn anyone just to keep the spotlight on you."

Before she could snap back, the double doors at the front swung open. The tapping of heels sounded on the marble floor.

"Girls?" Mom's voice chimed, warm and oblivious.

Sienna's face transformed with hope. She all but ran towards the foyer. "Mom! At last. We have to talk."

I lagged behind, my heart thudding in my head.

Sienna's first words, her voice cracking just enough to sound hurt. "Why would you do this to us? That video is everywhere. People are whispering about me, about Elena, about Dad. You've humiliated this family!"

Mom set her designer purse on the console table, a bag of gourmet shopping in the other hand. Her face faltered. "Sienna—

"You've made us a joke!" Sienna went on, her eyes full of affected tears. "Do you know how humiliating it is?"

I walked into the hall, my voice cutting through her drama. "Oh, for goodness' sake. Save the theatrics for someone who doesn't know you. You weren't exactly concerned with family honor when you were in bed with Liam yesterday."

Mom froze where she was, her eyes flashing to me. "Elena!

Sienna! Did you and your sister's boyfriend have sex?

"She's lying!" Sienna cried, putting her hand over her heart. "I stayed over at Liam's because I needed comfort, and he made it about—"

"You're the one making it about something," I snapped. "You've been doing it your whole life. Mom. what's happening? Who is this man? Why did you do this to dad? To our family?"

The air vibrated with tension like a live wire.

"Stop it!" Mom's voice snapped now. She set the sack of groceries down on the marble credenza, a bottle of wine spilling out and clapping against the stone. "You want to know the truth? All right. Your dad and I have been divorced six months. So there's no family?"

The air appeared to drain out of the hallway. "What?" I got out.

We didn't say anything because it wasn't your problem," she snapped, her voice biting. "But I dated someone else after the breakup. I loved him."

The sentence hurts more than it should. "So that man in that video—"

"Is the one I'm marrying."

I stared at her, astonishment cutting each syllable. "You're marrying him? After that humiliation?”

Mom lifted her left hand, and the diamond ring on her finger sent a heartless gleam of light. "We're engaged."

"You're out of your mind," I said, my voice low but deadly. "Do you think a ring can forget that the whole world watched you get down on your knees for some stranger?"

"It wasn't supposed to be taped," she explained. "It was an accident. I'll discuss it with him — he'll get it out of his system."

Sienna, of course, folded her arms, lips curled. "Fine because you're in love. You still destroyed our family."

I whirled on her. "And you still slept with my boyfriend, so perhaps shut up."

She advanced on me, eyes alight. "At least I didn't—"

"Both of you, stop!" Mother's voice cracked through the air, echoing in the vast entrance hall.

But I was finished. I glared at my mother with her diamond ring and at my sister with her self-satisfied little smile, and something cold and final sat within me.

"These individuals are pathetic," I said, picking up my bag. "One of your is sleeping with my boyfriend, the other sleeping sucking another man on camera . Good work — you've both set new standards in shame."

"Hey, he's coming over for dinner, so you girls sort yourselves out and get ready!" Mother told me, her tone of finality silencing my rants.