Chapter 1

My husband Sebastian's parents were trapped in the disaster zone of a hurricane-driven flash flood. I risked my life piloting a rescue boat in and pulled them aboard.

The moment I let out a breath of relief, a deafening roar erupted overhead.

It was Sebastian's drone fleet, diving straight at us—while he stood in his helicopter with his arm around his little assistant Vivienne, watching like it was some kind of show.

The drones churned the water into a whirlpool, trying to swallow our boat whole.

I frantically dialed my husband.

"Sebastian, have you lost your mind?! Mom and Dad are on this boat!"

But on the other end, all I got was Sebastian's soft laugh.

"A year ago, when Vivi's parents were trapped in a flash flood, you were the rescue team leader—and you abandoned them to save someone else."

"Today, I'm going to let you experience exactly what it feels like to watch your family swallowed alive."

His little assistant let out a delighted squeal.

"Baby, you're incredible! I want to see those two old wretches dragged under!"

The boat rocked violently. Sebastian's parents clutched at me in terror.

I screamed into the phone.

"Sebastian, look properly! It's your parents on this boat!"

...

"Aurora, aren't you tired of this little act yet?"

"Mom and Dad went out to the family estate in the countryside for the weekend. I personally saw them onto the private jet this morning. Could you at least *think* before you make up a lie?"

Vivienne snatched the phone from him.

"Aurora, this is your karma coming back to bite you! You killed my parents, and today you and those two old bastards can go to hell as payment for them!"

I was about to have Sebastian's parents speak up.

But they were trembling all over, faces caked with mud, hair a matted mess.

In such a bedraggled state, they were nearly unrecognizable.

"You two are absolute lunatics!"

I roared and hung up.

There was no time.

If I didn't move fast, the boat would capsize.

Margaret's face had gone chalk-white. She clung to my arm.

"Rory, what on earth has gotten into Sebastian? He wouldn't actually try to kill us, would he? I'm his *mother*!"

Richard's face had drained of color too.

I had no time to comfort them.

One wrong move and the boat would go down with everyone on it.

The drone swarm was carving a whirlpool below the surface, trying to drag us in.

"Everyone, hold on! Sit tight!"

I slammed the throttle to the limit.

At that exact moment, a drone swooped in close. Its blade sliced open my cheek.

"Blood! Rory, your face!"

Richard bellowed at the sky.

"Sebastian, you animal! She's your *wife*!"

I bared my teeth—the movement tugged the wound.

Fucking hell, it hurt.

Sebastian's cold laugh crackled through the helicopter's loudspeaker.

"Still got the nerve to curse me? You two old bastards must be tired of living!"

The drones slammed into the hull. The boat lurched so hard we were nearly thrown clean out.

Muddy water was already pouring in. Half the boat was submerged.

We were seconds from being swallowed. Margaret let out a scream of pure despair.

The next second, a grapple hook shot down from Sebastian's helicopter and latched firmly onto the bow.

Sebastian's call came through. I hit speaker.

"Scared now? Sign the document in your inbox and maybe I'll let you live."

I pulled out my phone.

I wanted to know what Sebastian was really after.

But when I opened it, my stomach dropped.

It was a document making me confess that I had *deliberately* abandoned the rescue effort for Vivienne's parents, and take full liability for all deaths and injuries from that day!

When the truth was that it was *Sebastian's* company that had violated regulations, destabilizing the mountain and triggering the flash flood in the first place.

And now he wanted me as his scapegoat, so Vivienne could claim a massive settlement on top of it.

If I signed, I'd spend the rest of my life behind bars.

Margaret looked up at me, shaking, and broke into sobs.

"Monster! How did we ever raise such an inhuman creature!"

"For that whore, he'd murder his own wife—and his own parents!"

Richard snatched the phone and jabbed a finger toward the helicopter, roaring.

"Sebastian! You inhuman bastard! Look properly! I'm your *father*! You'd kill your own parents?!"

"Get down here right now! I will *never* let your wife sign something like this!"

Warmth flooded my chest, followed by a wave of grief.

Three years of marriage, and they'd always treated me like their own daughter.

But Sebastian only laughed with contempt.

"You old bastard, you've got the nerve to impersonate my father? So desperate to save your own skin?"

"You think Sebastian Locke's father would be some filthy tramp caked in mud like you?"

"Aurora, I'm warning you—don't throw my kindness back in my face! Sign it! *Now!* My patience isn't infinite!"

Several drones surged forward, blades slashing toward us.

Richard's arm was ripped open in an instant—the cut deep enough to expose bone.

"Made up your mind yet? If you haven't, I'll send you all to hell so you can think it over there!"

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