Chapter 4

Sienna's POV

I got back to the main house around sunset and found all my stuff piled in the hallway outside my bedroom door. Clothes, books, photo frames, everything dumped there in cardboard boxes.

Isabella stood in the doorway of what used to be my room. She had this soft smile on her face that made my skin crawl.

"Sienna, you're back." She tilted her head. "I'm so sorry about the mess. The staff is still organizing everything."

"What's going on?"

"Oh, Father thought this room would be better for me since I'll be staying here permanently." She gestured inside. "You understand, right?"

I looked past her into the room. They'd already moved her things in. Her vanity sat where my desk used to be and her clothes were hanging in my closet.

"How thoughtful of him." I picked up the nearest box. "I'll be out of your way then."

"Sienna, don't be like that." Isabella's voice went even softer. "I know this must be hard for you, but I'm just doing what Father asked."

I didn't bother answering. I just grabbed another box and walked away.

Mom's private villa was on the edge of the O'Connor estate. She'd left it to me in her will, the one place Dad couldn't touch. Finn and I used to come here when we were younger, back when I thought we'd always have each other. Our secret hideaway. Only the two of us had the fingerprint access.

I dumped the boxes in the living room and went straight to the bedroom. Mom's jewelry box sat on the dresser where I'd last left it. I opened it and my stomach dropped.

The pearl necklace was gone.

No. No no no.

I tore through the entire box. Maybe I'd moved it somewhere else and forgot, but I knew I hadn't. After the birthday party was over, I just put it back in the box.

My hands started shaking so badly I could barely close the jewelry box.

Who the hell would take it? Only two people had access to this villa. Me and—

I pulled up the security footage on my phone. The villa had cameras at every entrance and I scrolled back to yesterday afternoon. There. The front door opening.

Finn walked in first. And right behind him, holding his hand, was Isabella.

He was showing her our place. Our secret. He brought her here and let her touch everything that was supposed to be just ours.

I watched them walk through the rooms on the grainy footage. Watched Isabella run her fingers along the furniture and pick up random objects. Then she disappeared into the bedroom for several minutes while Finn waited outside.

You absolute bastard.

I grabbed my jacket and car keys, then went to the safe in Mom's closet and took out the handgun she'd kept there. I checked the magazine to make sure it was loaded and shoved it in my waistband.

I was so done playing nice.

The Murphy family yacht was docked at the harbor, all lit up against the dark water. I could see people moving around on the deck getting ready to leave port.

I walked straight up the gangplank. A crew member tried to stop me but I pushed past him.

"Miss O'Connor, you can't just—"

"Watch me."

I found them on the upper deck. Finn was leaning against the railing and Isabella was laughing at something he'd said with her hand on his arm.

"Where's my mother's necklace?"

They both turned around. Isabella's eyes went wide and innocent, like she had no idea what I was talking about.

"Sienna?" Finn straightened up. "What are you doing here?"

"The pearl necklace my mother gave me." I walked closer with my hand hovering near the gun. "Where is it, Isabella?"

"Oh." Isabella's face crumpled and tears started forming in her eyes. "Sienna, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—"

She reached into her purse and pulled out the necklace. The pearls gleamed under the deck lights.

"I was at the villa yesterday and I saw it and it was just so beautiful." Tears started sliding down her cheeks. "Finn said you wouldn't mind if I borrowed it just for tonight. I was going to give it back, I swear—"

"Finn said I wouldn't mind." I looked at him and felt something cold settle in my chest. "You told her to take my mother's necklace?"

"I didn't tell her to take it." Finn said it quickly, "I just said you were generous and—"

"And that makes it okay?" I held out my hand to Isabella. "Give it back. Now."

"Of course." Isabella moved toward me with tears still streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, I never should have—"

Then she grabbed the necklace with both hands and yanked hard.

The string snapped. Pearls flew everywhere, scattering across the deck and bouncing toward the railings. Some of them fell through the gaps into the dark water below.

I heard this horrible wounded sound come out of my throat. Mom's last gift to me, destroyed right in front of my eyes.

"Oops." Isabella's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh no, I'm so sorry! It was an accident, I swear—"

I pulled out the gun.

Isabella screamed and stumbled backward. I raised the gun, aimed at the railing right next to her head, and fired.

The bang echoed across the harbor. The bullet hit the metal railing and ricocheted off into the night. Isabella dropped to the deck screaming her head off.

"Sienna!" Finn's voice came from somewhere behind me but I couldn't hear anything except the ringing in my ears and Isabella's screaming and the sound of my own heartbeat pounding in my head.

She destroyed it. She looked me in the eyes and destroyed the last thing I had left of my mother.

"SIENNA!"

Finn slammed into me from the side and suddenly I was flying backward with my feet leaving the deck. The gun fell from my hand and then I hit the freezing water.