Chapter 20

Clara adopted the earnest tone of someone offering advice for Elise's own good.

“There's a lot you don't understand about this business. The men in it know how to play games you wouldn't even see coming. You're young. You have plenty of choices. Why ruin your whole life over one man?”

Elise was listening, which Clara took as encouragement.

“And he has millions of fans. If this comes out one day, they'll spend three days and nights tearing you apart. Doesn't that frighten you?”

Elise couldn't follow her reasoning. Why would anyone attack her for going out with her brother?

“But, ma'am, I don't think Adrian's fans would say those things about me.”

The other day, they had all said they liked her.

Clara was delighted that the girl had finally picked up on something she said. “That's because you haven't seen what fans who imagine being his girlfriend can be like.”

Elise looked at her blankly.

Of course, Clara thought. She was young and knew nothing about the entertainment industry. None of this would mean much to her. Clara would have to find something that did.

“More importantly, the line of fans walking away would stretch all the way to France. You wouldn't want him to lose his singing career because of you, would you?”

She watched Elise's face without blinking, waiting for some change.

Elise was getting more confused with every word. If the media photographed her with Adrian, it would ruin his career?

Had she misunderstood how the entertainment business worked?

She turned her head toward Clara, still looking thoroughly bewildered. Clara had spent all this time explaining, and the girl was still giving her that wide-eyed, innocent look. Was that how she had managed to get Adrian wrapped around her finger?

Clara's temper rose. She gritted her teeth and abandoned the gentle approach.

“I'm telling you to stay away from him. The consequences will be more than you can handle!”

Elise's eyes widened. She considered that seriously, then said, “But we can't be separated for the rest of our lives.”

He was her brother. Whatever happened, they would still share the same blood. That bond would be there all their lives.

Clara nearly ground her teeth to pieces.

It was bad enough that nothing she said got through to this girl. Now she was actually flaunting their love in Clara's face?

After everything Clara had said, she still wouldn't give an inch. So much for innocent and naive. The little bitch knew exactly what she was doing.

When they came out of the changing room, Clara's expression was so grim it was alarming. Even the sight of Adrian on the sofa couldn't restore her usual smile. If she stayed here much longer, she would die of sheer frustration.

“My esthetician should be ready for me. I'll leave you to it.”

Elise had appreciated having someone to talk to while she waited. She hadn't understood some of the things Clara had said in the changing room, but she still thought well of her.

“Goodbye, ma'am,” she said sweetly.

Clara's face stiffened at the sound of her voice. She walked out without another word.

Adrian lifted his eyes to follow her, puzzled. “What happened? Why does she look like that?”

The esthetician still hadn't returned. Elise sat down beside him, equally at a loss.

“I don't know. She said some strange things.”

“What things?” He raised his eyebrows. “Tell me.”

They had only gone into the changing room for a little while. Clara had come back looking furious, while Elise looked exactly as she had before. He was curious to know what had happened between them.

Elise thought back and repeated everything Clara had said.

The longer Adrian listened, the darker his face grew.

Was that woman out of her mind?

He had rushed home, begged Ellie to add him, given her a present, and brought her here, all in the hope that she would forgive him and stop keeping him at a distance. He was finally making a little progress, and Clara had told his sister to stay away from him?

What the hell had he ever done to her?

Elise noticed his expression. “Adrian? What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He made himself sound casual, took out his phone, and brought up the keyboard.

Adrian: I've changed my mind about writing that song for Clara Sutton.

Manager: ??

Manager: Oh, for God's sake. Didn't you already agree to it?

Adrian: Over my dead body. [smiling emoji]

Manager: ...

He put his phone away. That made him feel a little better.

By the time Elise had finished her facial and skin analysis, Adrian had spent a long time discussing her products with the esthetician. He settled on the finest, most expensive ingredients available and paid the deposit. Only then did they leave the spa.

As they entered the parking lot, they spotted Clara standing beside a car some distance away. She looked at them in dismay.

Apparently, his manager had already told her she wasn't getting a song from him.

Adrian gave a short, scornful laugh. He hadn't finished settling matters with her yet.

Elise was looking curiously in Clara's direction. He turned to her.

“Go wait in the car for me, Ellie. Be good.”

She nodded. He evidently had something to discuss with Clara. Leaving them to it, she got into the car.

Adrian walked over to Clara, his expression still cold.

The sight of it made her feel more aggrieved than ever. Every song he wrote found a place on the charts. Countless singers wanted one from him; having a song written by Adrian Whitmore was something to be proud of in its own right.

For Clara, who had been his fan for so long, it meant even more. Her dream was to have him write a song for her one day. If that ever happened, she could die happy.

She had finally persuaded him to agree. Now he was taking it back.

She bit her lip. “Did you change your mind because of her?”

Adrian raised an eyebrow. That was one way to put it. Clara's interference with Ellie was precisely what had made him angry enough to withdraw.

“You could say that.”

Her face fell. Now she understood how fans felt when the star they adored announced a relationship.

She closed her eyes for a moment, swallowing her hurt.

“When are you going public?”

“Going public with what?” Adrian frowned.

“Your relationship.” Her voice dropped. “I'll wish you both well.”

He sucked in a breath. She thought Ellie was his girlfriend? What on earth went on inside this woman's head?

He stared at her for a long moment. At last, he couldn't keep the question to himself.

“Is there something wrong with you?”

A possibility occurred to Clara as she watched his face. She tried to control her voice, but it rose anyway.

“She isn't your girlfriend?!”

Adrian gave a dismissive snort. He couldn't be bothered arguing with her anymore and turned toward the car.

“She's far more important than a girlfriend.”

That evening, Elise went back to her room after dinner. Remembering something she had wanted to do, she walked over to the window and called her adoptive mother.

Mrs. Bennett sounded like herself again. The online abuse directed at Elise had died away, and her relief made every word brighter.

“Ellie, school starts tomorrow, doesn't it? Make sure you get along with everyone at your new school.”

“I will.” Elise's voice softened. “Mom, have any more strangers been knocking on the door?”

The original X post exposing their phone number and address had been deleted, but the information had already spread. There could still be people turning up to harass them.

“Ellie...”

Her mother hesitated. She didn't want to make her worry, but now that Elise had asked, she couldn't keep it from her.

“There have been a few. But your dad and I have been staying with our neighbor these past few days, so it hasn't really affected us.”

Elise frowned. As long as her parents lived at that address, the harassment might never stop completely.

“You don't need to worry,” her mother hurried on. “We've just heard that the buildings around here are going to be torn down for redevelopment. We'll be moving anyway. It won't matter if those people know this address.”

Elise was startled, then remembered. This had happened in her previous life too.

Her parents rented their home. It was cramped and cold, with flakes of paint falling off the walls, but they had never had enough money to buy a place of their own. When the building was demolished, they had moved into another rental that was just as small and unwelcoming.

In that life, Elise had had savings. She had wanted to buy them a home, but they were so used to saving every penny that the thought of spending that much distressed them. No matter what she said, they wouldn't agree.

They had kept living in those damp, cramped rooms, and her father's rheumatism had grown much worse. By the time regret set in, it had been too late.

She didn't want them to suffer that way again.

This time, though, hiring a lawyer over the harassment had used up almost all her allowance. She couldn't buy them a home. She couldn't even afford to rent them somewhere better.

The call ended, but her worries stayed with her. She took out every bank card she had, emptied the cash from her wallet, and spread it all across the desk.

With a calculator, she added up the money in her accounts and the cash in front of her. When she saw the total, she propped her head in her hand, discouraged.

The lawyer had cost almost everything she had put aside. She was flat broke. She couldn't so much as find her adoptive parents a decent rental, and her next allowance wouldn't come until next month.

There was still a black card in her wallet. Julian had given it to her, but apart from buying the car for him, she hadn't used it.

Could she use that to buy a place?

It was his money. She couldn't count it as her own.

She sighed and looked down at her wrist. Blue diamonds shone on the bracelet Julian had given her. It wasn't worth much, but she loved it and wore it all the time.

Should she ask him for a loan?

She dismissed the thought almost at once. He had told her to come to him if she was having trouble, but the idea still made her uncomfortable. They hadn't grown up close the way other brothers and sisters had.

She couldn't bring herself to ask him for money.

She worried over it all evening. When she next noticed the time, it was already eleven thirty. Outside the window, the night was completely black. Out here away from the city, it was so quiet that she couldn't hear a thing.