Page 28 of Bound in Debt

Especially when I know exactly what she’s being used for in this game. How they’ll reduce her to a pawn. And I’d like nothing more than to keep her off their board.

“You’re making the right choice,” I tell her, keeping my words as vague as possible. “Liam will only drag you down.”

“I don’t understand what his problem is,” Victoria admits softly. “Normal people break up and move on. They don’t try to force the other to marry them.”

“Liam is an only child. The little shit doesn’t understand the word ‘no’.”

“Why didn’t you give me up when he asked?”

“Why would I?” I lift my eyes away from her hand, trying to gauge the expression on her face. “Did you already change your mind?”

“No.” She studies me, her eyes full of desperate emotion. “Can you please talk to him? I’m not trying to be rude or mean, but I can’t marry Liam.”

“I’ll mention it tomorrow.” I grab a bandage and carefully cover her cut.

I’m not sure how I’m going to get Liam to forget about marrying Victoria, but I obviously need to help him find another solution.

And then I need to get the hell out of the States.

I have just over three days to make it happen.

10

VICTORIA

Sunday, September 8

“Vee! What the fuck?!” Ellie comes bursting into my room like a bat out of hell with her cell phone in hand. Her blonde hair is pulled back in a ponytail and her makeup is only half done. “That motherfucker has gone too far.”

“What?” I ask, my pen hovering over my notebook in confusion. I have no idea what she’s talking about. I’ve been holed up on my bed since waking up this morning, studying and writing papers that need to be done by week’s end. I’m exhausted after waking up with the sun to get started. It may be close to noon now, but it still feels like it’s too early in the day to be hollering.

“Liam announced your engagement.”

That has me leaping from bed. My textbooks and notes hit the floor with several thuds and I sprint to my best friend, plucking her phone from her hand.

My eyes fall on a hand with a giant diamond ring. It sparkles in the light, the caption short and simple: VICTORIA WALDORF IS OFFICIALLY MINE.

My stomach violently knots as I read the words in all caps, punctuated by a mocking diamond emoji. Who in the hell put that ring on and pretended to be me? The hand in the picture has a classic white-tipped French manicure.

I check the hot pink nail polish on my fingers to reassure myself that I haven’t fallen into a parallel universe, that I didn’t somehow participate in the photoshoot.

Just how far will Liam go to make this reality? And why aren’t my parents willing to put a stop to this mania?

“What are we going to do?” Ellie asks me. “We can’t let this happen.”

She’s saying exactly what I’m thinking. The only thing that comes to mind is that I have to run. I’m not sure how I’m going to pull it off, but if I stay here, I will lose everything I’ve worked for.

I won’t graduate Thronewood or earn my culinary degree.

My mother is more sinister than I thought.

The social media announcement was more than likely her idea.

Giving Ellie back her phone, I grab mine from the charger, unblocking Liam’s number and hitting the call button.

I can’t do this.

I won’t.