Millie chewed on her lip. She really liked this dress-she didn''t want to give it up.


    Reese caught her hesitation and stepped between Millie and Tara. "Tara,e on. Millie''s set on this one. Why don''t you pick another dress?"


    Tara''s smile froze for a split second. "Reese, I''m going to the Ratcliff Global g next week. I need something that tters my skin tone."


    Reese didn''t even look at her. She handed the dress to the sales assistant. "Could you wrap this up, please?"


    Then she turned back to Tara. "There are plenty of other dresses. You don''t have to insist on this one."


    Tara''s smile was brittle now. "Guess I was being a little pushy."


    She took a step closer, dropping her voice. "Reese, I heard the National Security Bureau picked you up the other day. The Ratcliffs have all that power. Didn''t Mr. Ratcliff help you out?"


    Her eyes flicked to Reese''s stomach, her tone turning sharp.


    "Then again, you secretly got rid of the baby and tried to pin it on Sofia. What do you think the Ratcliffs would do if they found out?"


    Reese could hear the threat, but she kept her cool. "So what if they know? It was my body. My choice. The Ratcliffs had nothing to do with it. You didn''t either."


    Tara arched an eyebrow, pretending to be shocked. "So the baby had nothing to do with the Ratcliffs? No wonder you kept it from them. How could you be so careless?"


    "Tara, that''s enough!" Millie snapped.


    Tara''s meaning couldn''t have been clearer. Millie could put up with Tara''s jabs for Reese''s sake, but she''d never let Tara drag Reese through the mud.


    "Back then, after Zach left the country, you left too. Before Reese and Zach even broke up, you were already hooking up with him, and now you''re using her?"


    Millie''s voice was loud enough for the sales assistant to hear every word.


    Tara''s face turned a dark, ugly red as she felt the sales assistant''s judgmental stare. "That''s not true! I went abroad for college. Zach just happened to be there."


    "Just happened to be there?" Millie scoffed. "What are the odds?"


    "Back in school, I could see you were into Zach. Reese always thought of you as a sister-she was just too trusting."


    Tara was shaking with anger. "Reese, you''re just going to let her nder me?" "Aren''t you worried Zach will make her pay for this?"


    That threat was way too obvious. Reese thought of all the things Zach had done before and felt a tightness in her chest.


    She stepped in front of Millie. "Tara, Millie''s my best friend. I''m telling you, don''t mess with her."


    "You expect me to just let this go?" Tara shot back. "Reese, we''re family. Don''t tell me you''re taking someone else''s side."


    Reese took a deep breath and looked Tara straight in the eye, her expressionpletely calm. "Family? Have you ever treated me like family?


    "You chased after Zach and got engaged to him even though you knew how I felt. When Ramos Corporation meant everything to me, and your dad tried to ruin it, you told


    me to just let it go.


    "And...


    She paused, closing her eyes for a second before going on. "After I married Sebastian I transferred two million to Zach''spany through Ramos Corporation.


    "You never told Zach that money came from me, did you?"


    Tara went pale, her hands trembling, lips quivering like she might faint.


    She opened her mouth, ready to argue, but a deep male voice sounded from the doorway. "Tara, what''s going on?"


    They all turned. Zach strode in, his gaze immediatelynding on Tara''s ashen face before his eyes narrowed at Reese. "Looks like you haven''t learned your lessons Tara''s your cousin, and she''s pregnant, but


    you''re still making things hard for


    her."


    He paused, eyes cold. "What did you mean about transferring two million through


    Ramos Corporation to me?"