When Lizetta came downstairs, she was surprised to see Jerome still there.


    She raised an eyebrow. "You''re heading outte today, aren''t you?"


    Jerome nced up from his phone. "There was a stormst night—wind, rain, fallen branches everywhere. The roads are a mess. I''ll drive you."


    Lizetta had asked Jerome to arrange a nondescript Audi A4 for hermute to Madden Media, but she rarely drove and wasn''t exactly confident behind the wheel.


    Clearly, Jerome didn''t trust her driving skills. Sheughed and nodded, letting him take the keys.


    They headed out together. The drive from Maple Cottage to Madden Media usually took under twenty minutes, but today, thanks to all the debris, it took nearly ten minutes longer.


    When they finally reached the street outside Madden Media, Lizetta turned to him. "You can drop me off here. I''ll walk the rest of the way."


    Jerome looked at her, understanding immediately—she didn''t want anyone at work connecting her with him. He nodded, pulling over to the curb.


    She waved him off, stepped out, and hurried toward the office building.


    She wasn''t expecting trouble so early in the day, but as soon as she stepped into the lobby, she nearly walked straight into the one person she least wanted to see.


    Andrea Porter, decked out in minimalist chic—except for a six-figure watch shing on her wrist and a rare designer bag dangling from her arm, both screaming old money and privilege. It was as if she wanted the words “rich girl” stamped on her forehead.


    Lizetta barely spared her a nce and veered toward the elevator, not interested in a confrontation.


    But Andrea wasn''t about to let her off so easily. In a few brisk strides, she caught up, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Well, Liz, you''ve certainly got a way about you. Clinging to Mr. Dashiell with one hand and stringing Jerome along with the other. You really are a natural ating between people, aren''t you?"


    Andrea''s anger simmered. She''d seen Jerome drop Lizetta off that morning, lingering in the car until Lizetta stepped safely inside. Once, Jerome had been just as attentive to her. But after Lizetta showed up, everything changed.


    Back when she was Ms. Madden, Jerome only saw her as a sister, refusing to even consider tying himself to the Madden family. Now, with Lizetta, he seemed content to y the silent protector.


    The contrast was humiliating. Andrea felt like the punchline to a cruel joke, and she couldn''t stand it-she wanted to tear Lizetta apart.


    Lizetta understood immediately; Andrea must''ve seen her getting out of Jerome''s


    car.


    She met Andrea''s re. "Exactly whose rtionship am I interfering with? If you''re not thinking straight, maybe you should get some help.”


    Andrea scoffed. "Everyone in Zion City knows about Ms. West and Mr. Dashiell their perfect childhood romance, saving each other front their demons. But sure, you''re not in the way at all. And as for Jerome and me, if you hadn''t barged in, we''d have ended up together eventually."


    Andrea''s eyes zed with resentment, but Lizetta found her logic baffling.


    Coldly, she stared Andrea down. "I''m not your mother. I''m not here to step aside or hand you everything you want i''m just taking back what''s mine, nothing more."


    There was a time when Evelina Hawthorne returned to her family and Kevin and


    ra turned their backs on her. Lizetta had suffered for it.


    She''d walked through her own storms, but she''d never wanted to take away someone else''s shelter.


    If Andrea had been kind or harmless, Lizetta might have been willing to let her stay with the Maddens. She didn''t me Thaddeus for his parents'' actions, after all.


    But Andrea was trouble-scheming, maniptive, always stirring up drama.


    Letting her stay wasn''t a question of whether Lizetta could tolerate her, but whether Andrea could tolerate Lizetta.


    Even so, the Maddens had only sent Andrea abroad for school; they''d never truly made things difficult for her.


    Now, though, Andrea seemed determined to make Lizetta''s life hell, acting like Lizetta owed her the world.


    Lizetta''s expression grew frosty. She lifted her phone and snapped a picture of Andrea.


    "What are you doing!?” Andrea''s instincts screamed at her—she lunged for Lizetta''s phone.


    Lizetta sidestepped easily, fixing Andrea with a cool gaze. "Should I post your photo online? Let everyone see what the fake heiress who took my ce really looks like, and just how bitter she can be. Maybe then people can decide for themselves who really owes whom."