Chapter 5

Shane's expression shifted, and he was just about to speak when the lights suddenly came up. The crowd surged forward all at once, pushing Gianna hard until she stumbled back. She didn't know how many times someone stepped on her foot, and the pain drained the color from her face. But even through the crowd, she could see Shane holding Stella close, shielding her from every push and shove. Before long, the first couple who successfully found each other stepped onto the center stage. The moment the spotlight hit, the grand prize of the night was finally revealed. As cheers erupted around the room, Gianna's eyes landed on a painting she knew all too well. It was one of her late sister's works. Her sister, Grace Russell, had poured everything she had into that piece, finishing it right before she took her own life. Gianna had left it in Grace's studio for safekeeping. So how on earth was it here now? She shot upright. "The piece you're looking at is one of Grace's greatest works. Its market value has already climbed into eight figures. "Five years ago, right after finishing this painting, Grace disappeared completely. No one has heard from her since. There were rumors. Some said she moved abroad for good, others said that she passed away. "But tonight, we are honored to welcome Ms. Grace herself to present this painting to the winning couple." The spotlight swept across the crowd and stopped on a mask identical to Gianna's. Her breath caught. Her vision blurred. Grace had been gone for years. There was no world in which she would suddenly reappear. And certainly, not as Stella. Stella was about to impersonate Grace. All eyes shifted to Stelle as she gathered her dress and walked gracefully onto the stage. Gianna completely lost it and shoved her way through the crowd. "She's not—" She didn't even get the words out before a sharp pain exploded in the back of her head. The world spun. Her limbs went numb, and she fell straight backward. She collapsed into a familiar chest, catching a faint trace of cedar. It was Shane's cologne. When she opened her eyes again, she was lying in the bedroom of the villa. Shane sat beside the bed, brows drawn as he went through some paperwork. Gianna threw the covers off and, too shaken to even grab her shoes, hit the cold floor barefoot as she rushed for the door. She barely took a step before Shane scooped her up in his arms. "You're running a fever." He frowned and then said with a low voice, "Calm down." He set her back on the bed. Her face had gone pale. "Shane, didn't you see it? Stella is pretending to be Grace! She's pretending to be my sister who passed away! "That honor belongs to my sister. She can't just take it. No. I'm going to expose her—" Gianna pushed up again, frantic, but the moment she met Shane's steady and unreadable gaze, she froze. In an instant, it all clicked. After Grace died, the only person she ever brought into that art studio was Shane. She had told him that the studio was her secret place, and she had spent an entire day in there sharing every childhood story she had with Grace. Whenever she messed up, Grace always stepped in first. Whenever she got hurt, Grace took it harder than she did. Whenever she cried, Grace panicked faster than her parents did. Gianna had poured her heart out in that studio, telling Shane story after story so he could understand just how much Grace meant to her. But Shane had taken one of the paintings from the studio and given Stella the credit that should have belonged to Grace. The pain hit her straight in the chest, sharp enough to knock the air out of her. "It was you…" She stared at him, stunned, her voice barely a whisper. "Why?" Shane brushed her hair off her forehead with rough, tired fingers. His voice was quiet, almost resigned. "You're burning up." He handed her fever medicine and a glass of warm water. "Take the medicine first." "I asked you why!" Gianna finally snapped, her eyes bloodshot as she glared at him, her jaw tight. "Shane, what exactly is going on between you and Stella. At the gala tonight— "I saw everything!"