Part 2Never Yours to Keep

By the next morning, the fiery swelling across my face had subsided by half, though faint red patches still lingered along my cheekbones.

When I walked down the stairs, the foyer was already overflowing with glossy black shopping bags from Bergdorf Goodman and Cartier.

Shannon was holding an exquisite cascade of high-jewelry diamonds against Piper’s slender neck, admiring the reflection in the hall mirror.

"This necklace was crafted for you, darling," Shannon cooed, adjusting the pendant. "At the tech gala tonight, you will be the absolute centerpiece of the room."

Piper touched the diamonds with performative modesty. "Thank you, Mom. But Zoe just got back and doesn't have anything nice. Maybe she should wear this instead."

The smile vanished from Shannon’s face like grease wiped from glass. She glared at me as I reached the bottom landing.

"Give it to her? That would be a crime against art," Shannon sneered. "With that face right now, you could drape thirty million dollars around her neck and it would still look like plastic from a dollar store."

She snapped her fingers at the housekeeper. "Mrs. Higgins, go to the attic and pull out those unworn sample coats from last season. Find something drab and cover her up."

"Don't bother," I said, taking a seat on a single leather armchair. "I brought my own clothes."

Shannon rolled her eyes. "Those rags are fine for your bedroom, but Arthur has critical investors coming over. Don't you dare walk around looking like a charity case."

The heavy oak doors of the study creaked open, and Arthur emerged. His brow was furrowed into deep crevices, a thick stack of audit files clutched in his white-knuckled grip.

"The board is giving us seventy-two hours," Arthur muttered, his voice trembling with suppressed panic. "If the core neural architecture isn't patched, the entire Series B funding round collapses. Montgomery Tech will be forced into bankruptcy."

Shannon set the necklace down, her voice spiking with anxiety. "Still no direct line to Z? Didn't you and Garrett track down her upstate research hub last month?"

Arthur sank heavily into the sofa, burying his face in his hands. "It’s not that simple. Z is a ghost in the industry. We caught a ten-second glimpse of her outside the cleanroom, but she vanished before we could even pitch the equity package. If we can secure her as Chief Architect, our valuation doubles overnight. We’d be untouchable."

A predatory hunger flashed behind Arthur’s exhausted eyes.

Right on cue, the front chime rang.

Garrett Brooks stepped through the double doors, looking immaculate in a bespoke charcoal Tom Ford suit, an unmistakable air of triumph radiating from his posture.

"Arthur, Shannon—I have news."

Arthur shot to his feet, practically stumbling over the Persian rug. "Garrett! Did Z respond?"

Garrett’s lips curved into a supremely confident smirk. He walked over and sat down, accepting an espresso from the maid.

"She replied last night. She agreed to meet in three days to finalize terms."

A collective gasp of euphoria rippled through the parlor. Shannon gripped Garrett’s arm as if he were the Messiah.

"Garrett! You saved us! Only someone with your pedigree and connections could pull Z out of the shadows."

Garrett offered a modest dip of his chin, though his gaze slid possessively toward Piper. "I only did what was necessary to protect Piper’s future."

Piper blushed on cue, her eyes wide with reverent adoration. "You're incredible, Garrett. They say Z turned down eight-figure sign-on bonuses from Silicon Valley giants without even looking at their decks."

Garrett took a slow sip of his espresso, his arrogance practically humming in the room. "True geniuses have pride. But persistence breaks through stone. My sincerity over the past month clearly resonated with her."

Piper turned her head slightly, her gaze locking onto me where I sat in the corner.

"Zoe," Piper asked, her tone sweet and patronizing, "did they have broadband where you grew up? Have you ever heard of Z? She’s the absolute icon of our generation."

I looked up, meeting her smug smile. "I've heard of her."

Piper let out a delicate giggle, covering her mouth with her manicured fingers. "You're funny, Zoe. Most rural counties barely have cell towers. But don't worry—when Garrett brings Z to the estate, I'll let you watch from the mezzanine. It’s good for you to see what a true visionary looks like, so you don't keep thinking we're excluding you."

Garrett followed Piper’s line of sight. Catching sight of my blotchy, unadorned face, his brow creased in immediate disgust.

"Piper, your empathy is wasted," Garrett said coldly. "Someone operating at the pinnacle of global computing isn't someone an uneducated girl can simply 'observe' for entertainment."

He set his porcelain cup down, his tone turning razor-sharp as he addressed me directly.

"Zoe, now that you’re under the Montgomery roof, stay in your quarters. When Z arrives in three days, do not step foot outside your room. I will not have your appearance alarming our most vital partner."

Arthur nodded vigorously in agreement. "Garrett is entirely right. Zoe, you remain upstairs. If you need anything, ring for the staff. This meeting determines the survival of this family; we cannot afford a single embarrassment."

With three crisp sentences, they stripped me of the right to walk through the house. To them, I was not merely an unwanted daughter; I was a toxic liability.

I stood up slowly, declining to waste my breath.

"Understood."

I turned and walked up the staircase.

Behind me, Shannon’s unvarnished complaint drifted up the stairwell: "What terrible luck. Of all the weeks for her to crawl back, it had to be this one. If she ruins our deal with Z, I’ll throw her back to the county shelter myself."

Inside my room, I turned the brass lock.

I stood before the small vanity mirror, examining my reflection. The allergic flare-up had entered its final stage. In forty-eight hours, the inflammation would be entirely gone.

The phone on the nightstand vibrated against the wood.

A new message from Garrett Brooks:

Z, I’ve cleared out all the irrelevant background noise here. In three days, you will be welcomed into an immaculate, distraction-free environment.

The cold blue light of the screen reflected in my eyes.

My thumbs tapped out a single line:

Is that so? I look forward to it.