Cruel Legacy (Cruel 3)

I stared down at the Influencer page in shock as I saw my numbers go from zero to one—Harmony. Then from one to three and three to ten and ten to twenty right before my eyes.

“Jesus, who is connecting with me already?”

Harmony shrugged. “People who like your picture and my friends and stuff. It’ll be great.” She glanced up. “Oh! My mom is ready.”

Harmony stepped up to Elizabeth, and I was at her side. Elizabeth looked stunning in a black pantsuit and silver statement necklace.

She embraced her daughter. “Harmony dear, what did you think?”

“Brilliant as ever,” Harmony said. “Probably the best yet.”

Elizabeth beamed. “Thank you. And you, Natalie?”

Suddenly, all eyes were on me.

I kept my best mask on my face and smiled brightly. “No one does it better. Watching it from the front row was such an experience.”

“Excellent,” Elizabeth said. “And I’ll see you at the gala tomorrow night?”

“Of course. I’m so thrilled to be wearing one of your pieces again.”

Elizabeth grinned. “Natalie, let me introduce you to Paul. He works for Vogue.”

And then it was a string of introductions. All these people who wanted to know who I was. Everyone thought I was important because Elizabeth had made me important. It was insane. And the spotlight made me a little dizzy. I could see for the first time why Katherine wanted this life. This insane socialite lifestyle where my world was built around free clothes, parties, and connections with other fashionable people. Where I made money off of looking good, knowing the right people, and posting it online for others to stare at. Exhausting but still exciting.

Finally, I ducked out of the crowd. Harmony was still speaking with people, and I wouldn’t leave without her since I still wanted to hit those pop-ups. But I needed a minute to myself. A second to breathe.

“I wondered if you’d ever get a minute alone.”

I snapped to attention like a deer caught in headlights. “Lewis, what are you doing here?”

My pulsed thumped against my neck. Fear was the first emotion. Even though I was in a room with so many other people, it felt like I was alone with him again. This was the first time I’d seen him without Penn since the breakup. And it made me uncomfortable and also sad. We’d dated not that long ago, and now, I didn’t even feel okay being near him…let alone be alone with him.

“Charlotte was walking for Elizabeth,” he said effortlessly.

Of course. I’d seen Charlotte on the runway today and at the Trinity soft opening in December. She was a tall, strong, and beautiful black woman who wore her natural hair on the runway. It was incredible to see. I’d been so wrapped up with Harmony and Jane that I hadn’t thought about the fact that Lewis would be there to watch her.

“Oh, of course. Well, you should go find her,” I said, turning to walk away.

He grasped my elbow to stop me.

I wheeled around, ready to smack that smug look off of his face. “Don’t touch me.”

“Natalie, please,” he said. His big brown eyes were pleading. He looked heartbroken. But he’d done this to himself.

“No. We’re over, Lewis. You did this.”

“It was a mistake.”

“Which part?” I asked, shaking out of his grip.

“All of it. I shouldn’t have kept the file. I shouldn’t have done any of it. I want you back. I fixed my mistake. I know that we can work this out.”

“What part of my personality makes you think that I would forgive you for what you did?”

“So you can forgive Penn for fucking over your life but not me for trying to look out for you?” he demanded.

I groaned and shook my head. “I don’t want to do this with you, Lewis. We’re over. I don’t have to justify my actions to you any longer. And you didn’t fix your mistake. All you did was try to control me again. I’m not going to be controlled ever again,” I icily told him.

“Natalie, I love you.”

“No, you don’t,” I said simply. “Please, just leave me alone.”

I tried to walk away again, but he grabbed my upper arm. Hard. Hard enough to bruise. I made a sharp noise of protest.

“Stop it, Lewis! You’re hurting me.”

“So, just like that? You’re going back to him? Even though he’s fucking toying with you? Is that why you sent him to the crew meeting? So that he could threaten me?” he growled. “I won’t be threatened.”

“Lewis, I have no idea what you’re talking about. But if you don’t let me go, I’m going to scream,” I growled. Tears stung my eyes at the pain.

He blinked as if he realized what he’d done. Then he dropped my arm as if I’d burned him. “Natalie, I’m so sorry. Oh fuck, I didn’t mean…”

“But you did,” I gasped, holding my arm.