Chapter 1: The Woman Falling From the Sky
“HELP! SOMEBODY SAVE ME!””
The scream cut through the orchestra music, champagne glasses, and cheerful conversations at the most expensive wedding in Manhattan.
I turned just in time to see an elderly woman falling backward over the rooftop railing.
For one terrifying second, the world seemed to stop.
She was seventy years old, wearing a silver evening gown, and dangling eighty-two floors above the streets of New York.
Behind her stood Victoria Callaway, the bride.
And Victoria wasn't reaching out to help.
She was watching.
My champagne tray crashed onto the marble floor.
“OH MY GOD!”” someone screamed.
I ran.
My black serving shoes slipped against the polished terrace, but I kept moving. Just as the elderly woman's fingers disappeared beneath the railing, I threw myself forward and grabbed the back of her dress.
The impact nearly dragged me over the edge.
My stomach dropped.
Below us, Manhattan glittered like a field of diamonds.
“PLEASE! DON'T LET GO!”” the woman screamed.
“I WON'T! HOLD ON!””
My fingers dug into the expensive fabric. The woman's weight pulled against my shoulders, and I felt something tear near my sleeve.
I couldn't hold her much longer.
“HELP!”” I shouted.
“SOMEBODY HELP ME!””
Two security guards came running.
Then a tall man in a black tuxedo pushed through the crowd.
Nathaniel Callaway.
The billionaire groom.
“THAT'S MY MOTHER!””
He dropped to his knees and grabbed Eleanor's arm.
“Mom! Look at me!””
“Don't pull her dress!”” I cried.
“Grab her shoulders!””
One guard seized Eleanor's other arm. Nathaniel and the second guard pulled together.
Finally, Eleanor rolled over the railing and collapsed onto the terrace.
She coughed violently.
Nathaniel wrapped both arms around her.
“Mom, are you hurt? Can you hear me?””
Eleanor struggled to breathe.
Then she pointed a trembling finger toward the bride.
“She pushed me.””
Victoria's expression changed.
For a fraction of a second, I saw something cold and calculating behind her beautiful face.
Then she began crying.
“Nathaniel, sweetheart, that's not true! Your mother slipped!””
Eleanor tried to sit up.
“Liar! You pushed me!””
Victoria covered her mouth.
“I was trying to help her! She suddenly grabbed my arm!””
Nathaniel slowly stood.
His face had gone pale.
“Victoria, did you push my mother?””
“How could you ask me that?”” Victoria whispered.
“We're supposed to get married in twenty minutes!””
I stepped forward.
“Sir, I saw everything.””
Victoria's head snapped toward me.
“You!””
I swallowed.
“She was standing behind your mother. I saw her put both hands against Mrs. Callaway's back.””
Victoria walked toward me, her diamond necklace flashing beneath the rooftop lights.
“You stupid little maid. You were carrying champagne. You weren't even watching.””
“I was watching,” I replied.
“Do you know who I am?””
“Yes, ma'am. You're the woman who just tried to kill an elderly person.””
A few guests gasped.
Victoria slapped the champagne stain on my uniform with her fingertips.
“You're going to regret opening your mouth.””
Nathaniel stepped between us.
“Enough.””
He turned toward his security chief, a broad-shouldered man named Marcus.
“Get the surveillance footage. Now.””
Victoria suddenly stopped crying.
“There are no cameras on this terrace.””
Marcus looked at her.
“Actually, ma'am, we installed one yesterday.””
Her lips parted.
Nathaniel stared at him.
“Show me.””
Within minutes, Marcus returned with a tablet. The guests gathered around as he opened the recording.
The footage showed Eleanor walking toward the railing.
Victoria followed her.
The two women spoke briefly.
Then Victoria looked over her shoulder.
She grabbed Eleanor by both arms and shoved.
Hard.
The terrace fell silent.
Nathaniel watched the recording twice.
“Victoria,” he said quietly.
“What the hell?””
She shook her head.
“It's not what it looks like.””
“Then tell me what it looks like.””
“She was threatening me!””
“With what?”” Nathaniel demanded.
Victoria looked at Eleanor.
Eleanor's face was drained of color.
Then Marcus touched another button.
“We also recovered the audio.””
A woman's voice emerged from the tablet.
Victoria's voice.
“You promised nobody would ever find out what happened to Grace Carter!””
My blood turned cold.
Grace Carter.
My mother.
The woman whose photograph I had slept beside for eighteen years.
The woman I had buried in my heart after being told she died in a house fire when I was twelve.
I couldn't move.
Nathaniel looked toward me.
“Rose? What's wrong?””
I barely heard him.
Eleanor suddenly reached for my hand.
Her fingers were icy.
“What's your name, sweetheart?””
“Rose,” I whispered.
“Rose Carter.””
The elderly woman's eyes filled with tears.
“Your mother's name was Grace?””
I nodded.
Eleanor covered her mouth.
“Oh, dear God.””
Nathaniel crouched beside her.
“Mom, what do you know about this girl?””
Eleanor looked at me as if she had just seen a ghost.
Then she whispered six words that made the entire world disappear beneath my feet.
“Your mother was supposed to raise you.””
I stared at her.
“What do you mean?””
Eleanor reached into her handbag and pulled out a small, worn photograph.
It showed a young woman with dark hair holding two newborn babies.
I recognized her immediately.
My mother.
On the back were two names.
Rose Carter.
Nathaniel Callaway.
My hands began shaking.
Nathaniel took the photograph.
“Mom,” he whispered.
“Why is my name on this?””
Eleanor looked at her son.
“Because, Nathaniel, you and Rose are twins.””
May you like
And Victoria, standing behind us, suddenly screamed.
“THAT WOMAN WAS NEVER SUPPOSED TO FIND OUT!””
