"When I make it big, I'll buy you a huge house. Floor-to-ceiling windows draped in white tulle, and you'll wear a wedding dress for me every day."

I told him a wedding dress was only meant to be worn once.

He said then we'd have a wedding at home. One a day.

I called him ridiculous, and he tickled me until we both tumbled onto that creaky twin bed, laughing so hard we couldn't breathe.

"Hey, you."

Rebecca's imperious voice yanked me out of the memory. I looked up to find her lifting her chin at me, eyes brimming with contempt.

"Lady, help me out of this one. The waist really is too tight."

I dropped my gaze, scrambling to obey. My knees had gone numb from kneeling, and when I braced myself against the floor to stand, my heart stuttered. Black spots swarmed my vision.

Rebecca had her back to me. I steadied my breathing as best I could, terrified of damaging a gown worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Pinching the zipper tab with painstaking care, I eased it down.

"Ow! Watch it, you clumsy hag! You pinched my skin, are you blind?"

Rebecca shrieked, clutching her waist as she whipped around, her eyes wide with fury.

I froze, instinctively stepping back.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to."

Rebecca let out a cold laugh, raking her gaze over me like I was something scraped off the bottom of her shoe.

"I'm a celebrity, you know. My waist is insured. Could a broke nobody like you even afford to pay for the damage? Get on your knees and check it. Now."

The manager rushed over at the commotion, bowing and scraping with apologies.

"Miss Henson, please, calm down. Elaine Cox, do as she says!"

I bit down on my lip and slowly crouched, pressing my hands to the floor. My eyes landed on her back.

Smooth. Unmarked. Not a scratch on it.

Not a single trace of recognition.

Then a sharp, searing pain shot through the back of my hand. Rebecca's stiletto came down right on top of it.

The thin heel ground into my knuckles, crushing bone against the floor.

I cried out before I could stop myself and tried to pull my hand back, but she only pressed down harder.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Cox." Rebecca glanced at Sean's face. When his expression didn't change, she made no move to lift her foot. "Clumsy me. You don't mind, do you?"

The pain was blinding.

I was terrified of being recognized. I clenched my jaw and swallowed the scream building in my throat.