"But I get it, I really do. After all, I heard that after your parents died, you went crazy. You're just a parentless little orphan now. Of course you'd cling to Barnaby for dear life."
"Oh, and that time in Southeast Asia? It wasn't just an auction, was it? I heard the men there are animals." She let out a low, mocking laugh. "Don't tell me you picked up some disease while you were at it."
My head snapped up. I stared at her, every muscle in my body rigid, the fury in my chest about to detonate.
How could she. How dare she.
My reaction seemed to delight her. She flicked her hair with a satisfied toss.
"You know, looking at you like this, if your dead parents could see—"
I couldn't hold back any longer. My palm connected with her face so hard the crack echoed through the room.
But before I could get a single word out, Barnaby's voice exploded behind me.
"Caroline! What the hell are you doing!"
The instant she heard his voice, the smugness on Lena's face dissolved into wounded fragility.
"Caroline, I just came to talk to you. Why would you hit me out of nowhere..."
Barnaby's gaze locked onto Lena's swollen, reddening cheek. When he spoke, his voice was cold enough to freeze blood.