I’ve just come inside from talking to Erik when the front door slams into my back and knocks me forward onto the floor. My chin hits the hardwood and I curse. When I woke up this morning, I certainly didn’t expect having to withstand multiple head traumas.

“Where’s Maddie?” my older sister, Liz, yells as she rushes into the house, tripping in her haste and falling right on top of me. Thankfully, her boyfriend, Austin, screeches to a halt behind her.

“Geez oh Pete, Liz!” My hand flies to my side where her foot kicked as she fell. Then I arch my back and buck her off. The big-ass Michael Kors pocketbook I bought her for Christmas last year knocks into me, almost sending me to the floor again.

“Oh my gosh!” Liz pops onto her knees with lightning speed and places a hand on my forehead like I’m a child with a fever. Good lord—her reflexes are quick in an emergency. “What are you doing on the ground? Did Trent do this?”

“No. You did.” I bat her hand away and get up slowly.

She glances between the door and me as realization of what happened crosses her face. “Oh, crap. Sorry, Mads.” Austin holds out his hand to help her back to her feet.

“What are you doing here? I thought you just got into town?” I walk toward the kitchen slowly, ready to down ibuprofen and a huge glass of water. Being outside in the scorching heat didn’t help my dizziness.

Liz and Austin follow me.

“I heard Trent yelling at you and the conversation cut off abruptly. Did you think I could ignore that?”

Liz and Austin just got back from a three-month trip, traveling around the country. He’s a singer in a rock band, and she went with him on tour. Despite being seemingly opposite in every way, Austin has been exactly what Liz needed in her life. After being in a car accident a little over a year ago, she lost full use of her hand—which meant she could no longer continue in her career as a surgeon.

I know it was difficult for her to face the end of a career she worked so hard for. I can’t even imagine something so devastating. But she met Austin during that low point and he helped get her back on track with her career. He helped her see that she can do anything, not just what was expected of her. It had to be hard on her, but I think it was the change she needed. She starts her residency again in a few weeks—with a focus on family medicine this time.

“It was nothing.”

“It didn’t sound like nothing,” Liz says. “I think we need to talk about it.”

“Elizabeth? Is that you?” Mama calls from the kitchen.

“Yeah, Mama! I’m talking to Madeline.”

Austin stops abruptly and grabs Liz’s arm. “I seriously can’t handle your mom right now.” The circles under his bloodshot eyes are deep purple, and he looks like he’s going to pass out on his feet. I feel so bad that he and Liz rushed over here for no reason.

“Very true. You’re way too exhausted to deal with her,” Liz agrees. “Why don’t you go up to my room and lie down? I’ll be up to get you in a little bit.”

Guess we’re all hanging out at Mama and Daddy’s today.

Liz and I both watch as Austin flies up the steps, taking two stairs at a time. Austin and my parents got off to a rocky start, mostly because Liz kept her relationship a secret from them. Mama hasn’t had a chance to get used to him yet because he and Liz have been gone for three months.

Not that time matters. I don’t know if she’ll ever get used to him. He’s the sweetest guy—and he treats Liz like gold—but Mama will never get past his tattoos. She hates them. I mean, I’m not the biggest fan of them, but I don’t think people who have them are inherently bad or anything. Tattoos alone don’t say anything about a person’s character. It’s sad that Mama uses a particular form of self-expression to judge people—especially when Commons Department Stores, our family business, revolves around personal style. As people who built our brand around “the common man,” we want—or should want—customers who identify themselves by their unique fashion and outward expression. It’s ingrained in everything we do and all of our campaigns.

“You two look like death warmed over. Why don’t you go back home?”

“Absolutely not! I’m not leaving until you tell me what the hell happened!” Liz isn’t going to let it go.

Nobody lets anything go. It’s my personal business. I’m handling it—with Erik’s help—but still, it’s being taken care of. Liz and I have always been close, and she can tell when I’m holding back. Usually, I’m not good at keeping things to myself. I’m the one who tells everyone’s business all the time. It’s not malicious. Everything just comes out when I open my mouth.

“It was nothing. Trent was being”—I pause—“Trent. He was upset over something and we started arguing. I took a step backward and fell into the pool. I didn’t realize how close I was to the edge.”

“You expect me to believe that?”

“Why wouldn’t you believe that?” I ask, lifting my eyes to hers, even though I fear they’ll betray my calm demeanor. Thankfully, I had a chance to speak with Erik already. Otherwise, I don’t know if I’d be this calm with Liz.

The situation with Erik is what has my insides flipping. A fake relationship leading to a fake engagement. The thought excites me way more than it should.

“I could hear how angry he was. It was scary. We drove here because we were worried, Maddie. And I have a feeling this is not the first time he’s been like that with you.”

I turn around immediately and open the fridge, inspecting my parents’ food supply like I never have before. Mama must be getting ready for some kind of gathering. There are stacks of pre-made food containers, loads of fruit, and multiple blocks of cheese.

“You can talk to me, Mads. You know that, right?” Liz asks. Her voice is soft. I know I can trust her, not just because she’s my sister and I love her with all of my heart, but also because she knows what it feels like to go against the grain in our family. She knows what it’s like to not be with the guy your parents want you to be with.

I grab a lemon-flavored sparkling water and shut the fridge. “Everything is fine. What Trent did was shitty. And it just confirmed what I was already thinking. We’re not a good match. I’m going to break up with him.”

“What was that?” Mama asks. She’s wiping her hands on a kitchen towel as she crosses the room.

Ugh. My stomach rolls, knowing that Mama will not be happy about my decision. But it has to happen. The quicker I break things off, the quicker I can start the plan with Erik. And I trust Erik to help me and protect me.

“I’m going to break up with Trent,” I say, popping the top on the can. “He came at me again, accusing me of cheating because I said hello to a guy who used to work with Liz.” I shake my head. “He’s constantly getting angry at me for no reason.”

“Is that what today was about?” Mama asks.

I need to be honest with her, even if it’s not full honesty yet. “Yes. He gets angry and mean. I just can’t deal with it anymore. I could handle his temper when he was at Georgetown, but now…” I pause. “He scares me, Mama.”

“I didn’t realize it was that bad.” She folds the towel and places it on the counter.

“You’ve heard how he talks to me.”

“I’ve never noticed anything out of the ordinary.”

“Because being an arrogant, misogynistic dickbag isn’t out of the ordinary in our world,” Liz says.

Mama scowls and gives Liz a cold gaze. “Was that necessary, Elizabeth?”

“Sorry.”

“He’s always been harsh and disrespectful, Mama.”

Though Liz and I basically said the same thing, my phrasing is more pleasing to Mama’s ears. There’s always a civil way to say something.

“It’s your choice, Madeline. But I think this is all very odd and out of the blue. You’ve never mentioned any of this before.”

I never had the courage to—because no one ever witnessed his abuse before.

“It’s been going on since we first started dating, but it’s gotten worse now that we’re around each other more often. I’m realizing that it’s not a healthy relationship.”

Mama pauses before she speaks, which means she’s going to say something to try to make me rethink my decision. “Just remember that our families work very closely together. And with this new mall, there’s much more at stake now. We all need to be on good terms, which could prove very difficult if you choose to end your relationship with Trent.”

And there it is—Mama tying the business directly to my personal life.

Sometimes I wish I weren’t the daughter that chose to go into the family business. It’s not just a job—it’s politics. Normally, I’m all for making deals and forming alliances with other families and companies because it’s all business, but this time my personal safety is on the line. And having that tied to our business makes me very uncomfortable.

“I’ve always made choices in the best interest of Commons Stores, Mama. This won’t be any different.”

“Maybe so,” she says firmly. Then she yanks the soiled kitchen towel from the counter and stalks toward me. She looks me directly in the eyes before saying, “I trust you know enough to hush your mouth about what happened today. It’ll ruin that boy’s reputation—and yours.”

Mama, the woman who taught me to throw my shoulders back, fix my lipstick, and move forward with my head high in even the most uncomfortable situations, storms out of the room. She’s probably going to call Daddy to relay the news. They’ve got to start planning their strategy, for dealing with their daughter breaking up with an attorney, who works with the firm who handles all of our legal matters. Not to mention that Trent is the son of Alfred Anderson, the architect who designs all of our stores.

It’s sad that Mama cares more about Trent’s reputation and our business ties than my near-death experience.

“Has he ever hurt you, Maddie?” Liz asks, once Mama is out of sight.

“Nothing I couldn’t handle.” I glance at the doorway Mama left through before crossing the room and opening the cabinet above the sink where Daddy keeps bottles of ibuprofen and antacid.

Liz’s gaze shoots through me. She doesn’t believe me any more than I believe myself.

“If you need someone, I’m here. I’m ready to stick up for you. I’ll stand by your side.”

“I’m fine, Liz. Trent’s behavior today was the last straw, and I’m doing something about it. You heard me tell Mama.” I shake a few pills into my palm.

“It sounds that way, but I wonder if you really understand how serious this is. You know she and Daddy are going to try to talk you out of it, right?”

“I’m sure they will. The future of Commons rests solely on my shoulders,” I say dryly before tossing the medicine into my mouth and washing it down with a swig of sparkling water.

“I’m proud of you for speaking up. I’m sorry he’s hurt you. He doesn’t get to treat you like this. I thought something was going on between you two, but I never saw anything and you never said anything.”

“You’re reading too much into all of this.”

“I should have voiced my concerns before it got to this point, Madeline. I’m sorry I didn’t. It took me some time, but I see things—and people—differently now.”

“Differently doesn’t mean correctly.”

“Sometimes it does,” she says.

“I appreciate your concern, seriously. I’m good right now, but once I break up with Trent, I’m going to need your support. I don’t think he’s going to take it well. Plus, like Mama said, Trent’s family and ours have important ties. I’m worried about the reaction from all sides.”

“Don’t worry about that. Just focus on what makes you happy and keeps you safe.”

Easy to say for someone who doesn’t have the weight of the family business on her shoulders. But working for Daddy was my choice, so I can’t really be upset.

Liz talks like she knows what’s going on. Part of me feels like she does, without me even having to say anything. But how could that be possible? No one in my family could ever know the extent of what was going on in the relationship.

“I will,” I say. “I am.”

“What were you and Erik talking about outside? You were standing very close.”

“The roses.”

“You sound like Mama!” She grabs an orange from the overflowing fruit basket in front of her and throws it at me. It bounces off my thigh and onto the floor.

“Shut up!” I say, stooping to pick it up. The side has a large dent, but I’m going to return it to the bowl anyway. If I put it dent-down, Daddy—the only one who ever eats oranges—won’t even notice.

“Well, I’m not trying to be a jerk, but you need to be careful, Maddie. It might have been nothing, but you were in the front yard, where anyone—including Trent—could have seen. And if he already accuses you of cheating and gets angry about it, you need to be careful.”

“I know.” I nibble my bottom lip, contemplating if I should tell Liz about what Erik and I discussed. My older sister is one of my best friends, and I value her opinion over almost everyone. Plus, I need to tell someone, without getting into the exact details yet. It’s up to Erik to let me know when I can say anything. Especially since I’m not even sure if he agreed to the scheme yet.

“Call me if you need me,” Liz says, walking toward the door closest to the stairway.

“Erik wants to help me get away from Trent,” I call out, but not too loud, because I don’t want Mama to overhear. “That’s what we were talking about outside.”

Liz turns around slowly. “How does he want to help?”

I hesitate, because Erik was right—the idea sounds absolutely ridiculous, now that I’m telling someone else. “By starting a fake relationship with each other,” I squeak out.

“A fake re—” Liz repeats as knitted brows of confusion quickly turn to raised brows of surprise. “I think that’s a brilliant idea.” Though she won’t let it reach her lips, I can tell she’s holding back a smile. It’s in her eyes. As quickly as it came, it’s gone. “But don’t hurt that boy’s heart, Madeline. He may act the part, shaking hands and sharing a laugh with his clients, but he’s not in Daddy’s Boys’ Club.”

I nod. She’s absolutely right. I wasn’t thinking clearly. The conversation with Erik—and the exciting possibilities that go along with it—had me feeling overly confident that the situation could be resolved easily.

I know that won’t be the case, but Erik is putting his neck on the line by helping me—especially knowing what kind of temper, and family backing Trent has.

He’s counting on me as much as I’m counting on him, and I don’t plan on going back on my word.

Once I’m home, I feel lighter, as if I can finally breathe again now that I’m in the comfort of my own space. I kick off my shoes at the door, and drop my bag on the floor next to them. As I move through the house, all I can think of is jumping in the shower. At least the ibuprofen I’d taken at Mama and Daddy’s helped ease the throbbing.

Despite nearing the end of summer, the temperature outside is still in the mid-nineties, but the air conditioning has been running full blast all day in here. Goose bumps break out on my arms, so I turn the dial to the hottest temperature I can stand. When I step into the shower, the water feels amazing as it pelts my skin, but I notice that I’m shivering—and the goose bumps won’t go away.

Suddenly, the reality of what happened at my parents’ house hits me—and it smacks me like a wrecking ball. My knees buckle and I have to brace myself against the wall to keep myself up. Tears burst from my ducts, seemingly falling as hard as the stream of water coming from the shower head, and I almost can’t tell which is which.

Trent almost killed me today.

I squeeze my eyes shut and run my hands through my hair.

If Erik hadn’t seen what happened, I would be dead.

My heart pounds against my chest as panic and fear and anger take control.

While at Mama and Daddy’s, I’d gone straight into crisis mode. I’m good at thinking on my feet, no matter what problems arise. Assess the situation: come up with a plan, carry out plan. I brushed off the severity of the situation, convinced everyone I had it under control, and lied about Trent’s intentions.

Granted, I still didn’t think he meant to kill me, but whether he meant to or not—that’s what almost happened. A freak accident. When he pushed me, he didn’t know I’d fall into the pool. And when I did, I assumed he thought I’d just swim back to the top and life would go on as usual. He gets mad at me for something trivial, then hurts or embarrasses me as punishment.

Trent didn’t know I hit my head on the edge of the pool. At least, that’s what I kept telling myself, even as I drove home. The alternative is unthinkable.

But now, under the stream of scorching water, my lies wash away, swirling down the drain. I clutch my hair in my hands as I sink to my knees. The shower floor is covered with a beautiful mosaic of pebble tiles, which I had specially installed because I love the feel of the tiny stones massaging my feet.

But kneeling on it feels like punishment—like I’m being tortured for keeping secrets and telling lies.

Has he ever put his hands on you?

Yes.

Has he ever hurt you?

Yes.

Why didn’t you say anything?

That’s the question I fear answering because it has such a broad range of answers. Some are the same reasons as any women in the same situation: fear of not being believed, fear of what Trent would do if he found out I said anything. But other reasons are mine and mine alone.

How could I “tell” on someone who has so many ties with my family? Mama made it very clear. If I say something about Trent, it damages his reputation—if it even gets out. I’m sure it would never come to that—as both of our families would keep the situation under a tight wrap.

But even if everything was handled behind closed doors, saying something would damage my reputation irreparably. I’d be blackballed—kicked out of and excluded from business and social networks my family has been a part of for years. And if I were blackballed, that would almost certainly trickle down through my family. People would stop doing business with my father because he has a daughter who doesn’t know her place. He has a daughter who doesn’t keep her mouth shut. He has a daughter who accused one of the Anderson boys of something unspeakable. Even if everyone knew Trent was indeed abusing me, there’s always a way to excuse his actions—or cover them up. My integrity and credibility would be questioned, not his. Who’s going to believe me, a female SCAD—Savannah College of Arts and Design—Fashion Marketing and Management major over a man who graduated with honors from both Duke University and Georgetown Law? And even if they did—they’d lie for him anyway.

I learned that early.

No matter how accomplished and successful I come to be, Trent will always be worth more than me in the eyes of men who run everything—from city-level straight up to the entire country. That’s the way the wealthy Boys’ Club works. I know because I’m in the midst of it. The Commons family is one of the founding families of Charlotte. My father, Harris Commons, is one of the wealthiest, most powerful men in the city, and I’m the heiress to his business—and maybe even some of that power.

I know my role, not only as Harris’s daughter, but as an executive in the family business. I’m a modern-day Southern belle who can charm her way into people’s hearts with a wink, smile, and a sharp eye for business. It’s not fake, but I know what I’m doing. I play the game. Hell, Mama groomed me for this game. It’s the only way to swim in an ocean of sharks. Play by their rules. Smile. Make allies. Smile. Don’t rock the boat. Smile. Despite being a woman, I’ve been my father’s “right-hand man” for years. I’ve seen what goes on behind the scenes and I chose my battles wisely.

Which is why I’ve never said anything about Trent.

Telling the truth is an uphill battle I’m not equipped to fight. It’s better to push it aside. Walk away as if it’s normal to breakup and move on with my life. Truth be told, I’m terrified of how Trent will react, but it’s a risk I’m willing to take with Erik by my side.