I couldn't even define what I felt for Kayden anymore. Hatred. Fear. The desperate need to escape. Did I really see him as nothing but a stranger? I couldn't lie to my own heart.
The hatred came from love. The fear came from love. The need to run came from love. But I couldn't love again. I couldn't be that naive girl from seven years ago who'd believed love was everything, who'd given all her courage and paid such a terrible price.
I wouldn't make that mistake twice.
I pulled out my phone and called Anna.
"Ella?" Anna's voice came through. "Where did you go? The gala ended ages ago..."
"Anna." I cut her off, forcing out the difficult request. For Kai's sake. For my own.
"I need your help with something."
"What is it? You sound strange..."
"I want..." My voice shook. "I want to leave Baltimore. With Kai. As soon as possible."
Silence on the other end.
"What happened?" Anna's voice turned serious. "Ella, what's going on?"
"I can't explain." Tears were already sliding down my cheeks. "But I have to leave. Anna, please check what flights are available. Anywhere. The farther the better..."
"Wait, wait, wait." Anna interrupted. "Ella, calm down. Leave Baltimore? Do you understand what that means?"
"I know."
"You have over a dozen active projects!" Anna's voice rose. "All under contract! If you leave now, the penalty fees alone..."
"I'll pay them."
"Ella, we're talking millions in penalties!" Anna was almost shouting now. "You'll be ruined financially!"
I let my head fall back against the wall and closed my eyes.
She was right.
All the projects I'd taken on over the years were long-term contracts with brutal penalty clauses. If I broke them all now, the combined fees...
I'd lose everything.
The studio. My reputation. Everything I'd worked so hard to build.
"Besides," Anna continued, her voice gentler now, "running away won't solve anything. Just tell me what happened. Maybe I can help..."
"You can't." My voice broke. "Anna, you can't help me. No one can."
"At least tell me what this is about."
I opened my mouth. The words caught in my throat.
What could I possibly say?
That my real name isn't Ella Ross—it's Layla Gray?
That I jumped off a cliff seven years ago and everyone thinks I'm dead?
That Kai's father appeared tonight and discovered us?
