Chapter 1
I was a starving little girl when a wealthy woman threw water at me during a Manhattan gala. Then my necklace fell out—and she dropped to her knees.
I was nine when I slipped into the Waldorf charity gala looking for my mother.
My shoes were soaked, and my legs shook beneath an oversized coat.
Crystal chandeliers glittered above tables covered with food I had never tasted.
Every guest stared as I walked through the ballroom.
Then an elegant older woman stepped directly into my path.
Her name was Evelyn Whitmore, one of New York’s richest widows.
“How did this filthy child get inside?” she demanded.
“I’m looking for my mom,” I whispered.
A waiter reached toward me, but Evelyn lifted her glass first.
“Children like you come here to steal.”
Before I could answer, she threw the water into my face.
The room erupted with shocked whispers.
I stumbled backward and crashed onto the marble floor.
Something slipped from beneath my coat and struck the ground.
A gold necklace spun between Evelyn’s shoes.
At its center was a rare blue ruby shaped like a teardrop.
Evelyn’s expression changed instantly.
She bent down and snatched it up.
“Where did you get this?”
I tried to stand, but my knees gave way.
“My mother gave it to me.”
“You stole it,” she snapped. “This necklace disappeared twenty years ago.”
“I didn’t steal anything.”
Evelyn grabbed my shoulder.
“Who is your mother?”
“Her name is Sarah.”
The color drained from Evelyn’s face.
Nearby guests stopped breathing.
She opened the locket behind the gemstone.
Inside was a tiny photograph of Evelyn holding a newborn baby.
My hands started trembling.
“Mom said it belonged to my grandmother.”
Evelyn stared at my eyes, then at the small birthmark beneath my ear.
The necklace slipped from her fingers.
“Oh, God,” she whispered. “You’re Sarah’s daughter.”
She dropped to her knees and pulled me against her chest.
“My granddaughter,” she sobbed. “I’ve been searching for you.”
I had never been held that tightly before.
Then Evelyn pulled back and asked, “Where is your mother?”
May you like
I pointed toward the ballroom doors.
“She’s outside,” I whispered. “She told me to find you before the men came back.”
