The receptionist smiled politely. "Miss Templeton, for a month-long stay, we can offer you a discount. The total will be $32,500."

"Card," Ann said, sliding a credit card across the counter.

The receptionist ran the card. A moment later, she slid it back. "I'm sorry, Miss Templeton, but this card has been frozen. It seems there's an issue with your account."

*Frozen? Why?*

"Try this one." Ann struggled to maintain her composure, pulling another card from her wallet.

The receptionist tried again, with the same result. "My apologies, Miss Templeton, this one isn't working either."

Ann tried five different cards, but all of them were frozen.

Now, real panic set in. That vile old woman! This had to be her doing. What was she trying to accomplish? She'd taken the house, and now she'd frozen her bank accounts. Did she want her to starve on the street? Ann had served her for years, been the dutiful granddaughter. She deserved more than this. Keira was heartless.

*Just you wait,* Ann thought, cursing Keira a thousand times over. *You'll get what's coming to you.*

She dragged her suitcase out of the hotel and found a luxury consignment shop. Taking the necklace from around her neck, she presented it to the owner. "How much for this?"

The man looked up from his newspaper. "Three thousand."

"What did you say?" Ann stared at him, incredulous. She had paid ten thousand for that necklace. Three thousand was nothing. It would barely cover two months in a decent hotel. It was a drop in the ocean.

"That's the rate for second-hand

luxury goods, the owner said with a shrug. "If you don't like the price, you can try somewhere else." He glanced at the necklace again. does look like it's in good condition, though. I'll give you thirty-five hundred. That's my final offer."

Ann didn't want to sell it, but with no money, she had no choice. It was either this

or sleeping on a park bench.

She gritted her teeth. "Fine. Take it."

With the cash in her purse, Ann didn't bother trying another five-star hotel. Instead, she found a modest inn on a side street. In her old life, she wouldn't have given su such a

place a second glance, but now, she had no right to be picky.

After checking in, she sat on the

lumpy sofa and scrolled through the contacts on her phone. Her

reputation among the city's elite was ruined after the incident with Celia; most of heröld friends had already blocked her.

Then, her eyes landed on a name. A slow smile spread across her face. She tapped his profile and placed a call.

The moment he answered, she burst into tears. "Tammie," she sobbed, "what am

I going to do? My grandmother threw me out! I don't have a home anymore..."