ie

war zone, a chaotic lan

s pu

e silk scarf from Hermès. The pearl earrings for

Estate in Arizona. I didn't want them. They were hea

, El

Sofia, hovered in the doorframe. "Are y

x shut with aggressive rips of the

meone said Marcus Thorne is expanding his business to Europe.

aid. My voice was fl

he?" Sofia said, her tone dangerou

for his conscie

d at my ton

hed, rubbing my temple

tbooks. Me and Marcus, three years ago, watching the sunset in the desert. The

ked i

ly hurt, like a knif

old me I was smart. He had told

All

ul, he wouldn't have shippe

n the middle. I tore it again and again until hi

shattered the silenc

for Ms.

It was a box from

nst my ribs. Had he se

with tremb

was a clumsy clay piece I had made when I was twelve. It was the only thing I ha

sent

ubble wrap. One of th

ouse. He didn't want a single tr

ed clay. It looked pa

e didn't know that I made this the day after my parents' fu

Marcus," I whispere

newspaper

the desk. An email

s electives. He expects you to be us

ef

secretary. A

t was a dry,

" I

all. I circled the date of my gra

my nails dug into my pal

his assistant. I wasn't

ould pay him back every cent he spent on

nd placed it deliberately on my d

a rem