x-rayed, and wrapped. A sprain, mercifully, not a break. But the doctor, a kind-faced woman with tired eyes, stressed r

e against my torn jeans. The rain had intensified, now a merciless downpo

sofa, watching old movies. Those memories, once comforting, now felt like cruel taunts, ghosts of a past that never truly existed. The anxiety, a constant companion for the past few years, threate

past the curb, splashing a wave of dirty gutter wat

ed to me, her face a mask of indignation. "Some people, honestly. Probably some entitled rich kid. Did you see who that was? Britney Hardy, t

h bro. Apparently, he's loaded. Or at least, his family is. William Holdings, yo

an muttered darkly. "These socialites, always chasin

and complained about student loan debt, was the heir to a real estate fortune? The pieces clicked into place, grotesque and chilling. His manufactu

window. Compared to Britney' s designer threads and Angel' s hidden wealth, I was a ghost, a remnant of a life he had gle

ther of the seat felt alien beneath me. For thirteen years, every spare cent went into our joint savings. Taxis were a luxury I rarely afforded. I' d walked, biked, taken the b

left my hand. The thought of walking up three flights of stairs with my ankle was a fresh torment. But as

ologne and something sweet, cloying. Angel stood in the living room, his back to me, staring out the window at the rain. Hi

ged ankle, my torn clothes, the mud streaked across my face.

to you?" he asked, his

flat, devoid of emotion.

Come, let me help you." He took a st

th a bitterness I hadn't known I possessed. "I'm fine. I already went to the doctor. Got

ooked away, his eyes darting around the room, avoiding min

sly quiet. "Weren't you too busy tendi

idening. He stammered, "How...

scaping my lips. "And about Angel William. Heir to William Holdin

cheeks, leaving him looking sickly. He opened

g with sarcasm. "The one who needed emergency brain surge

ibly. "Hayleigh,

ou explain thirteen years of lies? Of exploiting my loyalty, my hard work, my l

. "It's not like that. I... I wa

. "When, Angel? When I was too old, too broken, too

panicked look in his eyes. He tried to silence it, but it was too

you've put me in? The lawyers are calling! That million-dollar payment

ll call you back!" He practically hissed into the receiver, his voice bar

t absurd debt you' ve racked up with the loan sharks? Did you think I wouldn't find out? You owe

ing for lawyers. He'd been gambling. And paying for Britney. This wasn't some

face pleading. "Hayleigh, please. It's... it's complicated. I can explain. It's not what it so

s, my security, my future, and you gambled it away. You paid for Britney with it. And then you tried to get me to pay for her sprained ankle too?" My gaze flick

"business trips" to conferences that yielded no clients. All the times I' d

d a desperate flicker. "Brenda is right. I have to go deal with this. My family... they'll b

'ongoing care'?" I asked, my voice cutting through his hurried

st help me out one last time. If you could just lend me a little more, I promise, this time it' ll be differen

a. But this time, it landed flat. His words rang hollow. I saw the empty s

voice firm. "No,

gain. He glanced at it, and a flicker of irritation crossed his face. He q

black car idled. Britney was in the passenger seat, tapping her perfectly manicured nails on the wi

he rain drumming against the windowpane. H

hirteen years, I' d been living a lie, suffocating under the weight of h

now meaningless, until I found the one I needed. Adrianne Bauer. My mother. Formidable CEO of Mayli T

ound of the dial tone

you up on that offer." The offer she' d made years ago, an escape route from a life she never a