nfectant filled my nose

d in the air. Even the slightest movement

tal room

tioned in passing that Adrian was downstairs with Viv

eiling light until my e

orever, the door to th

s Viv

king men traile

hought." Vivian walked up to the bed, f

not even botherin

ft scoff and tilted her head toward the men be

d at once and raised his hand

d his hand came down hard

rve to dodge?" the man sneer

tattoos, stepped up and grabbed a

y. Whatever, we'll mak

I had, but the cast on my le

with her arms crossed, calm

lindly across the bedside table unti

a glass

bed the vase and brought it down hard on the

s head, and collapsed, blood

, the hospital room

n the room, the thug on the floor howling with his hands over his

. "I just came to check on Serena out of kindness, but the second she saw me, she comple

the bleeding man on the fl

y with exhaustion. "I only went with Miss Mercer to have a few s

ught I was putt

eddened i

truth with the slightest thought. But when it came to Vivian,

had accepted that his heart belonged to someone else, the nakednes

erena, are you resenting me because of the accident?

ong pe

name... was t

n as tears spilled unco

o save, and are you still blind now? Did you

tnesses. You've gone too far this time. I can't keep covering for you. Intentiona

him to call the police. He never loo

r gaze full of provocation, a

e arrived

as taken away on the spot

. Seventy-

amp, thick with the ste

ok one look at my hospital gow

face into the reeking toilet, lau

n was the one who

e that? Not

er old ones. The cast on my leg cracked, and t

y scorching hot, yet I didn't she

aying those three years of marria

ts, clumsily cooked porridge for me late at nig

turned into the crue

y, was ground into dust over those th

of detention, the s

s car parked

't go

out my phone a

voice, hoarse and strai

before his voice came through, edged with a

aid calmly, "I'll have my lawy

I hun

planned to come clean, but

sign, I would t

you know better than I do how much influence Mr. Blackwood has in

there, s

n't even have the righ

watching traffic stream pas

a number I had thought I

nd an aged yet authoritative

at last, the tears fell. "I w

itation in his voice. "Wait for me. Th