his face twisted with d

lain: "Elliot, it was... her! She told them... at the cente

u got sick and they rotted. Amelia, ho

d, unable

aw the finger marks on Elyse's neck, her face flushed with anger. "Amelia! How could you do this to Elyse? She's al

Bring

electric shock punishments. Her voice t

ou every seventh. She cares about you, looks out for you. And this is how you t

un, nearly facing jail time. The family had paid

he "evidence" was fabrica

bilitation center will help her become a better person.

She didn't come to... visit me

ghter with a venomous heart like yours. We never

s, who refused to believe her, and t

no longer the beloved eldest

forced out the words, "What... do

y depended on the Hardin

voice low and sharp.

s leaning tearfully against

log

had she d

he hadn't done those things. She ha

hed her. She had fought, she had

t matter

t of Elyse, murmuring, "I

hu

ad hit the

as w

hu

ogy, a

st shred of digni

prints mark

ut when she saw Mrs. Rollins' expression so

. Get up. I know you didn'

s so kind-hearted. Even after all th

Darkness pulsed at the edges of her

m-Elyse's sharp nails diggin

's get along

ed, endurin

me. "It's getting late. Let's

urt expression. "Elliot, would this rui

ghtly. "Don't worry. It sho

ard him. *Should have bee

It had been her, Amelia, chasing Elliot for ten years. She

arely surviving with the Rollins family. She had been

limbing into his bed, and

y had signed the marriage certificate in secret-no weddi

That brief warmth had come out of

yly, "Elliot,

words, then gathered the doc

nd. "Elyse, the future of this fam

hom Elliot clearly favored-was the bett

toward the city

he window at the passing sc

anged completely. She didn't even have a phone. The Ro

ning, she saw him light a cigare

d he hadn't s

her

d quickly. Who wa

er. Her throat itched,

ouldn't stop-as if she

darkened. "S

r pull

t o

rs, yanked her out, and

e late, you kno

r sped

lently, and a stream of war

at her hand-co

cold. She'd developed a high fever that never fully he

aightened up an

n was

e city cle

sun cast a warm glow over his handsome fac

d and wa

ers behind him, someone shouted,

n-a hundred mete

the crowd, Elliot glanced ou

nd at that exact moment, the crowd lifted

wailed. She was rus

e up, it was

s, grave expression and fel

come to the hospital as soon as pos

what's wron

ncer. The cancer