t and hauled her largest suitcase from the back, throwing it onto the

ht cast a soft glow over Bria's sleeping form. Her daughter was c

throat tight. "I won't let them ruin yo

g clothes from the hangers, not caring if the

ze. She grabbed the heavy brass lamp from the

uffled voice came thro

he opened the door. Linda stood there, holding a

the milk down and began folding the clothes Isolde had crumpled. "Mr. Clark isn't

her. "Linda, I

pulled out a thick wad of bills. She pressed them into Isolde

he squeezed the older w

ntly shook her daughter awake. "Hey,

es, her voice slee

to be very quiet, ok

irs, avoiding the main hall. Linda walked ahead, peering around corners. When they reached the side door, Linda c

es. She jumped into the driver's seat and started the engine. The tires crunched over the gravel, but she d

e pulled up outside a brick apartment building in the West Village. Vivian Fletcher was

s there, pulling her and Bria into a fie

a. The adrenaline faded, leaving her hollowed out. She told Vivian everything.

u need to divorce him, Isolde. Today.

p... if I file, I walk away with nothing. And Clark will fight me for B

be a way," V

program on the Upper East Side. She had just walked back to h

ng herself. "What d

oice was devoid of emot

thing to s

t the night, Isolde. Vivian Fletcher's apartment on West Village. Secon

He was watching her. He had

," she said, h

k the elevator to the top floor. She walked into Clark's corner office, the fl

golf swing, a putter in h

lde said, her voice ech

hed out and grabbed her chin, his fingers digging into her skin. "You ran away like a sca

ng games, Clar

ing to do exactly what I tell you." He walked over to his desk and picked up

. "You want me to fix your busine

tland Hotel. Jacques Valdez will be there. You're going to go in there, smil

r you," Isolde spat

e stopped her cold. "Are you sure Bria

slowly, her blood turning

ith himself. "But it's a big city. Accidents happen. Little girls wander off

olde whispered, her ha

inner, and you will make him happy. Or you will never see Bria again." He pulled a black credit c

d to claw his eyes out. But all she could see was Bria's face. She snatch