was all low lighting, hushed conversations, and the soft clinking of expensive glassware

a thin platinum band. Modest. Almost forgettable. She had purchased it with her first paycheck, five y

wood of the counter. The diamond caught the

appraiser as he passed. Her voice was hoa

rate once-over. He saw her simple navy dress, her disheveled hair, the desperation clinging to her l

a slap. Humiliation burned hot in her chee

he needed to leave

readed with a quiet, broken calm. "I don't n

the freezing Manhattan night. The February wind cut through her dress like a blade, but she couldn't feel the cold. He

on a street corner, twisted off the cap, and took a long swallow. The burning liquid sear

get the way he had said "You're a means to an end" - not with

in water - heavy, blurred. She could barely remember walking into this store. All sh

e her, when a high-pitched, familiar la

Look what w

old. She would know

gically perfected curves, stood at the entrance. And clinging t

d her face. "Oh, my goodness! Is that Clara?" she exclaimed, her vo

ropped to the small, modest ring on the counter. Her lips curled into a kn

s if it were a dead insect. "This doesn't look like anythin

. Paparazzi. Of course. They were al

k, trying to palm the ring and hide it from view.

hand down on top of Clara's, her long, manicured nails

ous hiss meant only for Clara. "Down to your last pe

haze of alcohol was ripped apart by

watching the scene unfold with a look of bored

aid, his voice laced with disg

water glass on the counter, her only thought to w

out a small, frightened gasp and threw herself backward, stumbling drama

inding strobe. From every angle, it looked like the crazy,

ialized at her side. They grabb

re," Kane ordered,

ved her out the revolving doors. She fell hard onto the cold, dam

swell of music followed her

reetlights, lay her little ring. It ha

iation. As her fingers brushed against the cold metal, a heavy boot c

ut it was drowned out by a sob th

d, and plunged her fingers into the grimy gap of the sew

over her. Her stomach lurched violently. She collapsed to her knees

, and they were circling like vultures, cameras clicking, shouting questions about the 'drunk ex-wife

but the wall of photograph