ana

elastic strap of my medical mask behind my ear. He was a man used to absolute control. H

nst my ribs as I scrambled backward. My spine s

. On the very top shelf, an opened, heavy glass bottle

ce as cold as ice. He was losing his patie

o the countless times I had seen Ivan react to the tiniest speck of dirt

the side, hiding my movement as I drove my elbo

the concrete floor right between us and

ap chemical solvents instantly filled the crampe

upward, landing perfectly on the pant leg of I

d-air. A look of absolute, unconceal

agonizing pain, clutching my chest with

orce out a series of loud, sickening retching sounds. I knew this wa

He quickly pulled a silk handkerchief from his breast

iosity in his eyes vanished, replaced entirely by th

The heavy wooden door was pushed open, revealing

micals, and the livid face of his top-tier VIP client. His legs p

mind, I was officially nothing more than a vulgar, filthy bottom-feeder. His

ash can. "Clean up this stench immediately," he ordered the manag

ainst the hardwood floor until it faded away. Slowly, my coughing

ls and threw them at me. He cursed me for being clu

s. I thanked him in a hoarse, raspy voice, grabbed my

lley. I knew the blind spots. I completely avoided all the secur

a knife. I pulled my cheap trench coat tighter around m

sure no black SUVs were tailing me, I ducked i

quiet car. All the strength drained from my muscles. I co

e rearview mirror reflected a face that looked somewhat

d given up my keyboard. I had dimmed all my own light just to

hared my bed for three years co

wn pale reflection. The warmth in my eyes wa

and validation from a fake family, was dead. I gri

game has