f Manhattan, streetlights sliding across Ansley'

t rose and fell in slow, calculated breaths. Her thumb rubbed the empty spot

sive iron gates of the Crawford estate in Long Isl

e stone steps of the grand porch-each step a hammer strike. She grabb

r, Garfield, sat in the center of the leather sofa, a whiskey glass sweating in his hand. Besi

sweet smile. She stood, smoothing her silk skirt, her

xistence. Sat down on the single armchair opposite Garfie

ad. He tapped his index finger aggressively against the leather armrest. "Where

ffing his chest out. "You are going to take Bryl

hree ex-wives, a reputation th

and dabbed at her perfectly dry eyes. "Brylee i

ss laugh that scraped out of

ans you ca

lled out her phone. She opened

fee table. It landed with a loud clack, spinning s

ee's high-pitched, theatrical moans echoed through the

de of purple. The veins in his neck bulged ag

oing slack and skeletal. She lunged forward, m

pinned the edge of the phone to the marble with a sharp c

er eyes were dead-flat a

arry the

his chest heaving, sweat

er, "I want my mother's perfume formula. Right now. And I wan

cross the marble. "You are extorting your own father! Do you honestly think I can't have that vide

don't check in within the next ten minutes, it releases to a dozen independent journalists and international outlets. Your move." She tilted her head, a predator's gesture.

n at Ansley's cold, unblinking eyes. His mind raced through the calculations-stock prices plummeting

m button. His voice was hoarse, defeate

arble. She grabbed Garfield's sleeve, her nails digging

pressed to her throat. Kandy snapped her mouth shut and

misbuttoned, sweat rings blooming under his armpits. He handed Ansley a

ed trapdoor. She'd spent five years teaching herself corporate law in preparation

opped up on the screen

d her a small, encrypted USB drive. The formula. Her mother's life

et of her bag. She stood and smoothed the h

walked out the front doors into the freezing night air, the cold wind hittin