st red lights before smashing through the wrought-iron gates of the Richmond e

ped tightly in her hand. Atherton, the butler, practically ran to keep up with her

he heavy oak

nkled. Leland was thrashing on the mattress, his skin a terrifying, unnatural shade

her wrist with bruising force, yanking her toward the bed. "

led him with a glare so cold it could freeze boiling water. "

to taking orders, but the sheer, commanding auth

tra-thin silver needles. With a hand as steady as a surgeon's, she rapidly inserted the

ed a generous amount into her palms, rubbing them together until the friction generated intense h

finally found his voice. "What are you doing? ! That

f intense doubt. He took a step forwa

et out a wet, violent cough, expelling a thick glob of p

an to rise and fall in a slow, steady rhythm. The alarming red

rt monitor. The boy's temperature was droppi

ushing tension in his shoulders evaporated. He looked at Angelena, his eye

e silver needles. A thin laye

eep. His small hand reached out blindly and cur

his sleep, his voice soft

k the silent r

pricks. He stared at Angelena, hi

ht through her armor. Her eyes grew slightly damp. She reached

s to the nurse

eaning heavily on her silver-tipped cane. Arleen Schae

and panic washed over her face. She immediately pitched her voice

p and down with absolute disgust. "Fabian, have you lost your

e old woman's hateful glare. "I am here as a doctor. I

bian, five years ago she was thrown out of her own family for sleeping around. Her pr

him that Arleen was a known gossip, but the sheer, paralyzing terror of an unknown, potentially manipulative woman sinking her claws into his vulnerable heir overrode his rationality. The protective walls he had built around his family sl

wallow Arleen's lies without a second thought. A

her shoulder. She looked dead into Fabian's eyes. "My consultation

ned to

d in close, lowering her voice so only Angelena could hear

f hesitation, she raised her hand and delivered a

Arleen stumbling backward u

and sobbing hysterically. Eleonora banged her cane o

s large body to shield Arleen, glaring down at Angelena wi

an inch. "I hit a piece of trash that couldn't ke

chest, forcing her way past him. She marched down the hallway, her heels cl

then back at his son, who was sleeping peacefully for the first