tch black. The privacy partition was up. The silence

he watched the streetlights of Manhattan blur past

his harsh features. Nathan was texting him. The crisis management team was already

The tires crunched over the grav

efore the driver could reach it. He stepped out into the cold night air and w

l crunched under her heels. Mr. Finch, the head butler, stood a

of expensive pine and woodsmoke. The massive fireplace w

Tap

r echoed from the dining room. Elana stopped breat

at the entrance of the dini

it

ce. He sat at the head of the long mahogany table. His silver

took her seat on the opposite side of the table. The

agus soup and a plate of grilled sea bass in front of Elana. It

k. The metal scraped against the p

. He did not look up

tone was conversational, but the underlying ange

ng it," Atla

he PR disaster. I am talking about this family."

hit her nose, her stomach violently contracted. A wave of nausea crashed over her. The

essed her hand against her stomach and

missed nothing. He set his silverware

am just a little tired, Conrad.

aring at his grandfather. A silent w

r two years I have kept your secret. And tonight, the whole world found out

ther in the eye. His sil

r. The loud crack made Elana jump. "This family has built a

Atlas said. His voice was steady, bu

I kept your secret out of loyalty to this family's image. But now the entire wo

was rising to her throat. She gripped t

anger melted into a calculated, intense curiosity. "Elana

asking. He thought she was pregnant. He was l

It was impossible

sh hit her again. Her mouth watered with bile. She clamped her hand

ll. She fell to her knees in front of the toilet and

d watched the empty doorway. A

cted like his wife running out

heavily on his cane. "Atl

halfway out

nt, "you and Elana will sleep in the master suite. Together. And until

pped up. "Grandf

Conrad barked. "

through the house. Conrad looked up at the ceiling. He mu