er high heels slipping on the wet pavement. She nearly fel

frigid air burned her lungs, and a violent coughing fit seized

she saw a familiar black Maybach parked at

he doubled over, her hands clutching her coat pocket, as if

of the road and waving frantically at an approachin

he address of her Upper East Side penthouse on her p

earview mirror. "You okay, lady? N

The pain was a tidal wave, crashing over her again and again. Col

e didn't have the strength to answer it. The ring

mbled in her wallet, pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, and threw it on

g to take off her shoes. She went straight to the kitchen island,

desperate frustration, she slammed the plastic bottle against the marble c

oping up two of the pills and swallowing them dry. Th

he closed her eyes, waiting for the medicine to work, the silence of th

gan to dull. She used the counter to pull herself to her feet

ally picking up the phone that had been

s parent group chat flooded her notificati

Leo, who was wearing a little chef's hat. Seraphina was lean

hly decorated cake in front of them. They looked lik

eautiful family!" "Mr. and Mrs. Sterling, you two are a per

y photo with her and Leo. He had refused, coldly stating that he "didn'

s fixed on the genuine smile playing on Julian's lips. Eve

the coffee table. The dull thud sounde

entryway, her eyes fell on the framed artwork hanging on the wall-a painti

e wall, and without a moment's hesitatio

oom door and walked to the nightst

liver cancer, smoothed out the wrinkles,

tablet. In the search bar, she began to type

n the front door turning, followed by Leo's

board. Her gaze turned cold as she