time Clara arrived at her rented

orway and looked at the worn

rom the water she had used to mop ea

The razor she had saved every spare cent to buy for him sat on the nightstand.

ment proved that Zachar

y could never return

her phone

e screen. "I'm meeting an important client tonight, so I probably

e tugged at C

e night with Emily? Maybe he was with the Hop

yet he still lied to her and carrie

ubbed them and wrote a b

.

g, Clara went to wor

r and far harder tha

y, the owner stopped her at the en

her the wages she was still owed

office building and watched the cleaning su

-time jobs were gone

supervisor by the arm. "Please be honest w

r came from above. Word is that you offended Mr. Bennett last night, and everyone in the circle already knows. H

ied off as though staying near Cla

uilding, cold dread

ow he was shutting her out of work-stri

se inside her when her phone

number of the local cl

htened, and she a

ll night, and the dehydration is severe," said the familiar nurse in a panicked voice.

get the medicine right away! Ple

ival for the presidency of the Medical Association. The opponen

death. Her father survived for only anoth

onsumed the smallest amount of poison, but

ired an expensive import

Clara opened her banking ap

housand dollars per vial. Her ac

e yesterday. But Zachary had told her his startup lacked enough in

teeth, found his nu

hone rang until the cal

deep breath, sh

answered on he

about the money I sent you

that you know his real identity, learn your place and quit hanging on to him. He's having dinner

houted into the phone, unable to stop her voice from shaki

gnored her and

od still. Every sound seemed to slip

th everything she had. She never imagined he could be

lage while gathering herbs. Blood covered him, and he could barely breathe. S

thing, and she trusted him. Clara promised to support him. His eyes were

business, she followed him. She worked three part-tim

erything he wanted wit

he offered him, yet he had only seen her as a convenie

a as she fought to keep

ver wasted another cent on a man, sh

d another five thousand dollars t

eep breath, searched for Brenda

xpensive private gigs and knew

ter offending Mr. Bennett, you actually thought calling me

was a mistake. I know I put you in a bad position, but I'm desperate for money. Pleas

is looking for a contract wife for three years. He wants someone discreet who understands boundaries and can take

hut her

ready ground her dignity into the dirt,

it!" she