o underprivileged,

ld, and Michael and Eth

my family, a destructive affair with my fathe

y who we were, wh

tor in sensible shoes, her eyes fixed on e

ng that to Mi

eone they could save, someone w

weapon Chloe wielded w

he gala, that fight

d to show them about Chloe's manipulations, only pus

ok unhinged. My pai

alm, always a little sad, always

the martyr

topped

settle over me. If they wante

to believe her

he satisfaction of wat

tion at the gala w

e everyone kne

everywhere

le and tear-streaked if I happened to be

ective gesture that was

cle, the people I'd known

miles didn't r

ons would stop w

was the innocent newcomer, the one Ethan had

ala, Ethan summone

"finalize" th

ther lecture, another

him looking alm

e began, t

erched on the edge of a chair

e there are no hard feelings,

Ethan," I said, my v

rprised, the

uncertaint

e a scene?" he asked, a

d ruin Chloe's reputation l

lace where his ring used to b

ene, E

cheek, a smudge of lipstick nea

y, or perhaps, he'd already

fresh pain, just a dull affir

at my hand, the

something flicker in his e

as quickly

ins made s