at the Corc

rs threw light on

D.C.' s eli

ood by Marcus Th

people whis

erf

hle

on her wais

they found hers

ne is a death sentenc

is wife, is to invi

y was a legend

armth of his arm,

a scandal that nearly br

had s

ces, his connectio

ielde

world, with him

you, Eleanor," he' d

hire necklace then, de

heir future,

ol stones at her t

us was to rec

ure, masking deeper

a private signal i

chaos

ou

crack of

re through

s moved, a blu

ed Eleanor

own!" h

e s

unged towa

Marcus' s young, ambitious op

e bullets m

pled to t

, a sound of

were subdued

s already kne

y a mask of cont

zzy, shoutin

hed, her hea

idn't lo

as on the bleeding

sh

he foundation

orgetown home, the

ad stabil

e, but sever

oke to Eleanor, h

have a severe concus

ched h

e memory loss. P

d for him. "Ma

ed back

. "I remember Izzy. Clearly. From the atta

a flicker of something

elming obligation to h

felt a

ul, Marcus. We'll ensure

Marcus said. "Where I ca

into their guest

ame a diff

red ove

ers, read to her, s

mage of a grateful man

or, he w

st

ed state,"

was pr

nceived after y

, to reach him through t

then his attention wou

d, watched Eleanor wit

t smile sometimes

ake smal

ld you fetch my sha

t is too bright. Adju

nod. "Eleanor

subtle, a thou

condition supp

iety doctor beholden to M

ce was

... complex. There' s one chan

ed at E

marrow match. Yours, Elea

ge of hope. "I' ll

icant risks. Especially... for your pr

hand flew t

, his face a m

k. "Dr. Finch told me. Izzy... she

pped h

Eleanor. She saved

Eleanor whispered, tea

breaking. "It' s a terrible c

t cornered,

cus, searching fo

his eyes pleadi

ollowed, late

sperate

ange, Eleanor's hand, tr

e, his first gift, s

lasp

g blue stones across the mar

n' t even

was sing

finally agreed

e caused her

heir future

name of Ma

nor was a ghost

pt

ing to read, when she hea

most trusted l

s were hush

is up forever, Mar

ses. Or until I find another way. She' s le

nor

ed, his voice

it. She' s devastated about the baby, but sh

of si

e baby? Sacrificin

ice was chil

Once Izzy is... no longer a factor, I' ll beg Eleano

s blood

ia. A

A calculate

e they built, all a carefu

so deep, so abidi

, leaving nothing but

here, unsee

ual dismissal of their child' s life, it s

he man she t

er wearing her

nt bedroom, the

a

ea

ed her fl

ore

be a pawn in h

amily. The Hayes dyn

r Marcus had either for

rust fund, untouch

our

ed up he

mber known only

ase. This is E

on the other end. "How ma

The Oracle," Eleanor s

ause. "On

ice came on the line,

perhaps, soon to

discreet, unmarked office

er woman, her eyes sh

aid out h

claim her own ident

occasionally asking

leanor' s re

did no

onger wish to carry," Eleanor st

l cease

slowly. "It ca

t step w

citing irreconcil

t due to Marcus' s traumatic brain

the

the penthouse, the stocks, the art

, arranged for it all to be legally

of his in

ld severing

d nothing

but her