ppeared on my encrypted p

Midnight. Don'

ecurity genius, a man my family had taken in and mentored when he was just a boy. He was fiercely in

d unfamiliar feeling

ew security team Mark had installed. They were his men, no

ce we used to go as teenagers. He looked older, his face hard

his voice low. "I

me files, encrypted communications, financial records. He had

xplained, his finger tracing lines of code on the screen. "H

ut what Leo showed me next changed everything. He pulled up an ancie

s digital archives," Leo said. "There are... forbid

l, a way to channel profound emotional pain-grief, betrayal, rage-into the powe

s would so

nes... they would come true

o said, looking at me intently. "L

f my mind, sharp and clear. I would no

nthouse for appearances, I was quiet and sad. I let him see my tear-stained cheeks. I let him believe he

ade. Was any of it real? Or was I just a long-term investment he was waiting to cash in? The love I thought was my

est social event of the year. Mark, of course, was the guest of honor. And on his arm

anitarian was pregnant with the tech

n a screen, alone

The doctors diagnosed the baby with a rare, aggressive condition. The progn

ntic. He poured millions into research, flying in

hen he ca

s face was pale, his eyes bloodsho

aved, it took my breath away. He needed more golden transforma

tle of pills

his voice a strange, soft wh

new rotation of security personnel. Different men, every day, with instructions to visit my penthouse. His