spital room wrapped around

emember how

n hers, her towel hitting the floor, and her h

yan had brought her in, silent and furious, dumped

s five

ce... had

. Not a ca

s above her, wondering if she'd dreamed it all. But the ache between her thig

of all-t

dn't dare ask. They saw the bruises. They applied the ointments. But they

uld have told the

at she had kissed him first. That she had dropped the towel and

wake u

ai

he didn't ask questions. She signed them with a shaki

hit her face, and for a moment, she almost crumbl

d herself to

he dialed the only num

e before Cla

ith alarm. "Where the hell have you

"Just-can you come get me? I'

name," Clara said qu

g through the doors like a storm. She helped Karen into the t

y's edge, Karen collapsed onto the couch, every par

until she handed Ka

oss from her and

al

e wedding switch. Her parents' betrayal. Karel's lies. Bryan's cr

ng pause. Then Clara leaned back, l

o a tray, "you're definitely not the

"What's that su

time you grew some backbone. You've been too soft for too long. All this time dreaming

understand. He-he left me in a hospital bed for five days! Li

. Emotionally detached. You walked into this mess with your eyes half-closed, hop

h of Clara's words hit her in

saying he's right. What he did was garbage. But you already lost yo

ropped

she whispered. "Leave

ground. You fight. You make him notice you-not by crying or

ound like I'm supposed to sedu

inate. Flip the script. He's not some god. He's a man. A man who cle

etween shock and the odd spark of

say anything, h

wn nu

art sk

slowly, puttin

ren Norman?" Bryan's voice

t forgotten the chill of that voice-t

ouse," she said, her

snapped. "If you're not back before the clo

ic

all before she

lence after his voice lo

rowed. "That was

nodded

. You're going to show up there, but not

kit and got to work wit

Clara applied foundation, eyelin

cross Karen's cheek. "He expects you to show up like a coward.

the mirror, she barel

'd cried herself to s

had fire

tepped out of Clara's apartm

at Bryan's mansion, sh

or himself, look

r chin, daring

rd. He simply turned a

k black folder sat on the table. Bryan sat on the c

se," he s

Her eyes scanned the

his?" she ask

up. "You're not

e read. The words hit he

A year-lon

tre

t his partner. B

redit card in exchange for w

ou'll live here. You'll dress well. You'll k

d bitterly,

terested!"

e folder at him, the papers scatterin

red at he

" she hissed. "What mor

ttoning his suit ja

was a lie. Yo

to touch me. I never asked for your damn money. All I ev

't," he

felt lik

ght. Or leave. The choice is yours. But if you stay, you

in the center of the room, surrounded

with ragged breaths. Her