He Called Me by Another Woman's Name

ction: I would become the fiancée of the wealthy and

niece, Jaida, came to live with us. Suddenly, I wasn't jus

he had given me. He publicly called her "the light of my life"

a jar of harsh bleaching cream, telling me

er over my defense. He even took away the one small kindness he ever

late one night, drunk and begging. He pleaded, not for Holly, but for "Chloe." I

bag, changed my number, and boarded a bus to a new city, leaving his world of to

pte

the nightstand. Holl

. The screen glow

, tracing the cracks in t

was tomorrow. The f

l here, in this cold, ornate bedroom

price of her

ed for the phone,

el

Kirk's voice was

he be

arm. Get the first-aid kit and b

ne wen

college-aged niece. The real reason for his moods,

s on her back were a deep purple, hidden beneath her silk pajamas. A gi

y stocked. Antiseptics, bandages, salves for every conce

not

ing at a tiny red mark on Jaida's forearm with what looked like a sil

rk," she whimpered, her eye

voice was a low, soothing murmur Holl

ly standing there with t

" he snapped. "Do you w

lked forward and opened th

nuscule scratch with painstaking care. "I'm calling Dr

it scar? I have that

oice softening again. "I won't le

"What are you staring at? Go make Jaida some w

nd walked towa

e to climb alone. A friend had made the introduction: Kirk Knapp, a man of immense wealth and influence. He'd looked at her not with pity, but with an assessing gaze

him to settle down. Jaida, his niece, was too young. Ho

he was a savior. He had paid for the initial cons

th them. And the hope had curd

esperate gamble. She'd gathered her courage, told him she was gratef

tion was

ed. A harsh,

. It was bound in black leath

. The clothes on her back. The food she ate. Each entry

with contempt. "A transaction. An investment. Do you understand? Don'

clothes, but of her dignity. That was the core of thei

warm milk to t

g a look of triumphant malice a

e was on the phone with his doc

er room. She sat on

ouldn'

er mo

physical anchor, h

f an application form for a prestigious biomedical research program in another state. She had fi

skill, a way out that

st a little longer. Un

ulling the cover

ould

ha