ords and felt a wave of nausea roll thro

might see him as some sort of prize, but

oward the house next door. Her jaw tightened, teeth grinding with rage. The

ed in her chest, and before long, she tra

oss Isabelle's face. She whipped out her phone, clicked a couple of ti

rles came home with

ended to be half-distracted, nervously fiddling

otted it and frowned,

u have my

yes, tone soft and ful

time you drank too much..

it when he passed out, stashin

shifted toward Jason's house, clearly u

lowed her line of sight.

r. Their families had known each other forever,

keep looking at Jason's place,"

er shirt. She fidgeted, a nervous wreck, looking lik

if I should say it. It mi

el

t n

d deeper, inst

t to see

nse, slow, and s

even without a full explanation. The

. She was practicall

into his place. Not su

the final

arkened instantly, glo

divorce. Back then, he thought she was pulling the same old

f seeing other men? And not

when Stella had drugged him and climbed

up to her dir

stormed off toward Jaso

a tighter and smiled faintly, c

Aunt Stella's doi

es kicked t

e jumped at the sudden noise, staring wide-eyed

Why are

a few angry strides, eyes

lla, do you even have any shame? Sneaki

om, "Trying to play the same

ld tricks"-felt like invisible b

harles, I'm just here fo

med over, wrapping an arm tightly aro

I haven't touched you in a while, and now you're s

apped him across the face without think

me to drop off a score. I'

hink he was

ovey with his sweetheart Is

you better be careful wit

client and Charles'

ng. Mrs. Hart is really just he

membered now-he'd been too busy, so he ask

y could fix that. Still, Charles wanted someone who'd a

Jason found.

hing hard, listening t

hat Renee had said when

hit her. She felt

this music piece was for a little girl who was just

he pain. She had Sophie in mind the entire time she composed t

ivi

n, but he didn't want to meddle in drama. Now that

when she he

ike she could

r Olivia... had commissioned a celeb

er So

en got to see her d

. Bennett. I'm

hed up the score, but Charle

us. You know the penalty f

ve you this music. You planned a party for Olivia-what abo

roke as tea

ith Sophie, while somewhere else Charles was plann

, clearly un

gain. This penalty... it's no small sum. Are you

t my mind's made up. I c

that piece, all she t

phie w

o hand it over to Olivi

se. Just

ce snapped. His

you really think you can af