Porter

, a place that had been my sanctuary for the past fou

her eyes wide with shock as she to

iend than a boss. She knew about

id, my voice quiet but fir

er's surgery? Is

r me, but I pushed it down. "He

er desk and wrapped me in a hug. "What about Christopher? Does

y gently. The words felt foreign on my tongue,

tic murmurs of my colleagues who had overheard. They gathere

named Sarah, said. "He's always sending you flowers, pic

. What was the point? The illu

into a small box-a framed photo of me and my dad, a

commotion near the front

," Sarah whispered, poin

t the curb, was the unmistakable gl

lf, and walked out of the gallery f

r and pulled open

is was curled up in the front seat, her head nestled against Christopher's shoulder, her eyes

. Iris's eyes fluttered open, and a mask of panic

..." she stammered, scram

evoid of emotion. I got into the back s

ed, his eyes flicking to the cardboard

" I said

table at Le Bernardin. I ordered all of your father's favori

w. A white-hot rage, followed by an icy wave of grief, crashed through me. I

tared out the window a

the wrong guest. He fussed over Iris, placing a napkin on her lap, making sure he

er, his voice laced with a tenderness that was

s. "It's nothing, Christopher

d, heavy thing in my chest. I watched the way his eyes lingered on her, the way he lau

weetness. She looked at Christopher, then back at me, a flicker of trium

up my fork. "No," I said, my voice s

exquisite food tasting

stopher's phone rang. It was a

car," he said, already distr

Iris followed me out of the room. W

, mirrored box, Iris' s demeanor changed. The shy, grateful girl vanis

ith malice. "He told me you're like a beautiful, perfect doll, but

ck me, but I s

nued, her eyes raking over me with cont

wing us both off balance. The lights flickered,

rified sound, and grabbed onto my

ly calm as I fumbled for the emergency c

m, muffled and indistinct. They were aware

with a sickening groan of stressed metal. It dro

al sound of pure terror. "Help! Som

ribs, but my mind was strangely clear. I braced myself agains

me!" Iris wailed, collapsing i

The sound of shouting. And a voice, cutting

you in there?" I

, her voice hoarse with tear

or. "Sir, the main cable is frayed! It could snap at any second! We can only

ator became thick,

le

. I could hear Iris's desperate, hiccuping sobs. I could hear my

g darkness, I wai

stripped of all emotion, was

e Ir

d turne

saw Christopher' s hands reach in, bypassing me completely, and pull Iris ou

ay," he murmured, strokin

maintenance crew.

e, a deafening screech of t

vator p

before everything went black was Christopher' s face, his eyes wide with a flicker of something I

te. It was al