erlings are hosti

s still wrapped in Liam's arms, looking at Cora like she was

iam had hit her. Her heart felt like it had been ripped out and stomped

owned him. "All the biggest names in entertainment will be there. Directors, producers, actors." She paused, her

as the jewelry brand. Celebrities fought to wear their pieces on red carpets. One campaign with them could

for her beauty or her connections. For everything she could give him that Cora never cou

er and closer until she was right in Cora's face. So close that Cora could smell h

red, her breath hot against Cora

s balled at her sides so tight

ad, mock concern dripping from her voice like poison.

e, suffocating. Because

ng. Because you are a nobody. An orphan. Your own family rejected

hey reached deep inside Cora and squeezed everyth

t from sadness. From rage. From something dark and furious that had been building inside

y did not

he had been carrying for twenty-five years. Before she knew what she was doing, before her brain could catc

HU

w open, exposing more skin than Cora wanted to see. Liam's shoulder slammed into the edge of t

but she did not care anymore. She was past caring. "I was kidnapped! Stolen by very bad people when I was four years old! I re

he pulled his hand away, there was a small smear of blood on his finge

laughter, mean and sharp, the kind that cut.

er robe hung half off one shoulder. Her face was flushed-part embarrassment, part fu

hen why did they not find you? Huh?" He took a step toward her. "It has been what, twenty-five years? Twenty

question a thousand times growing up in that horrible orphanage. A million times when she lay awake at night on that t

ith cruelty. Each word was a nail hammering into her heart. "Maybe they were

Cora's voi

Maybe your parents just left you on the street because they could not stand you. May

id shu

posed, but Cora could see the rage burning in her eyes. "You just assaulted us. You push

e meant it. What more could they take fr

ker. More dangerous. "Because you are not leaving this apartment until

es darted to the door. It look

letely. His body was a wall between Cora and freedom. "Sign the divorce pape

if I d

umor in it. Just threat. Just promis

They were both bigger than her. Stronger. And Vanessa-Vanessa was a Sterling. She had power Cora could n

ing already. Her husband. Her dignity. Her heart. What else did she have

lace. "I do not want this anymore. I do not want him." She pointed at Liam with pure disgust. "You can have him.

d. His jaw clenched.

h everything she had left. "You look like a prostitute. A cheap prostitute in that trashy robe. S

nd, everyth

still. Time se

s went wide. Her face went white, t

ll did you ju

l, her manicured nails stretched out like cl