The Villainess Stepmother's Ruthless New Life
n with a groan of hinges tha
e room seemed to drop
ing stood in
as a
readth of his shoulders. His face was gaunt, unshaven, with dark circles under his eyes that spoke of sleepless nights and high altitudes. He leaned against th
ere sharp. Ter
th opened and closed like
terling?" Va
swept the room, taking in the scene with th
onfetti of paper c
pen still standing erect
ld gaze shif
The man radiated power. It was a phys
s was the perform
itched her voice to sound reli
ep toward him
rown herself at him, faking tears
d public displays of emotion. He ha
ont of her chest instead, k
n. His eyes narrowed slightl
red. The boy stood
mal acknowledgment, barely a tilt of th
. He moved with a predator'
ipped the pen. With a single,
ters clung
t over in his long fingers. Th
s voice was like gravel grinding together-
eigning nonchalanc
. we were just protecting the assets. Sta
hand. Vance shut
redded paper on the flo
id quickly, trying to shift t
" Arthu
ria. "Why are yo
or the money, she was dead. If she said she cam
g nearby," she
contract under the table w
d an eyebrow
hat did you shop for in a business
ence st
ur repeated flatly. "In
" she gestured to the Montbla
ought school supplies. He knew she didn'
at Jones. It was a sil
father, then back at the woman who
ck," Jones said. His voic
reath she didn't k
sensed the silent communication passing between
Arthur sa
ir
Leave the buildin
d his briefcase and fled, tra
him go. He was sti
e," he sa