er's number with
steady despite the storm inside me. "Give them to Leo only after I leave. And mak
my own death warrant. I glan
ed this before
o collect benefits from someone who's no longer his wife
hroat. Lydia sauntered in, her lips curved into that familiar cruel smile. She was
nstinct screamed at me to run,
legs with the confidence of
e you?" I asked directly.
he laughed. Not a polite chuckle. A full, c
e wiped tears from her eyes.
room
ha
in the trash behind the hospital. Left
rd stuck i
scar below my ribs. The empty space where my
." The words came ou
ing insurance policy." Her eyes gleamed with malic
rld t
rs ago. You were nothing but a meal ticket. A mass
y voice sounded pathet
he kidney was just a bonus. But that insurance policy? Two
hite lilies in her hand. My death
ady feeling my throat begin to ti
them toward my face. "Leo said to get rid of you. So
ut. My throat sealed comp
My vision went black around the edges as I crawled desperat
the nightstand, Lydia's h
ac
rolled away as glass from a nearby bottle shattered, shard
" she screamed, grinding her hee
he glass carved deeper into my flesh w
ootsteps thundere
e
lish hope. He would see Lydia for w
t, but my voice was barel
erself dramatically among the scattered flow
through the doorway. "Elena was throwing
body like I was garbage on the floor. He didn't even glance at
kill me," I wheezed, gasping for
mask finally sl
is voice made m
flowers, and you repay her by throwi
t deeper tha
en we were dating. When we got married. Every spring when they bloom. Yet
sure you never see another sunrise." He scooped Lydia up,
ears burned my cheeks as he stepped over my br
side me shat
ocket and used it with trembling, bloodied hands. The medicatio
t felt like hours before I could
++
bed and bandaged my hands. She didn't ask questi
ind working through the fog of pain and medic
invited to attend the Cel
ation that had been forwarded to my personal ema
my hands shaking a
ncouraging. "You built half of that company. The CEO of Cele
The words died
id gently. "You helped make some of the most sophisticated piece
dden in the closet. I had been planning t
l attend tonigh
erly waiting for your arrival in Litsville tomorrow
still loved me, still wanted me, gave me strength. The i
iece jewelry that graced royalty and red carp
reveal my face to the wor
sight. Or so
ever dreamed of. Charm
rying to network her way into meeting Roberta Alfre
the influence of my fortune. So I'd introduce my
fool I'
ayed me like a violin. All because they desperately wanted to climb into t
e way she'd dreamed. I would make them pay for
what better place to start than at the gala wh
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