He Let Her Go, Then Lost His Mind

ound hard, sprawli

Click.

und her as cameras captured the f

iam, but all she found were his co

tly what that

st tigh

ay it was all a misunderstanding, that Valerie had simply fe

stomach, her gaze dropping a

e gaps in the crowd, but non

, Daniela slowly

ed calmly, "I sympathize with Ms. Ca

are friends, then?"

augh. "No. Who would be friends with someone w

he air, she signaled to Willa, who

voice was tight wit

er back ramrod str

k over her shoulder with a scornful snort, "Look at the tw

choked out, re

I wrong? Go on, play the victim f

rom Valerie's face, and she sway

erupted be

n Daniela into the car. They spe

yes on the road. "That fainting act was so

ot her I'm worried about. It's you. W

Willa hit the brakes and shot

y dad runs t

ght someone swore she'd never ca

have a useful dad! At this rate, I wi

t Daniela's smile was genuine, Willa pressed

etely free," Willa declared. "I

infectious. A sly grin spr

there is something y

d, her expression one of

said, grabbing Willa's w

d. "Oh." After a beat, she

at the house she had shared with William for a year

ed affair, everything thrown

was no d

ver, her efforts had tra

just a cold, li

onl

and the crew, Daniela picked up a b

after their marriage, brought ba

assic

is coat when he gave it to her, hav

had been urgent, his

had been like an

bottle and sp

mbered-the same one she'd put on

ked, spotting the perfume and g

hook her

e he'd bought so casually, almost as an

in the hall and reconsidered. She placed bo

house wa

s gone, except for the bottle of p

once she'd made the decision,

, it turned out,

nd whipped through her hair as the old

ard, she had

important things

ly. The mystery of her father's "accid

he had lived fo

uld live fo

would bring in money, and it would put her in

ound the contact she was looking for, and

.

was still crying

was filled with the image of Daniela walkin

actly what he wa

d defied h

messages, but she'd ig

a completely different person, de

eedings. At the hos

night before flashed through his mind-the way she'd st

sadness in them, but mos

nfamiliar fear fli

rstand why she's upset. Seeing those photos of us online, then

rs fell

William, these last six months... I stole them from yo

a wracking cou

a spray of blood spla

and he immediately reached for

missed it as a tantrum. She could

ering a pale smile. "It's terminal.

elped settle he

to confront Daniela, Valerie casually wiped the "blood" fro

"How do you think he's going to tear in

rolling through the flo

eady drowning in att

to die with some dignity, and Daniel

ly dying and Daniela

r. Harrison look so good

that fall?

eds to just

, get a

orce

he need

.

her orders. "Today went perfectly. Keep the contro

d out what she was doing