: E
he big office opened. I wal
e closed into hard fists by my legs. My
e rang. A cold voice said, "Mr. Vance gives millions to Eastside Hospital. His name is on the wall of the heart wing
od ran cold. Eastside Hospital was the same hospital where Lily was getting her
apartment. I took a taxi to Golden Enterprises and ran up to the top f
he room was dark. Only the city lights
made a silly mistake. He looked d
," Damon said. H
ting down. Just tell me why you
her chair. He put his hands toget
tapped the screen, an
t," Dam
en Enterprises got blackout drunk and married a nobody. Under it
and over my mouth. "This is ab
His eyes did not leave m
ered. "I swear. I did not
e he was reading my face as t
he clerk is under a legal gag, and the file is sealed. I tol
think it
t, I would not have called you here. I only need to
s arms around me. Of course I told him. But Tyler w
the floor for one s
ed away,"
riminal!" I lifted my chin. "I did not do th
ou," Damon said. "I
you ha
nt he stayed very still, studying
never thought it was you. I on
s face was calm, and he soun
hree people knew. If it was not me, and it w
enty years," Damon said. His voi
ian had watched me the whole time I waited ou
wn. He opened a black folder on his de
blem right now. My face is all over the internet. People are calling me a fool for getting drunk and accidentally m
rriage was a mistake. You were drunk, I was tricked by the alcohol, and we both want
. People will believe a couple who live together. We will go to a few dinners, take some pictures, and let the bad news die. In return, I wi
he paper. A hot wa
am poor, I will just let you trap me in your house like a pet? I have pride, M
bag, turned around, and walked fast out of the
t was Damon's personal business card with his direct phone number printed
think about was my twin sister, Lily. She was the only family I h
head. Damon said only three peop
y hands shook as I called
little sleepy. "Babe, I was just
you something. Pleas
What
he six months, everything. Someone lea
Elena, I am at a cheap motel outside the city for a job, the sig
it? Whoever wrote it will make a lot of
ollar from it in months. You came to me crying, and I held you. I pro
bt I felt in my chest sud
ed. "I am sorry
ng you around, and you are scared. He is a rich man who needs someone
ith my sleeve. "T
. Call me w
I believed him completely. Tyler would never hu
through the sliding doors. I ran fast down the whi
ped br
om was
was not making its normal steady sound. Instead, it
ed, running to th
ig panic. One of them pushed me back softly while
the nurse shouted. "We need to giv
ding the metal rail of th
"The hospital office blocked new treatments. Your account has zero money,
falling down to my kn
ace was white like paper. She looked so sm
ainst my face. I cried
no power, and no o
ld not save Lily. Only Damon Vance had t
ness card Damon had given me earlier. My tears dropped onto the smooth paper
before a deep, c
tening,"
I tasted salt and
oice broke in the quiet hospital room. "I will
er is waiting at the hospital door
e I reached the curb, my dress was wet. A black car was waiting there. The d
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