From Ashes, A New Empire

I didn't recognize. My head was clear, but my body ached. There

mily' s Upper East Side townhouse. I just wanted a showe

ntation was waiting for

rmchair. Ryan was standing behind her, his hand re

Chloe said, her voi

e?" I asked, not bother

ped. "You drug me, leave me in a hotel room, and then call my boyfriend

ake concern. "Chloe, calm down. Alex is jus

' m not confused. And I' m not play

me ever thinking you were a decent person. Well, it' s over. Ryan and

rt where I would have begged. I would have been destroy

"I hope you' ll

ave, but Ryan

r you," he said, his face a m

my way, Rya

dn' t

t to my past life' s failure. They flaunted their relationship at every

campaign of s

del for a competition, my last chance to salvage my juni

tripp

r the delicate balsa wood and c

tely burst

y!" he wailed, sinking to his knee

wrapped her arms aro

d. "You and your stupid models, always

mess that had been hundreds of hou

rk walked in

g in the scene. Ryan crying on the floor, Chloe comf

Ryan," Chloe

e was furious, but not at

nering me in the library. "You can' t let them walk all over you

suggest?" I

riend from business school, her cousin is in town. She' s sm

hen I thought about Chloe' s s

I said. "