ya

arp sting of antiseptic, the dull throb in

od, M

was a blinding clinical white. The

gripping my hand as if it were a lifelin

her voice trembling. "I sa

hrough my ribs. My hands were heavily bandag

voice sounded like sandpa

arp rage. "His lawyer called. He's doing 'damage control' with the press. Th

hroat. It set my ribs on f

e. That'

shooting to her feet. "I'm going to go

ng to keep my voice st

ut

d, sit

then sank back

"I need you to bring me my laptop. And the file in the safe at m

you goin

ting to the window. "But first, I'm going to m

ying her face in the crisp hospital she

oking her hair with my banda

, the heavy doo

his hair artfully disheveled. It was a performance. The 'w

me sitting upright,

ard the bed with practiced relie

I snatched it away befor

t," I

up a chair. "Look, last night... it was a mess. Ava is... complicated. She

rough a glass dis

amiliar, condescending tone. "And you destroyed a fortune in jewelr

to the manila envelope res

is t

rce p

"Maya, stop it. You're not divorcing

en

ped it open. He scanned the fir

ine surprise coloring his tone. "You're

d flatly. "I want my na

at me with suspicion now, his eye

" I said. "What I don

re thing. I know about the shell companies in the Cayman Islands. I k

or drained from his face, leaving

iam. Even when you thought I w

release

my voice cold, "the moment you sign those pa

time, he didn't see a trophy

signed the papers with angry, jagged

ed. "Go. You'll be back. You can't survive without

door. He paused, his hand grip

red over his shoulder. "You're walk

the hospital sheet. The procedure had been don

ret this," I

you're alone and realizing you

r, the sound echoi

apers. My hands were tre

tanding in the corner, clu

e?" she as

the window at the steel-gray city skyline. "

of the child I chose not to have, and the

them b

vanish,