gestational sac. Now, Anna gazed at the screen, transfix

s. Two c

comprehend what had happened. The doctor had explained that twin pregnancies were rare and warned

family's private doctors had orchestrated it all. When they implanted the embryos, they never bothered

ted in her bag. She answe

er is dying! Com

to her mother, tr

could that be? She knew he had been hospitalized after his company'

rrow the moment Anna crossed the threshold

avy. When he saw his daughter, he managed to lift a tremblin

n't you go to

the Ashfords gave enough to pay for proper medical care? Every cent went t

lingered in the room before s

father's side, clutch

ad, I want you to live. P

-filled eyes stayed fixed on

betrayed your mother... I'll

hout warning, and his

the house. Anna fel

ied. Only a handful of people attended; the downfall of

re and Anna remained afte

om?" Anna asked, her gaze

eyes l

death, I won't

you crying?" A

out a we

t always exist separately. Sometimes, th

ee days had slipped by since her father's death, yet

illing from the living room. The house buzzed with guests, glasses of

ted her first an

se, come inside

slippers the housekeeper offered. But when she gl

center of the sofa, a cigarette resting between his fingers, a cold haze of smoke swirling aroun

one could mistake the

d over, a provocative sm

.." She looked Anna over with a critical eye. "You're quite p

et her

and in every way, you surpass me. So

ne made the woman's c

wife, if I slapped you now, Julian

r hand, poise

bottle down hard against the coffee table, shattering it with a violent crash. Fra

she aimed a jagged sh

do it! If you dare lay a h

tared in disbelief at the young woman the

om his lips as his eyes flashed with something strange-a bl

he living room, so thick that

shut behind her. The sharp sound echoed t

ly unbothered, as though nothing unusual had happened. Those close to him knew that even the slightest disturbance cou

d just shattered a thirty-thousand-dollar bottle o

ence. "I heard that Miss Hart's father died recen

er birthday, and she had gathered a few of Julian's closest friends to help celebrate both her special day an

ed him with care and spoke in a low, measured tone. "Please f

and drained it in a single motion. Then he spo

's cheeks as she mu

ter what happens, Anna Hart is not someone to be mistreated. Even if she were nothing

osture st

orce..." she whispered. "Very s

t through Ju

, I will not allow anyo

a bucket to gather the shards of glass and clean the wine

"Don't be too harsh, Julian. Jessy didn't do any

ng, "Come on, Jessy, three dri

art, Julian signaled to his bodyguard, then stood and left the room in silence.

honor... Shall we keep the pa

l thinks she'll become

ssing divorce. Anna was difficult, they said. Ho

.

breaking the dam she had maintained for three days. Her father's last words of regret echoed in her mind, dissol

nightgown and went downstairs, driven by a sharp, aching hunger. But whe

. Anna. Please, come!"

divorce, a strange sense of courage had taken root inside her. She sat at the far end of t

e yesterday cost thi

le bottle of wine? Did he expect her to rep

p. "Consider this a warning. If you break an

t back her appetite. Yet, when the meat was served, a wave

Ms. Anna?" Mrs. Mille

ke eating vegetarian

er, as they had arranged to meet at ten. On her way out, she

of last night's rain-made her stomach churn. She stopped

approached an

driver asked, glancing at

stirred awake and immed

p, Mr. Ashford,"

piercing gaze through the lowered window. Sunlight glinted off the

nd stammered, "I think I jus