the hotel smelled of

giving out. She slid down until she was crouching on th

Three missed calls from he

mber. Her fingers knew

Ring

ed Kelton. Le

mail. "Please. I don't know what happened. I woke up in a hotel. I t

ugging her kne

mouth of the alley. It slowed down

t. It was her father

e to run to it, to bang on the wi

rear window

d out, sharp and clea

ey didn't get a cle

nk back into the shad

y, amused. "The rumor is enough. 'Bartlett Heiress in Drug Scandal.

he's cut off, the trust defa

on?" Cath

release a statement distancing himself from her. He'll be

er mouth to stifle the scre

ey purred and glided away, disapp

ched in the filth

. He was in on it. Or at

her father was l

er mind was suddenly, terrifyingly clear. The shock

diner across the street. She ignored the stares

in until it turned red. She looked at herself in the cracked

ed like

aid to her

of her mother's trust fund document. She scrolled pas

rality

bstance abuse or sexual impropriety, the Benefic

er mother, god bless her para

ship through legal marriage within thirty (30) days of said inciden

ria

o be married

would be closed off the moment the story brok

r reputation. Someone who needed something

. The stack of cash on the table. The way he had t

mi

if he kept his mouth shut. And he was clearly in

her bank app.

Barry didn'

tash. Cash in her apar

per towel. She didn't have time to

business d