heavy on the gas pedal of her aging sedan. Sterling had given her a choice: suspension without

choice. It w

e. The security guard checked her ID and waved her t

ce, Miss. Mr. D

She parked her modest car next to the fleet of luxury SUVs and spo

for years, opened the door. She looked down

Maria whispered. "He ma

Maria," Amir

room. The house was expansive, filled with art and furni

was eating strawberries from a crystal bowl. Ethan was

Ethan said with

bag down on the coffee table. "Let'

ear the rug. A glass of red juice had

first. Someon

eft her lungs. "I am a doctor,

is busy. You are here. And you

erry. "Oh, Ethan, don't be mean. She

the spill. If she refused, he would call Sterling. She wou

ned. She knelt on the floor. The humiliation burned her cheeks, hot

hrew the soiled to

he said, he

d pressure. It was per

al vitamin schedul

out a pamphlet. She handed it to him.

t out of her hand. The pa

ut loud. Li

hard her teeth ached. Sh

ing with food. One calc

out and tucked a loose strand of hair behind

d violently,

uch me,"

arrowed. "You used to beg for my

er eyes gleaming with

wasn't the sound of metal on metal, but of shattering glass an

rned toward