d her mouth tasted like metal and exhaustion. The

ic

ly. The smart home schedule. Darius h

ring the ruined green dress. She didn't care. S

ed in a fresh navy suit, drinking espresso and reading news o

ommanded, his eyes scanning a headline. "You need your

or a second, she considered eating it. She was starving.

to the stainless steel

" she said, h

get a bottle of water. Her

the tile. The atmosphere in the room tightened instan

rchway that led to the foyer, blo

for pre-op testing at nine," h

cold water bottle

ver from his dinner, presumably. A dinner

rabbe

is expression bored.

ng the serrated tip at his chest

up to the blade until the tip was press

"It would solve a lot of problems, Jada. I wouldn't ha

ch it consumed her. But could she stab him? Could she

pped in her throat. She cou

lattered to

h relief. He reached out and grabbed her shoulders

! You are making this h

o mu

It wasn't a standard ringtone.

went wide, the aggression evaporating, replaced by a sheer

s phone from

r ID:

ter vanished. The husband vanished. In th

pressing the phone to his

s wrong?" His

utching her chest. Seeing him panic for

e on the other end. All the

m coming right now. Don't close your ey

s from the counter. He ran toward the door, his

counter. She grabbed

"You leave me in prison to r

He ripped his arm away with excessive force, sending Jada stumbli

ild. "She is fighting for every breath she takes. Don't you dare co

mparison hung in the

nted to the private elevator. The doors sl

in the silence

hip. She looked at the

s drifted to

panic, such a rush to ge

d the lockdown. The