Hartm

the gray Chicago sky. Returning here felt less like

inst my ribs. The silence of the house was heavy, suffocating, a stark c

y knuckles turned white. In the harsh vanity light, the damage was undeniable

ma

scrubbed at the memory, layering thick concealer over the hickey until th

m door sla

nd clammy. He looked nothing like the powerful men of his bl

ugh his voice lacked true thunder. It was

the tremor in my hands. "I slept in the guest wing

et onto the bed. "Don't start with your need

rning light caught t

fr

n his skin, disappearing into hi

ng?" I asked, my to

hand flying to his ne

omentarily eclipsed by a surge of cold clar

nd the bluster. "You're delusional. Stop

the bathroom and slamming the door.

n a crumpled piece of hotel stationery sit

d out the paper. The handwriting

eed cash for the doctor. And I need that new

left m

singer Joshua had been

ng si

timing wasn't right, claiming the family instability wa

the

hidden. I wrote under the name 'Iris', pouring my soul into jazz lyrics that Joshua sold to the clu

emerged, water dripping from his

d with a speed fueled by pure panic. He snatch

paper onto the dying embers. We watched as the flames curle

other woman's perfume wafted off him. "If you breathe a word of this... remember what happened to y

atches, and walked out the door as if h

the heat of the fire doing noth

ught I was just a hostage, a tr

went to the East Wing, to the dusty storage room that the maids ignore

anct

et music-the originals. The proof. I grabbed a quarter f

ir. I need

barely glanced at the 'trophy wife'. I found the payp

mber I had memo

of a victim. It was sharp. Jagged. "I need a favor. I need Joshua's bank statements from

e was groggy but ale

eflection in the phone booth glass looki

red. "I'm going to