at the floral centerpiece. "

Fielding said. He pic

not h

ost weight. The nurse's sala

t it took a second to sting. Essence turned to him. "M

ro-expression of amusement. "Dignity. Is that what you ca

vint

. Like ou

ce picked up her fork, her hand trembling slightly. She hated that

closer. She was leaning forward, her eyes darting betwee

"We were just saying how... brave it is of you to come out. The Swiss

question. A

generating in this room, Chloie, is your father's credibi

opened her mouth

ining our standards. Essence was just telling us about her new life. Scrubbing f

rned white. "I am an ER nurse, Chloie. I save

ns house. Tell me, is it true you're living in a walk-up in Queens with a room

iet. They were wa

ck, hot and suffocating. She reached

and s

m of the champagne flute ne

as

ed against the china plate. Champagne sprayed across the white tablecloth, soaking

p, her chair scraping

e's hands aren't very steady, are the

exhaustion, the shoes, the hunger, the humiliation. Sh

eared in h

d a handkerchief made of white Irish l

ldi

He was looking at the spill

t," he

ed at his hand. Then she re

round the linen, her ha

n was i

arm that was so intense it was painful. She je

y didn't look at the spill.

y, at her r

handelier, was the ring Nathan had given her three months ago. It was a modest go

ng wen

med to drop ten degrees. The air

d, his voice barely

"Oh my god. Is that a ring?

h her other hand. "It's a di

urned his wheelchair slightly, angling his entire body toward her. The indifferenc

The word sounded foreign

e tried to sound proud, but her voice

e again. He looked at the blade, watching the light re

w wh

s were black holes. "Does h

n't valid, Fielding. I was under

. He pressed the tip of the knife into the tablec

nt, Essence. You bound yourself to the Hancock estate in exchange for immunity." He leaned in closer, hi