from work no

ment was q

And it oddly

atever that meant...and for the first time

sip from. The air was still, but my thoughts weren't. They rattled inside me, sharp and restless. I ha

the back of my mind like a wa

is a l

hat. I just didn't realiz

rang. I was

it too comfortabl

I even looked. Only one pe

hosts don't stop calling no matter

ell

s sugar-dipped poison, warm and brittl

we go

nd held back the urge to say somet

icking clock on the wall and realizing that I've been

help," she said, a fluttery laugh followin

it c

I asked, skip

if I'm fine or if I need something..

. "It's just a little trouble at the club.

gai

you back."

er do." I

Is

m. Not t

began to pace. The walls of this penthouse apartmen

e shaking. "Not this. Not more withd

ooled. "You think you're t

ing nothing to help me. I lie to everyone I know. I hide bruises with expensive makeup and make excuses for

sla

fter selling me off to the highest bid

"You have everything. A beauti

mons

len

u have noth

re dramatic. If you hated it so

fro

nswer. She knew

u forged the debts, Mom. You let Marcus buy them out so I'd be hi

I had to do,"

e cold now. "You di

nds tr

forgive you for the trauma you two caused

o dramatic. Everyone sacrifices somet

dropped

en care of? You think being hit is love? You think pretending to smile at galas

ly silence on

said finally, steel in my v

sla. When the world turns on you,and

d it raising me. The world is already against me, the worst that

hen I

get my coffee, hoping the cold c

r than any scream. I hurled the cup a

fingers dug into the skin of my laoso. It didn't solve anything. It didn't make

winced as a shard cut through my palm.Brushed my hair. Chan

el normal, even

out of the bathroom, t

lm still throbbing in

ed rose lay

ld. The pain on

idn't giv

ys. Not for apol

ight in the center of the s

neath its stem

ust an

building earlier that morning. My head d

behind me in the f

eno

gh to impl

gh to

, deliberate handwriting, four

me the

from my hand as my he