ht after ending the call. The wind struck my face again and again, y

rom a number I didn't recognize. "Ms. Brown, this is Martin Ford. I'm Mr. Smith's dr

t the glowing screen. The words blurred as emotion rus

ven the smallest bit of care. That short message felt lik

k luxury car rolled to a stop b

d toward me. "Excuse me," he sai

wered with a

while opening the car door

ort inside felt completely different from the freezing wind o

anket. "Mr. Smith asked me to make sur

nd my shoulders and lower

ecorations drifted past the window. As I stared outside, Michael's face kept

d harder against my chest. The thought of what she m

e neighborhood, and every mansion along the road showed the kind of wealth only the richest

e door for me. "We're here," he said.

llowed Martin as he led me thro

wing with strings of lights, quietly announc

ut Lily by my side, the coming Christmas p

g room, and the space felt

in his hands, but the moment he noticed me stepping inside, he folded it and placed it aside. He ro

an was

t he looked almost the same. Time had onl

y, standing there without

bit about what you've been through. Word reached me that you stepped in to help several

e when he brought up prison. "Anyone

your courage." His gaze rested on me with clear admiration. "You once saved my life, Anna. I've carried

immediately caught my eye. It reported on the car accident that I had been blamed for, and t

ewspaper stirred so

ease. I explained how Michael forced me to take the blame year

y piece of pain and anger I had held i

From time to time, he reached out and gave me a comfort

ce at all. People like them are nothing but monsters." Hi

alone, Anna. I'll stand with you until the truth comes out. Lily deserves justice,

pposed to do now?" I asked quietly. "I walked out of prison with nothing, and

ou are," Bale said calmly. "And even if the past

r in every way. While you focus on that, I'll send people to dig into Michael and Sofia's actions. We will gather every piece of proof we can find. And there's

ff guard. "Jack?" I

e to tell him the truth, yet I refused him. I trusted Michael at

again. "Anna, if you're willing, remain here for the time being. Use this place to recover your stre

om. The mattress felt unbelievably soft beneath me. After years of

efused

ng, and the memory of my litt

ne side to the other in my hands. As I moved it, a sma