curled lip. "Mom, Elyse has elegance and status, and she's receiving her doctorate. Rena,

and detached, "As far as I can tell, a woman like that belongs in the k

back from overseas. He probably couldn't keep surviving off shady work in some

ough there were nothing at all wr

shoved the door ope

he distain on her face came through wi

k who finally decided to come back. Why are you just

pt her face blank and head

or something? Don't give us that crap attitude! You went to see that use

assie with a frigid stare as she

r. "Are you seriously glaring at me?" she snapped. "Last I checked, this is my house. You're

Rena's lips as her eyes drift

o live, Jase had just crawled out of the slums. She mov

d even lied and said the villa belonged to one of her rel

ing huff. "Jase, why don't you clear this up f

once as he shot back, "Rena! Wha

gh she were looking at a man she had never tru

go pick up your father. That part was my fault, and I'll apologize if that's what you want. But c

ide the coffee table, her expression cold and steady. "I

fa cushions jolted behind her. "This is outrageous! You nasty little bitch, how dare you sp

ze dropped to something leth

s it up as her disappearing all they want, but everyone knows she ran off with some man! What a shameless whore! An

Rena's palm slammed down on the table,

ld stand by and allow an

undary no one was a

oss it would be

er voice, but the shock quickly curdled into a sharper, more vici

y mother you're talking to! She's older, and her health isn't good. She only said it without t

Maggie called her

loved for five long years, an icy a

he found herself wondering whether the man who had once

to ask you this one last time. Do you believe my mother is the kind of woman they keep c

a, then shifted his eyes toward Maggie an

failed to take Maggie's side. She would

ring herself to leave him. It wouldn't take m

her eyes, he lowered his ga

ilence fell b

over her, this was how he always answe

ame a low, brittle,

tting there in plain sig

or her mother, Jase would dodge the conversation or subtly

own, that Clara really was the kind of sh

at first round of funding? You really thought it was luck? I swallowed my pride and begged my former mentor to introduce you to those investors! And when your mother's stomach u

ll a long t

e circles because you had money? If I hadn't picked out your dresses and briefed you on everyone's tastes ahead of time, you wouldn't have even gotten a foot

unging at Rena with blazing eyes as

u would've died on the streets by now! If you hadn't been around, I'd have recovered f

e air, seconds away from la

ed the kraft paper bag from her arms. "What kind

photograph, fluttering

glance, Maggie bent down

that shameless mother of yours! You sh

up the torn photograph, then bolted outside

he could do was watch as Rena tore fr