to a gilded cage. She pushed them open, the squeal of the hinges echoing in the cold nig

m when her stepmother, Jaelynn, greeted her with a smirk, swirlin

case, deliberately flaunting a new diamond neckla

rmchair at the head of the room, puffing on a

"Why did you do it?" she asked, her voice tight.

red to a thick document lying on the exp

y deigning to look at her, his eyes cold and calculating. "Tha

ive Winters Group access card to sneak into their headquarter

anie whispered, horrified. "You'

"We raised you, Jeanie. It's the least you

whisper in Jeanie's ear. "How was the hotel

ll Denise's plan. The drug, the setup, everything.

n his feet. "Don't you dare!" he ro

, his grip like a vise. The pressure was imm

is breath sour with cigar smoke. "You will get me that bid, or by tomo

yes. It was the taste of complete and utter despair

but he was too strong. With a grun

nst the sharp corner of the marble coffee ta

s gave out, and she slid to the floor, her face

tched giggle, covering h

e of pure contempt. He tossed a pen onto t

ry taste of blood filling her

d, and he raised hi

g alarm blared from

burst into the room, his face frantic. "

with blinding white light. The massive floor-to-ceiling win

icopter's rotors vibrated through the house, m

pasty white. Joel's cigar dropped from his sl

ped through the night as the main gate

with assault rifles, swarmed the property,

ence that followed, the f

her shoes crunching on the shattered glass. He moved with a calm,