o a smooth halt in t

. Usually, she would flee straight to the guest room to avoid him. But tonight, he ha

s wheelchair all the way to the

. Instead, he pulled a cigar from a humidor, clipped the end, and lit it. He

gs to expand. She stepped into the room,

ng but clear. "I need you to pay the monthl

ut a harsh,

The fox finally shows its tail. The good behavior, th

lf. She let the insult hi

nto her palms, "I want my enrollment stat

ng to calculate the angle. Why would a useless, gold-digging

s house," Allie explained, a tiny spark of defiance

heavy crystal ashtray. He leaned for

m," he stated brutally. "You are an

d. She bit her lip so

t if you agree to this... I will obey every singl

rritated him. He wanted her to fight back. H

on't see a dime. You can go to school, but you will have a strict curfew. And

joy lit up Allie's eyes. She

. I promise," s

urtis's paranoid nerves. He

acility. And get her reinstated at Parsons." He released the

slid down the wall, and buried her face in her hands, crying silently into t

ng, Allie woke

, scratched drawing board and a stack of faded design sketch

ive black Cadillac SUV was idling by the curb. Vance

s vehicle for your commu

ted the bustling Manhattan streets, she looked out the wind

Design. The familiar scent of coffee and oil paint in the a

M," the driver warned her through the rearview

here," Alli

nto the crisp autumn wind. She practically

y her sudden, fully-funded return, but the Deleon

pressed the plastic square against her chest. It was the only proof she

nce books for the new semester. As she reach

rough her canvas bag.

original sketches for the upcoming Eme

ng with her bag when she got out of the car. S

back toward the main gate, pray

urtis sat at the head of the boardroom table. He was listening to

ietly. Vance slipped in and w

driver found a tablet in the backseat of

wned. "Bri

device. Curtis pressed the p

igh-resolution, incredibly complex vintage fashion design

onto the screen, completely captivated by