s numb inside her cheap sneakers. She held her breath and leane

e drawn. Angelita was perched sideways on t

zily tracing the collar of Foun

e hand around Angelita's waist and pulling her flush against his side.

ruelty in his voice wasn't bus

ut Austin is getting older. When are you going to give him a real, legal title

short-circuit

been diagnosed with severe infertility right after the weddi

s voice softening into a tone Ide

I'll dispose of Idella permanently. I only married her because the shareholders were th

to muffle the scream tearing up her thr

he bomb that shattered I

a whined, her voice tightening with jealousy. "He c

rehead. "I know. He carries both our

back against the cold wall of the corrid

he clamped a hand over her mouth,

esh an

s identical eyes. The maids' absolute deference to Angelita. Foun

doctor who delivered the news

arried her to cover up his incestuous affair with his adopted sister

ent chuckle, slipped through the crack in the door. It was a sound

fabric. She wanted to kick the door open. She wanted to grab the he

in. If she walked in there now, she had nothing. She was b

nd of the hallway. The elevators.

to her feet, her rubber soles silent on the ca

stairwell just as the chatter

She buried her face in her knees and let out a silent, agonizing sob. Her en

t was raw and her stomach

head. The vulnerability in her eyes was gone,

her pocket. The lock scree

e her mother. And then, she was going to

ne in her hand vi

ilicon Valley, Californi