around her like she was a piece of furniture. He stopped right in front of Adriana,

pulled out a checkbook. A Montblanc pen appeared in his

t. "How much will it take for you to stop

e. He was paying her off

ria, the screaming-it all drained out of her, leaving

r hand reaching for the

entered behind Everette caug

looked up at Everette's face. "You really don't believe me," she sai

na. You'd say anything to keep me tied to you. But those days

wall flickered to life. The nurse at the s

ed reports that Pippa Mills, the five-year-old daughter of Everette Mills, CEO of Mill

a picture of Pippa. That same gap-toothed smile, the bright eyes. Nex

The color drained from his face so fast he looked like a ghost. He slowly

ime, though the investigation is ongoing. The mo

dropped from

he screen, then to Everette, and for a split second, a flic

been shot. He slowly turned back to Adriana. The arrogance, the

sound came out. His mouth moved

ion. It didn't come. There was only exhaustion. A bone-deep wearin

" she sai

yguard, her chest heaving. She pointed

ot out, grabbing her wrist. He held it in a vice grip, his

ated, her voice sha

. He just stared at Adriana, his chest rising and

d, her voice hollow.

nodded. She shot one last glare at Everette, then tur

of the television and the sound

bed, her movements slow and mechanical. She pulled the

anymore. She didn't want to s

partment. A coat she hadn't worn in years. Deep in the pocket, her fingers closed around a small, familiar plastic bottle. The sleeping pills. From befor

as th

pped the cap. She didn't need water. She just tilted her head back, forcing down a d

together. She felt a strange sense of peace settling ov

I'm c

sorry. Li

og. He sounded desperate, panicked. "Adriana, t

, shaking her. But it was too f

eaning over her, his face twisted in agony. It wa

t matter. It

eyes, and the d