sat on a hard metal bench, her hands clasped so tightly in her lap that her knuckles were white. She wore her best-and only-blouse

nd of the large clock ticking on the wall. Each tick

nformed her, without looking up, that Mr.

her prayed this was all a sick joke, that no one would show up,

n, and a wave of expensive perf

ssed in a Chanel suit the color of cream, and every line of her body screamed wea

ike it had been sculpted. Her eyes, a sharp, intelligent blue, scanned th

re in gossip columns and on society pages. The Nelsons were old money, and Elianna

topping so close that Eileen had to

sked, her voice smooth but

t met her gaze, her heart a s

what kind of dirty trick you pulled to get your name i

e of absurdity-and pulled out a checkbook. She scribbled a few numbers, tor

aid, her lip curled in a sneer. "Take the money,

blur. Half a million dollars. Enough to disappear. Enough

mant for years, hardened into steel. The memory of her panicked, sleepless night flashed through her mind-hours spent frantica

small, slow cu

you sure you want to be doing this? I'm pretty sure trying

face faltered, her

e to ask, in what capacity are you making

' hang in the air, laced

," Eileen continued, her voice ga

eatures. "You cheap, worthless tramp

he movement swift and

tone. "Go ahead. Every camera in this building is recording. Ass

th a fury she was clearly not used to containing. She was a woman who got w

r hand, her nails dig

ice low and venomous. "My aunt, Del

tance was coming from inside the Butler family. This wasn't just a ran

. It clarified things. She was

d-looking man in a rumpled suit hurried out.

vient nod, then turned to Eileen, his ex

avison, the supervisor here. Could you please come with me

to a triumphant, cruel smile. It was