the stone stairs. Her high heels struc

ressed her finger hard ag

ough the thick wooden door. A few

ed on Cassie's scarred face. The girl gasped loudly, st

ked straight past the terrified g

muting her footsteps. She turned her head, her

plush sofa, elegantly sipp

wearing a custom designer dress and looking entirely unbroken, her eyes wi

se. She stopped dead in her tracks. Her eyes darted over Cassie's expe

e forced a sickeningly sweet s

alking forward with her arms outstre

and turned her shoulder, s

smile faltered. She quickly masked her

ked, her voice dripping with venomous hop

t, cold laugh. "Disap

ther armchair. She crossed her legs, her posture relaxed b

vanished. Her face h

d. Her voice was flat, hard, and lef

g room stretched, thick with a

om, stopping right in front of Cassie, poi

get a dime!" Kailee screa

e's trembling finger. Her

just makes you look desperate," Cassie said

body began to

er eyes filling with fake tears. "Cassie, how can you do

with nausea. She unclas

slapped against the glass. Thank god her mentor at the sanatorium had granted her a few hours of encr

y embezzling from my biologica

All the blood drained from her face.

em apart. She tore them again and again, throwing the shredded piece

ched Kailee's frantic movements as

y lawyers," Cassie said, her voice cutt

e collapsed heavily onto the

study suddenly burst open.

pale face, and his chest puffed out with fury. He ha

e, his heavy footsteps

k to the asylum!" Josephus roar

ests of the chair. She pushed h

yes. The raw, unfiltered hatred in her gaze was

hesitate and immediate

She threatened Mom!" Kailee whined, twi

us's eyes vanished, repl

arred cheek. "You are a disgrace to this

ars, but her heart remained comp

ill see you in federal court," Cass

s shade of purple. The veins on h

e, watching the chaos unfold. Cassie saw the calculated gle

ed, stepping closer. "He'll throw you out the secon

reached into her bag, pulled out her p

reen. Her eyes widened in panic.

forward like

ed. She dropped her center of g

iamond engagement ring on her finger caught the light. She sw

d as the heavy

d into sharp slits. H

slap dead in mid-air. The sudden halt jerked Kailee's shoulder f

ed her righ

ith brutal force. Her palm c

f the slap echoed off the hi

und. Her high heels twisted under her weigh

ng red cheek. A high-pitched, agon