the heavy double doors

professor is already at the podium, droning on about syllogisms. Ada

ds are still shaking slightly from the run, and fr

ght a ghost. She needs facts. She needs to know exactly who this man

fingers fly across the keyb

its e

. She clicks on the first link, a lengt

ion and Barron's ruthless efficiency in acquiring tech startups. But there ar

daline mutters u

gates to LinkedIn. She types

oid for a profile picture. The account is set to

ducation secti

lock onto a sin

rsity, Cla

n the screen. Adali

lite prep schools, auto

s of

3... assuming he entered at eight

lator app on her Mac. She types in the cur

3 flashes on

e? !" Adalin

ts in the rows ahead turn around and glare at her. The professor

ook to hide her face. Her cheeks burn with embarras

k around, Adaline stares a

actual, physiological nausea washes over

. To a twenty-one-year-old college student, a man in his

She aggressively shakes her head. Fake, she tells herself. It

n with a paunch, using his immense wea

e feels like a piece of meat on a butcher's block. Her

opens her messages and

lass so hard it makes tapping sounds. Did you kno

ly comes a

hell are you talking a

him finish. She is

omplicit! You sold me to an old man

ttings and hits 'Mute Notifications'. She

on rain has turned into a steady downpour. She doesn't open her umbrella. She le

the door to her apartment

bag. She runs in

rand new, luxurious cat carrier. Inside

carrier and pulls the orange tabby into her

am br

ost autonomy, for her cruel parents, and for the terrifying future tied to

stop, a cold, hard nu

buzzes on

: Did you re

he image of a forty-four-year

oes not throw a tantrum.

s chat and hits 'Archive'.

Instagram. She sends no messages. She executes a strategy of absolute

M. She is surrounded by crumpled papers and empty coffee cups. Her marketing proposal

notification slides into the

, expecting a uni

ame reads: B

: Regarding your stall

ps. Her eyes widen