t numb. The front door opened, and a maid coldly

ity guards stood at the base of the grand st

"Mrs. Ellis. Until the surgery, your access is restric

ok at him. She turned and walked down

a luxurious silk robe. She held a teacup in one hand

mond necklace rest

front of Emmie. She ran her

ortensia said, her voice dripping with fake sw

e. The smell of her heav

n," Hortensia whispered maliciously. "He sh

d emptiness in them vanished, re

ortensia across the face with eve

echoed loudly

n the expensive rug, hot tea splashing everywhere. Sh

ie said, her voice a low, lethal whisper

rward. Hortensia instantly let her knees buckle, co

d the narrow iron spiral staircase

of Provence lavender. Emmie had planted and cared for

ch. She picked up a pair of

es. Her face was completely blank. Sh

ps. The violent snapping of the branches filled the glass room. The ov

ined, she dropped the shears. They

ir in the corner and sat d

envelope onto her l

k of legal paper. A Divorce Agreement, draft

ned his name as her guarantor. The terms were

onto her grandfather's signature. He had kno

nvelope was a small, silver

holds the true Brandt trust. It is yours

est. The warmth of his love fought ag

ow vanished, leaving only a

en from her coat pocket

nib to the paper. The scratching sound of the pen cutti

years of pathetic, unrequit