in an antique Persian rug that cost more than a luxury car. With every step she took, muddy p

er uncontrollably. Her s

oney estates, the staff often took their cues from the family. Because Justine came from a middle-class ba

was hurt. They simply stepped aside, their eyes darting to the mudd

intense to care about the opinions of servants.

so numb they felt like blocks of wood. She fumbled with the brass doo

ted the deadbolt. The loud click of the lock echoing in the quiet room was the only soun

ing off the ruined dress. She stepped directly into the massive glass show

er blasted out o

he boiling shower felt like thousands of needles piercing

e slid down the expensive marble tiles, her back scraping against the cold stone, until she h

k, muddy water from the koi pond swirled aroun

shed in her mind. You are

d up into a sharp, self-deprecating smirk. She laughed,

of the estate, Carl paced furiously across

r. Carl held a crystal glass filled with neat bourbon. He too

n a velvet armchair. She wore a tailored Chanel suit, her silver hair perfectly coiffed. She he

tight. He stopped pacing and stared at his gla

rl Grey tea. The porcelain cup clinked so

of empathy. "Leo is the heir to the McConnell political legacy. A Congressman's son cannot be labeled a bully or a v

's dead, empty eyes staring at him before

e glass tightly. "She just looked at me like... like I was n

ntirely on our family trust to eat and sleep. That look she gave you is nothing but a che

absolute authority in this house, insubordination cannot be tolerated. We must pun

oom, Justine finally

floor. She dried herself off and pulled on a thick, warm cashmere loun

bathroom and sat dow

dark circles under her eyes look like bruises. Her lips were cracked. But her eyes-they were no longe

knock hammered agai

stant. He shouted through the thick wood. "The Congressman demands your

her hair. She dropped t

aned her forehead against the cool wood and spoke. Her voice

ine said clearly. "Tell him to go

air. In the three years he had worked for Carl, Justine had never

eatening tone into his voice. "Refusing a direct orde

r word. The absolute silence radiat

ent shiver wracked her spine. Her skin felt like it was on fire, yet her bones felt like ice. T

avy down comforter and p

e cigar room. He repeated Justine

l glass down onto the wooden bar cart. The glass shattered, send

rl roared, the veins in his neck bulgi

Alex from the room. Her eyes nar

said coldly to her son, "then we will use the estat

out the fastest route to the airport. But as the meager numbers tallied in her head, a bitter realization set in. The funds she had access to wouldn't even cover a one-way ticket to Zurich, let alone establish a new life. She was financially trapped. Her trembling fingers hesitate

ton, a harsh, metallic grindin

ng a master key i

s. She quickly shoved the phone back under the pillow and

s violently

doorway. She was a large, imposing woman with a face carved

the cold, dead eyes of a pris

oice dripping with malice. "You are to come downstairs