er back ache. She clicked the "send" button on the twentieth

vibrated.

rriage certificates quickly," Yang said calmly and p

e said. She rubbed her flat stoma

ie leaned back, feeling a f

yrus sat behind his mahogany desk. The

ef at Vanderbilt, walked in. He had a stern exp

Mike said, placing the envelope on the

uments. He quickly flipped through the financial records and educational back

na. Forme

port detailed the exact year Young conceived and how Mrs. Molina had been a secret guest at Cyrus Vanderbilt II's private estate in Connecticu

le. The timeline, the hush money, the unnatural secrecy. Jan Molina

he table. A low, terrifying

. Ellie, the woman who had just

g the edge of the desk until his knuckle

ercom button. "Ms.

into the room, ca

"Give her three times the industry standard rate. But include an exclusivity clause. She can only wo

idened, but she nod

ptop beeped with a new email. The email was marked

ttachment titled "Consulting Ag

pay off her mother's medical debts within a month. But as she scr

ed cage designed to bind her to Cyrus forever. I

one and dialed Ms. F

into the phone. "Mr. Vanderbilt is demanding it

f her phone tightly. Her chest tightened, as

" Ellie said, her voice trembling

d emptied her junk folder. She sat in her quiet apartment, h

listened as Ms. Foste

d predatory smile spr

and dialed the director of

smoothly, "will be awarded to Jan Moli