es, the silence stretching Ella's nerves to the breaking point. Fi

ormed that Dr. Miller has a family emergency. We

led? What kind of emergency?" Ella asked, her

y more details," the nurse

tered, pulling Ella toward the exit.

cold dread coiling in her stomach. But how? How c

er phone began to vibrate violently in her purse. The

b Va

rself. She had to explain, to try a

distant star. "Ella. I'm calling to

to speak, to protes

isgrace yourself, and my fam

, shoving her own phone into Ella's line of sight. I

FIANCÉE ELLA LONG, STEPS OU

y around Chloe's waist, both of them smiling radiantly for the camera.

stening to Caleb's sanctimonious lecture while the whole w

rfectly exe

ayal was so complete, so absolute, that it left n

old the taxi driver,

ht of the victors holding court. Warren, Annette, Chloe, and Caleb Vance we

er, scurrying to hide behind

indignation. "You have some nerve showing your face her

truly masterful performance." She turned her venomous gaze back to Caleb. "And you can drop the act. How long

the grace to lo

e a gunshot. He didn't look at Ella. He gave Caleb an oily, apologetic s

, his face transforming

unced to the room. "To compensate for the damage your... indiscretio

g the weight of h

eekend. There will be

old man was very specific. He said he was very 'satisfied'

or me b

old smile, his parting words. A terrifying suspicion began to form, but she pushed it away. It

g ex-fiancé. Her venomous stepsister. Her gloating stepm

. Every struggle, every attempt to bre

e engagement. H

single one of her hopes had been system