e turned her attention back to Ernst, her eyes gleaming with avarice. The

or Haley to agree to the divorce without any fuss... a bit of compensation would be in

at her mother, speechless. After destroying her marriage an

back again. Then, a slow, deeply cynical smile spre

nt confession, the crocodile tears-it was all a beautifully choreographed play. A classic good cop, bad cop routine

rode toward the door. He wasn't going to dig

let him leave thinking this. Th

fter him. "I didn't know anything a

in like talons. "Don't you dare ruin this!

the heavens opened up, a sudden downpour soaking her thin dress in s

pounding on the rain-slicked window.

ingling together. Inside the car, she could see the faint outline of his face. He was looking at her, his expres

eel sharply, the tires squealing on the wet asphalt as he

ley took a step to follow the car's movement. Her shoe, slick with rain, slipp

r body pitched forward, a strangled cry escaping her lips as she fell

sickening,

r head, a blinding flash of wh

He slammed on the brakes, the Bentley lurching to a halt. He whipp

k pool of red already beginning to blossom from a wo

le, terrifying second, the world stood stil

of Haley's still form. But even in his shock, Ernst saw the flicker of cold

the black asphalt, her eyes closed. He knelt beside her, his mind racing. He reached ou

washed over him, quickly fol

wailing, screaming accusations at him, a performance for the neighbors who were beginning

ar. To throw herself at his car, to risk her own life, all for money. The woman was in

oser, cutting through the s

her head lolling against his shoulder. The movement was driven

let this woman, this family, blackmail him for the rest of his