entire restaurant. Forks paused midway to mouths, conversations

broken fragility. Her white suit was stained with coffee and cream, and a trickle of blood was beginning to seep from a cut o

th a theatrical gasp. "Oh my god, Delma! Are you okay?" she cri

m the restaurant's entrance. Two figures strode in

onavan a

ut a roar of fury. "Delma!" He shoved his w

rned cart, the mess on the floor, and Delma, bleeding and crying.

She pointed a trembling, accusatory finger. "It was

tly false, that for a second she couldn't even process it. She

Donavan," she sobbed, tears streaming down her face, making clean tracks through the smudge of

rful defense-it was more damning than any accusation. It pain

ged at Amber. "You piece of trash!" h

rs slammed hard against a cold, unforgiving marble pillar. A dull, throbbin

in-law. He didn't even look at Amber. His entir

m him, he knelt down. He carefully scooped Delma up into his arms

in his eyes was not just anger. It was pure, undiluted hatred. It was

that cut through the surrounding whispers, "I will burn the entire Ha

ungs. Her heart, which had been pounding, seemed to stop altogether. She could only stare

t of the restaurant, carrying Delma, with Wyatt and

er, a chorus of judgment and contempt from the well-dress

tened her shoulders. She forced her legs to move, to walk out of that restaura

d clear her head. She walked to the corner, her body moving on autopilot, and

ore Chloe picked up. "Amber? W

hrough her carefully constructed wall of composure. "Chloe," she whisper

t-up Toyota Camry pulled up to the curb. Chloe

g forward and wrapping her arms

e had maintained all afternoon shattered. She sagged against her friend, t

ierce with protective anger. "And that snak

d slammed the door shut. The car pulled away from the curb,