to the stone patio. Her eyes burned, bu

ng across the rose bushes and locking onto Elissa's. A flicker of surprise crossed her pal

he saw Elissa, the warmth on his face va

ders, and started walking across the lawn, h

ping tea, looked up. She set her cup down with a deliber

uietly as she reached t

ice sharp enough to draw blood. She gestured dismissively at Elissa's simple coa

the humiliation, the words lodging like a stone in h

rm. "Please, don't be upset with her," she said, her voice a gent

ssurance. He then turned his furious glare on Elissa. He st

ssed, his voice a low, vicious s

nned. "Your mother called

thetic. So desperate to stop this divorce yo

has just returned. She's fragile. The last thing

bare for their amusement. This wasn't a family

ning returning with a vengeance. She turned her

rned and walked back toward the main

eye. For a split second, he looked like he might foll

soft, pained gasp, her

ck to her, his attention completely captured, bending

ic heartbeat pounding in her ears. She burst out the fron

crumbling. She covered her face with her hands, and the sobs

er car. The driver's door flew open, and Chase Snyder, Al

indow and tapped s

e blotchy and wet. She lowered the win

Harvey's orders, ma'am. You are

, her hand moving to turn the ke

"Please, don't make this difficult," he said, his voice low. "Mr. Warren Harvey's

e patriarch who had orchest

ition key. She was trapped. All