ng across Alea's face. She opened her eyes, instantly awake and alert. She rose from

k doors, deliberately lettin

g, polished table sna

hick, comically oversized bandage. Eugene sat at the head of the table, his face a thunderous ma

n the doorway, her shoulders hunched, lookin

bling, accusatory finger. "The ungrateful savage

ands. "I-I'm so sorry," she stammered, her voice thick with a country drawl. "I ha

in character for a backwoods simpleton

nto his suit jacket and pulled out an elegant, cream-colored envelope. The Beaumont fa

nce," Eugene said, his voice flat an

t do it! I'd rather die than marry that...

ng words. Then, her gaze shifted to Alea, her eyes glinting with a venom

own soft, manicured one. "Alea, dear," she sighed, her face a mask of sorro

anic. She shook her head violently, pulling her hand away. "No...

and he used his height to loom over her, castin

ted. There's a state-run facility in Queens. You'll be locked in a padded room

ching in her throat. The performance of a lifetime. Her heart rate didn't change, but

. "Your parents... they would have wanted you to

of ice-cold rage through Alea's veins. She bur

he hit the doorframe and slid down to the floor, colla

ieved his briefcase, pulling out a thick sheaf of papers and a gleaming M

act. Dense wit

es blurry with tears, pretending

n. He grabbed her hand, forced the heavy pen into h

e coppery taste filled her mouth. "If... if I sign," she whispered,

kneeling beside her. "You'll be Mrs. D

er lips. Then, with a hand that trembled violently, she

of triumphant, greedy relief spread across his face. Vicky stopped her fake

ead bowed, her tangle

ould see, her lips curved into

over. It was time