pte

XT

IE W

belonging. Two suitcas

and tying the knots. Mom and Dad seated in the front row, beami

ng caught the light one last time before I

the years... before Ivy came back and made me invisible. I'd saved

nd took one last look at th

moved over it slowly, pausing on the part of

it'

at tigh

over

ep breath, and c

hed the front door

n. Masked and dres

ith a dagger, then the

my breath catch

just a few fee

he pistol said

The suitcase sli

ame out smaller than I in

at's a pretty dumb question..." He sta

neath me. They almo

They're

you money... whatev

I finished the senten

s hit the floor hard, pain c

ard until the sta

me, dragging the barrel of the pistol down my c

skipped

a whisper, tears already burning i

ld my gaze for a moment, then

y's voice echoed

d, voice crackin

already..." A soft la

the floor beneath me, heart pounding so har

s? I already gave you Antho

choice. But you see, I'm not doing this out of s

und my voice whe

I'd let you walk awa

ath st

ly to my stomach, eyes na

from me. You should ha

did she find out? I'm sure I kept the test r

scream for help, but I kne

my voice even if

ing wouldn't help. Thre

ntact him, won't say a word about the baby to anyone. I'll disappear. You'll never hear from me agai

le

v-

ve no trace," she said,

art d

hen snapped back to reality as t

r murder. You'll spend the rest of your lives behind bar

sco

n innocent child, right?" My cheeks were alread

o finish my sentence before the second man step

a scream, his hand came around my mouth, muffli

ing into his skin. He pulled the dagger free

st man say, "charged with murder? Jail?" He raised

nt right thro

nds pressed to my stomach, body tre

t was all I co

ifted my hand to find my phone, but only m

word. They left me on the flo

get my hand

ng immediately and come over when I tell him what hap

ird ring, already speaking before I could find my v

racked shakily. "Please...

you talk

urt...

fed, his voice full of frustration and

mach d

embling. "Please... Just t

, then his voice followed.

line we

my hand before my han

ast hope, shattere

t. The pain had gone numb. That frightened me more than the

hard, voice tremb

me first when they abandoned me in an orphanage be

e again like my birth parents. They should never have adopted me in the first pl

his, and I meet them again... I

y. Ivy. Every si

y stomach one last

e one before, the air burning o

sorry I could

, and everythi