ody upright, she stripped off the grey dress-wrinkled and blood-stained from her mother's grasp-and pulled on a crisp silk blouse as a

Times Square. On a giant LED screen, a news ticker scrol

st from a lavish

ed tuxedo, a rare, almost gentle smile on his lips as he slid a massive pink di

eeping through her coat, but the chill she felt came from within. The

ering excitedly. "Can you imagine being the future M

r collar up higher, hiding her face, and turned towards Le Bernard

as he took in her simple, worn coat. A flicker of disdain crossed his eyes before he m

er sat swirling a glass of red wine. And next t

e looked terrible, his face gaunt and

face, and opened his arms for an em

t are you doing here? You should be in

trembling hand. "I had no choi

ine she didn't want. "Your brother is just here to show his sincerity,"

irst page. The color drained from her face. This wasn't a bridge loan. Th

he table. "This is predatory! Th

to touch a company that Axel Cochran has marked for death?" h

voice cracking. "Just sign it. At

e had become, and her heart felt like it was b

nto the room and whispered something

ails," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "But Caleb, I need you to go get t

led himself out of the room. Eleanor tried to stop

t. And then, she heard the dis

room grew thick

y. He picked up his wine glass and advanced on her, his

l. Her hand crept slowly, stealthily, toward the top of h

could be an interest-free loan. All you have to do

r. Without hesitation, she brought

ackhanded her across the face. The force of the blow

from her surgery. A sharp, searing pain shot through her a

ned her against the cushions, his hands tearing at the collar of her sil

ng. Her fingers finally closed around the cool metal hand

O

private room exploded in