rs would

edges worn like it has existed for a while.

t feel impos

lass doors, doctors and nurses moved briskly around my f

t?" I asked i

If anything, he sounded tired. "Your father made me promise

hard. "Wha

eral seconds, I simply stared at the folder. Then, wit

page carri

MON

caught. Across the top of the next document, bold black

GE AGR

ed at

nd looked down again.

escaped me. "Th

ally laughe

ething. My father's signature appeared at the bottom of the document. I recognized it instantly because I had watch

ely his handwriting. I looked up so quick

is t

It is a legally bindi

. "This has to

uld keep

I snapped the folder shut. "My father would ne

nt. The silence only

somet

slowly. "He

on faltered

d to tell y

hy didn

"Because every time he tried..." His voice grew

tened around

n't make a

't to me

ign that this was some elabor

again and opened it one more time.

: Mon

eneath

donis Bl

thing s

...Bla

hrough my mind. O

n Ashcroft

hout a silver mask. The man newspapers loved to

ers insisted there was nothing wrong with him at all, that he

he rumors only grew louder because

lifted

s Blac

ave a si

ckwood everyone's al

ghtly. "Mr. Blackwood do

y spine and I looked

to me." My voice trembled. "Especially not

ession remain

ly tell the

t w

le. "Why would someone li

finally spoke, his voice was calm. "That i

t real. I closed the folder and raised a brow. "I'm

derst

eyes. "I don't

here." I pointed toward the ICU. "And yo

to honor the d

ds came without he

re reaching into his briefcase. He

art of the

l statement, court notices, loan default letters a

loan. The investors withdrew. Even the

the document and fi

under your father's name has al

th wen

hou

el n

.our s

nod. "Ev

ell silent. Th

ept

ow ar

oes tha

ame part of your father's re

widene

mon

nod

rt Holdings first

t differentl

at university. Obsessing over studio pr

at home was exactly as he'd always told me. Al

s already faili

el n

alth had also beg

st tig

d ." Because he didn't want your fin

eyes and cle

verything's fine, sweeth

ent back toward me. "If you ref

d family will withdraw every form of prot

luding all the Hart Holdi

calmly. "And

specialists treating him were also br

aught in

r suppor

nish. He did

ICU. Dad. Then dow

ehind the silver mask. The man hol

ain, my decision had already been made i