Allis

family home to retrieve the last of my things. The bla

d to get in

when a sickeningly sweet voice chimed from the double

t I didn't turn around. Isabell. She always possessed

She looked me up and down, her eyes brimming with a toxic mix of triumph and cont

taking a firm s

ylight. "Declan was just here. He was laughing about how desperate you looked on that video call. He s

kept my tone deadpan. "Ge

vealing a venomous sneer. "Oh, I forgot. You think you've landed on y

the news had already reached her. A calculated leak

ink you've hit the lottery, Baylee? Dad was on the phone in his study last night with the team

pathetic, broken man who needs a cheap fake girlfriend to salvage what's left of his pride. You went from bei

get. She thought I cared about Kade's social capital. She had no idea

blade to draw blood, she tilted her head, he

to damaged goods-it's clearly genetic," Isabell said, flicking her styled

in my lu

agic little act," Isabell hissed, her voice dripping with foul malice. "And when everyone realized she was just a pathetic l

world went

f my own heart-everything vanished. The only sound echoing in

into building this family, only to be systematically cast aside

ven blink, my hand sho

around her throat and

pillar of the porch with a dull thud. He

ears of physical labor in the bakery a

by sheer panic as her hands clawed uselessly at

dropping into a register so quiet, so dangerously

s with unhinged, absolute fury. "You can steal my work. You can take

ugh to feel the violent tremor

name through your filthy mouth again... I will personally tear down

w true danger in my eyes. She realized in that terrifying second

ft to lose-and a terrifying a

e base of the pillar, clutching her throat,

picked up my suitcase and walked down

the door for me

pulled the door shut, cutting off the sou

ds in my lap, I notice

from

le fury that was now se