pte

Deci

without speaking, listening to the faint hum of the c

icked up on th

Brooks. Wha

but the treatment she needs c

xactly

xplain when y

r sat badl

he aw

es

e in d

was a

ble at thi

a had learned to ha

be t

ded th

atching her without asking the qu

eeds treatme

hea

fro

re list

oor wa

ig

ked up

ed to

n st

my driver

N

ssion did

et there

u c

one came. Instead, Ethan picke

ing the ca

urned

can get th

eard

e you callin

take longer, and you

lded he

ted for w

't dou

d. She followed him to the elevator anyway, and they r

I agree, I want eve

have a c

d it before I

cour

immediately. Not after the wedding

sign. I alrea

do we get

st requires proof that

w r

blic. Twel

er twelv

ontrac

odded

back to bein

s the

lobby. Outside, a black sedan waited at the cu

ed before

th

tur

s, there wil

alrea

rectly at him. "Rul

of his mo

ai

my own

es

rking if I

es

mother whene

es

coration you carry arou

won

oked hi

e decisions about my mo

held h

ree

the car, an

them. She had come to Cole Tower thinking she was meeting a stranger who might offer her a

ne rang

t Ga

pick

el

spoke th

our mother is

exh

on my

g up, Ethan

did sh

nts me

d toward th

d, fa

Maya turned toward the wi

vid pulled up near the emergency entrance, and

an said. "I only wanted

t, antiseptic and coffee with something metallic und

om

d hurried down

ntered, her face paler tha

ay

m h

k her mother's hand, and Sara

pened?" M

u need to w

ing, Maya felt

's my

looked

e wer

hing c

true, a

oorway. Maya thought she knew w

follow

dn't

ere go

ed smile, and then h

thing differe

her face

erent

e you've made

beside

aven

you look li

idn't

Dr. Harrison stepped inside.

ed to

a s

the tre

him to go on. "Your mother's condition ha

rap of her bag high

oes tha

the next phase as

f we d

rison h

ose t

at the clo

signed and the five million dollars atta

you need

oriza

he pulled it out. The me

t will be s

message

r time r

rah. Her mother

hone. She wasn't