pte

A

le. I work for Mr.

ldings was on billboards all over the city. Their buil

any Richard St

greed. "But he k

chair next to me. He crossed his legs and

blems. Her bill is currently very large. The hospital will stop treatment in the morning if you do not p

m. "How do you

gs." He paused. "I'm here

. "A solution. Of course. Let me gu

ile. "Mr. Sterlin

ped la

iage. Two marriages, actually. Mr. Sterling's daughter was supposed to marry one of the Ashford son

t," I said. "What does

re is no merger. Mr. Sterling cannot let that happen."

I laughed again, becaus

y some rich man I've nev

es

aughter. Every

l use your own. Mr. Sterling will say you're his goddaughter, raised quietly, away from the press. It's a busi

hat do

ook out a folded paper. He opene

f it. Every page. At the bottom, someon

The best doctors. Her medicine, flown in if needed. And after your marriage ends,

so loud that I coul

rriage ends?

last as long as the merger needs them to.

t that red

re was no kindness there. Not even a little. He looked at me the same wa

nee hurt, but I

" I

raised on

t raise me to be sold like a goat at the mar

o, folded the paper, and put it back in his jacket.

n't t

he chair where he

said. "After eight o'clock, it no lon

g hallway. His shoes made n

was plain and white with

nto my mother's room. I sat down

ispered. "You would be

beeped. One.

beeping and st

A red light flashed above the bed. My

a? M

nurses. Someone pushed me back. Someone shouted numbers. The

meone said. "Get

o the hallway. The

ee them working on her. I could see her arm hanging off the

s never

. "Please, God. Please, don't take

self say i

I turned

s still lying on

thing. My hand picked it up. It was shaki

an old landline phone sat beside a jar of pens.

e phone. I dia

g only

ole sp

the door, I could still hear the doct

ice didn't even sound like mine. "Pa

short silenc

agree?"

medicine running into the drain. I thought ab

selling. And I would nev

said. "

Cole said. "I'll

rd. My throat

he wedding