mpathy. He looked at me as though I were a stranger standing in front of him rather than the daughter h

ened almost

steppe

saw them, m

es before whenever they accompanied him to meetings or waited outside his office. They were both la

head respectfully toward

eyes remained fixed on me, cold and unforgiving. "S

Mr. Ga

es wi

ha

ning, one of the men grabbed my arm w

panic suddenly surging through m

reacted to m

and trying desperately to pull my arms free. "I

one l

d barely move between them, let alone break free. Every t

toward my parents. "Dad,

of the

f them de

ope suddenly s

led her eyes as she looked at me with what seemed like con

second, I almo

ntest curve at the

imagined it, but by then, I knew Penelope

t trying

ng herself l

pression

d. "I have only one daugh

e body w

me harder than an

him, unabl

ne dau

elo

what

ed me a bitch and even wished

insult, every cold glance, every subtle reminder that I had grown up somewhere they cons

finally

tried, they had nev

again," Dad continued coldly. "And

s,

dragging me to

ad

ice c

hoping that somewhere beneath his anger,

e wa

appointment rather than concern. My brothers weren't even there to wit

felt so alon

the room while I continued

follo

called

old them

ined from my body. My struggles became weaker and wea

amed down

n bother wip

ldn't t

it hurt

es, jewelry, cars, or anything else. Even when they gave me things, I accepted them quietly because I wa

anted the

wanted

would look at me an

o would treat me lik

r I can share

dn't have to constantly wo

ven that had been

to a vehicle waiting

where they w

ave enough stre

dried on my cheeks, leaving my skin tight and

nly one

elo

nd ove

ehicle finally st

oors

t o

ed my arm and pulled

m everything that had happened, but inst

my ba

ed against so

d as my temple struck the sh

A

and I fell heavi

seconds, I c

rything around me. My vision blurred as I instin

t away, my fing

heard l

lifted

ing a phone, the camera

man said. "We're sending this to Ma'am. We need

mach t

a'

rocess the word befor

ave a littl

expression immed

ut

hone and glared

ncée. Do you know what will h

rything, a tiny sense of relief entered my chest. A

lief didn'

und me seemed to tilt from side to side. I blinked

e out weak and hoarse.

en la

around the empty place

lly before forcing

who yo

d, but I tried t

Kieran

crouched in

even though fear was already spreading thr

expressi

he la

mockin

if you

espond, his hand

k echoed thr

napped to

cheek, and I tasted bl

hink Sir Kieran

at him in

ha

e grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. "

art s

o.

arely esca

isn't

anded against

ing to y

blow f

ano

to protect my face with my arms. My ears rang with every

't under

n't acc

er

wo years waiting for? The man I had de

order

voice breaking. "Why

the men

to compete with Miss Pen

twisted p

ow important she

landed agai

d gone num

d lingered in my mouth. Everything around me had begun

in front of me and grabb

upward, forcing

cares ab

es wer

's order. He wants yo

d his grip

belongs to M

ing becam

o.

uddenly p

Instead, my head jerked violently from the impact, and for a moment,

ldn't

dn't b

thing

eas

e out as a b

se...

me with no

his fiancée doesn't m

aned

because he has no choice right now. He h

ed a little more

nough to stand on, he'll tell his g

smiled

e Miss Penel

red a

d tried to interpre

sing his feelings. I had believed that maybe, someday, he would fina

ed how fooli

released

tely collapsed

h to move when two pairs

ing?" I asked in

ed throug

me

men pulled

es wi

oice is almo

hands away, but t

blade c

e throug

cre

AA

he empty place as tears im

cover, they grabb

Ple

d blade c

am ripped fr

dy shook unc

elieve this

at the person behind

an I

I had

d been willi

cause I believed there was something be

was no

had never be

rs as I lay there, trembling an

ned with unb

ly darkened ar

ll the heartbreak, and all the pain,

tr

family that h

for P

st of

Kieran for

hands are very

my jaw and whispered the words that I never thought I wo

you, K

was barel

ate

finally swall