ka paid the driver, pushed the car door open, and stepped out into t

she took a deep breath, pushed open the heavy oak dou

lent save for the ticking of

e stairs, her adoptive mother's shrill voice

e? I thought you died in a gutter outsid

all sat on the velvet sofa in a tailored Chanel loungewea

copy of The Wall Street Journal d

y disgraced the Bre

p her chin from trembling and walked in

hday," she said quietly. "You were a

yes raking with disgust over Danika's wrinkled

taying out all night and whor

but Mr. Brewer shot to his feet and

to complain under my roof?" He took a step closer, his face dark with fury. "Startin

trust fund was her only ticket to opening

r voice rising. "Grandfather left

over her chest, her lip

amily assets to an outsider. As long a

, her nails digging deep into her

us, wearing a wrinkled Ivy League prep hoodie, took the

Danika, spreading his arms wide to s

anted, his chest heaving as he glared at the sofa. "You're

at his nineteen-yea

s and get back upstairs

chin out, his am

trust fund, then cut mine

rage as she pointed a ma

e spent a fortune raising you,

er, Danika felt hot tears spill over her eyelashes. She

voice cracking. "Don't fight with

fingers tight, glancing over his shoulder with

face Mr. and Mrs.

this house, nobody

, furious laugh and point

each other, you can both pack your ba

nto her stomach; she knew her adoptive father would ruin

's grip and stepped out from behi

ce trembling but loud. "Leave Delmus out of

er insult, but a soft, startled gasp

t the carved wooden railing in a pure white silk nightgow