ia's

entrance hall was just striking m

oyer, tugging loose his da

the living room sofa in the

wed slightly w

anced at the luxury watch on h

needed dinner," I said evenly,

. "I told you weeks ago, Amelia - you don't need to wait up for me. Y

t later the study door clicked shut, the

board meetings ran, he would cal

from my favorite bakery downtown and sit at

e day I turned eighteen and

e of tenderness he had ever given me, re

he pot of stone-cold stew with fo

mouthfuls of cold rice, swallowed the

on his s

me

ny desk, scrolling through fin

arded, his whole

? If you're here ab

the master guest room

ingers hovering a

ha

in the eye. "Brenda comes over often now, and that room gets the best light and ha

al seconds, searching my face f

showed

da did mention the suite gets good light - it would make a fine d

ight,"

the door, and walked in

entle cream with his own hands, because after the a

lived under this roof, I would alwa

n unwanted guest who ha

wo suitcases and dragged them down the long

, a bare wooden table, and a sma

my existence had been er

l letter, and the bank transfer receipts into

ing room sofa, leafing

and nodded, po

ernoon, M

e set down the documen

ibly stung by the unbe

at the heavy snow falling on the lawn. "The roads are iced o

sliding my hands into my coa

rising with a frown. "What is t

nswer, the front

te fur coat, stray snowflakes

me, looped her arms around Chan

her voice syrupy and bright. "The diamond ne

laxed slightly, and he sl

t the necklace,"

door, and walked out into the s