ra

ncer. She's in the intensive care unit at the Pack Ho

nd, and my knees gave out, near

n the passenger door, got in, and

the hospi

nails bit into my skin, remembering every humiliation I ha

tal, I shoved the door open, stumbled through the

thered on the bed with tubes taped all over her face, and a cr

illness from everyone because she didn't want you to worry, and she just toughed it out until it reached t

I broke down completely, sobbing until I could barely

rturn the testimony... Elara, the Kowalski family deserv

lips. "Clara, I have nothing t

had died to me on th

aving parental love and co

ara

won't tell Mar

poorly. The doctors suggested bringing in a specialist for surgery to give her a better c

right in the face. There was no esca

l figure out the money. And I'll pay

lk like that! We grew up together-how co

you,

ege and came looking for you specifically. N

e I'm out!" I cut

-W

We had once promised to go to college toge

t worthy of

n, and I had Martha to take

ven birt

ountain four years ago, I hadn

rison and suffered a massive hemorrhage. It ruined my body,

ly for three generations. His mothe

lding a clipboard, his cold eyes sw

housand dollars in medical bills. If you don't

e fortune for an exiled convict who had

ng him with tears

few more days! I promi

ck impatiently and scoffed, "

he cold tiled wall onto the floor

wad of bills-her entire one-thousand-do

I have, Elara. What

n my hand, I wiped my tears har

ospital bulletin board advertising high-paying night jobs at

I would walk straight

hift, the floor manager corne

asked, eyeing my face. "Triple commissi

ank yo

y pocket. I answered

the balance isn't paid, we'll ha

e manager and

l do

her skirt and heavy red lipstick, took my

nd pushed open the heavy carved woo

the dimly lit suite where wealthy men and wom

glass table, a woman's high-heeled foot shot o

rward with the heavy tray straight toward th

d crystal, ice-cold liquor splashed all

I looked up in terror straight into a

en glass as the man's terrifying Alpha Dominion clamped ar

looking