EARS LA

ene

nd you're telling me you fired Lily's nanny?" Eli

t! Shit! I wouldn't have fired Mei Mei if she hadn't been so careless with Lily. How c

across the room. Then I pick Lily up from the only couch

high rent two-bedroom apartment in West Virginia. I'm movin

s. I can't have her move back to LA with

yfriend. How I wish she know

e only suitcase remaining in the apartment. All my luggages have already been moved to my new apartment

empty living room, Elinor's voic

n West Virginia for three years now. Away from 'you know who' and everyone t

as 'you know who'. No one's ever allowed to mention his name. Mostly

t now, my only focus is on Li

you s

doing that for the past three years like she's my real family. She'd

y here in West Virginia and it became a success. S

might come back into our lives. But Los Angeles is a big city with mill

"Are you sure abo

in my life." I trail off. "I really

phone into my purse, then swing it around my shoulder. With one hand,

lps onload my stuff into the truck, and I sit i

LA the best thing to do? Maybe not but I need to face my fears in order to expand. LA is the hottest spot righ

y on her own. It hasn't been easy for me, in between proving myself as an artist, organiz

allery which is definitely going to be a success because a rumored investor will

ces for a better life in LA. I reassure myself even

o me as we step through the automatic

area. Even though most of her sentences are two-worded, I ca

k. She has bright green eyes, and a scattering of freckles across her no

n adventure, sweet

what I said. It doesn't matter. She's excited abo

*

it when we finally arrive at our new home. A three be

de there and being able to afford a high cost of l

the couch to sleep some more. After that, I take a little tour of the ap

ted with dark teak. Lot of buttery leather, and several watercolor pa

rugs add to the ambiance. There's even an open archway that connects the living room to t

ubt. This is my life now-the life I've built for Lily and me. I deserve this

s to be Elinor and I'm right. The hi-res security panel next to the door sho

ng big. She hardly smiles but whenever she did, it was genuine. I have always thought her smile

rong. Panic surges th

fore the door finally opens. I step away from the

ched tightly beside her and she seems tensed. By now, she's supposed to be

, my voice trem

it again, as if the words are too heavy to s

t I need to tell you," she finally s

ing. Elinor never hesitates like this. My stomach twis

about

p my throat. My hands start to tremble, and I grip the edge of the chair to

f my life behind. But it seems like Damien, and eve