. She stared at the father and daughter before her with detached indifference. The resen

k on Valerie, choosing instead to coddle and

e dreamed of a father's love. But now, standing be

el the weight of her contempt and, without realizing it, took several st

usted her. How could she have been so blind? How h

aze bore into her. "You spoiled brat! What right do you have

your mother anymore?" Craig's voice boomed, but beneath the

gh her. "My mother? What do you mean? What did you do to her?" sh

ust took her out of the hospital," he replied, his word

mbled, the fury inside he

her life to saving her, shifting from mechanical engineering to s

into building a medical research institute, ma

dangling her mother

e rage that had contorted his face moments earlier fading. In it

Lacey marry and care for a vegetable all her life. But since you've already disgraced you

's mind

head of the Holt Gr

major incident

. None of this mattered right no

that mattered w

wled through gritted teeth, her voice hoarse but filled with dangerous

removed his glasses with deliberate slowness, wipi

d with menace. "Tomorrow, someone will take you to meet with the Holt family. If you want to

ch as he glanced at Valerie's trembling, furious figure. She was

first-aid kit to carefully tend to her injured finger. His

The sight of Craig doting on Lacey while using her

her. For her mother's sake, Valerie had no choic

nvolved with the Holt fami

screamed and her fists were clenched

ed into a thin line, and her eye

ad her mother safe, she would make sure

ted no time. She dressed quickly, re

head out, something caught he

-plated, its design unmistakable. A cres

crea

client had commissioned this piece from her for

xquisite accessory but as a tool- equipped with a GPS locator

t ended u

ng grew shallow,

e to be taken lightly. She couldn't affor

ling only slightly as she retrieved

fflink, a sharp click echoing through the r

avoid whatever trou

he knew this was