our: Unea

nded clinical, too polished. But the eyes in the picture-those were cruel eyes.

dangerous. Everything he did was carefully orchestrated, like a conductor i

y. The words echoed in her skull like a ham

ght she knew about her s

till, like it was holding its breath. Isla stood at her window and stared out at the wet lan

t want to

had to k

-

- Lucien

. Isla hesitated only a mo

orning light slanted through the tall windows behind hi

if he'd been expec

de, shutting the

ed," she said. "You can't j

he chair across

d again but

, folding his hands atop the desk. "Ava was p

ake me

ly. "Bold. Good.

pulled out a black folder.

tel lobby, a high-end restaurant, and what looked like a private

hed," Lucien said.

them'?" I

nd legitimate ventures-medical research, tech firms, investment capital

was the

got too close to somet

u expect me to believe you were

I didn't kill your sister. And now

y m

vering. "Because she

ve Isla

do you

He pulled a specific book from the third row

as a fla

ut I can't decrypt it. Not without

s ridi

u shared everything. Secre

out th

whispering under the covers, making up silly phrases to keep thei

, "I want access to everything. Ever

odded. "

e more thing. If you lie to me agai

returned.

-

t Day - I

ve inserted, the screen blinking

first-birthdays, pet

th

hinking about Ava. About th

en it

onS

first secret club when they

reen c

folders

eled: "Proj

cli

es, scanned documents

dio file. Ava's voice p

ed. Watched. I thought I could outsmart them, but now I'm not so su

a f

atement. If you're hearing this, Isla, then I failed. But

dio cu

uth, blinking back tears. Ava had be

ing to her compute

t of her room and w

-

- Dini

seated at the long table,

to talk,"

e seat across fro

were going to kill her. And she

ust me with the full file. I think she

ss the table. "Then you b

n too

Project

esearch initiative. Or r

r for

trol. Conditioning thr

k. "And Ava w

gs. A so-called antidepressant. But when she rea

od. "I n

d too. "Wal

e evening was cool, the flower

now?" s

e said,

ari

anyone else protecti

oing this for Ava. You're doing t

n't de

re clear,

erous. "Just know this, Isla. You're in now.

oked up

spered. "I wasn