t UCLA, looked relieved when I told her I w

belong here. Your t

were a s

date on my

mber

's bir

wasn't l

his glittering world, while I was

tiny, sparse place that was all mine, I sorted t

wrapped gift I'd bought for h

ain pen, the ki

it to him, his smi

thought w

e pen, then at

gh, I tos

e illu

or something tha

rizzle the night I left Marcus t

ough it, numb,

er raged t

shivering, m

tstand, but I didn't have t

g text from Victoria, or Marcus wonder

it r

are, too detached f

knocking woke me fr

led to

ssistants, a man named G

presence at the studio p

lat, a command

surge of

left, our "arran

gation, a stupid, ingrained h

" I cr

nce warred with the dee

e studio party, feelin

ad th

inconspicuous, I overheard snippets of

ed nearby, champa

esturing vaguely in my direction. "Thought Tho

nother laughed. "Little Amelia is the perfect temporar

. Humiliation,

. They all saw me

orst fears, spoken so ca

e. He strode over, a pos

ou are,

round my shoulders

iends

boldened by alc

t everyone knows Victoria's the one. You flew to Paris for her premi

he year before that. Man's bee

p and cold, tw

, again a

d gestures, all a caref

h him was built on his obs

the suffocating circle of know

well," I mumbled,

Sinclair materialized be

rimson gown, her eyes g

urred, her voice carrying. "But

ough Marcus's, pressin

isn't Amelia looki

inance, using my presence

, exposed, utt

my distress, or perhaps choosin

ccident the other day, Ameli

intain a facade of

on Victoria, gau

"Come, join us

invitation. I

is game, and I was sti

onflict was a

to scream, to ex

his power, by Victo

rcing a neutral expr

ng, Marcus. A

quiet, devo

face to Victoria's

was painfu

in their twisted gam

ration to save my family's lega

t a means

s settled over me

y part, just a

would b