phia lay in bed, looking pale and fragi

the bandages. Ethan stood beside Sop

alerted by someone (Sophia, n

r sincere apologies," Ethan annou

my public

a, I... I am sorry for the distress caused by the photo

r, held a glint of tr

ut carrying. "Is that all? After yo

"Ethan, darling, my heart is broken.

nite. "Sophia is right, Amelia.

h for those closest to hear, yet her intent clear to all. "Kneel and beg for my

geous, designed to u

owed at me, a sil

rate, silent plea in my ey

sion was i

d. His company, his reputation, ha

sank to my knees on t

ng. The murmurs of the reporte

ck with unshed tears and shame

, cruel upturn of her

n brought Sophia t

he stated, as if it were the most natural thing

n look at me

ophia's. I was relegated to a gues

nd Sophia was its new queen, wi

to fight, too

d. Ninety days. I just had t

lely on that da

hey were just background noise

new position. She trea

– my former master suite. She was loung

ith false sweetness. "My feet are so tired. Be

He saw the scene – Sophia imperi

ce sharp. "You heard Sophi

participating in

ars. I knelt and began to massage Sophia's

paring a light lunch for myself – the staff

e on her face. She was hol

er, she "tripped," the tea

oss my arm, the same one that

the pain inte

lutching her hand. "Amelia, you pushe

red mark, nothing compared to the angr

in, alerted b

manded, his eyes immed

d. "She deliberately knocked the tea

radling my burned arm. "She t

the skin red and

k at Sophia's perfectly manic

He believed Sophia.

ability, Amelia," he said,

ards me. I flinche

burned arm, then at the stove w

ere cold,

a silken threat, "you need a

the pot of si

into my throat.

d a test. This

e," I begged,

ed up t

ispered, terr

, the pot h

han who had sacrificed everything fo

e in this second life, shriveled and died in