rrying a small tray with a gl

d, her voice dripping with false concern.

n my nightstand, her

life... it's not for everyone. Especially no

but the underlying taunt was clear. She was remi

vely, "he has so much responsibility. He needs someone w

weak, an outsider, and she was the one

lows, my head still a little fuzzy

re, Lily," I said, my

red for a fract

ed, my eyes locking onto hers. "Sweet, innocent

You're about as innocent as a rattles

d in her eyes before she masked

don't ever forget, you're the child of a mistress. It's a stain tha

it its mark. Her sw

mall, decorative glass bottle from m

her voice suddenly s

tle slip from her fingers. It

mbled, her hand flying to her ankle as she c

t, tears welling in her eyes

ust looked up at me with wide, wo

ormance worth

e door opened an

ful and seemingly injured, broken glass around her, and me,

ned?" he demanded, his gaze fi

ide, gently examining her

leaning into him. "Elara... she was so ang

my side of the story.

ou do?" His voice

se. Why would he ever bel

arcasm. "I did absolutely nothing. She j

d to explain myself, to make him se

ieve me now. He

r pill. I was tired of fig

Ethan snapped, his eyes blazing

ant, Ethan," I said, sh

e... don't be angry with her. I'm sure she didn

g than an outright accusation. It made her l

slightly as he looked at L

ince Lily is asking me to be lenient, you'll j

her? For her o

e of it was

falsely innocent face

y voice quiet but cutting, "

small cry of pain, clutching her ank

really hurts,

y shifted back to her, a

arge hands gently probing her ankle

focus entirely on Lily. It was as i

a gaping chasm where his reason and fairne

ing her carefully. "I'll take you t

voice hard again, "clean this up. And I expect a wri

pology? For

out of the room, his murmurs of comfo

and the even more shattered pieces of my h

ing to them in the kitchen, his vo

re for her were a sp

n aches momentarily forgotten i

dustpan

glass, I thought

dred

get his hun

, took a piece of pape

logy. An a

e injury. Your blindness to her deceit is astounding. Your judgment is compromised. You consistently favor a conniving fraud over an honest person. This is not an a

s, but I didn't care. I felt a

he "confession" on his desk

, almost imperceptible limp in her step that

I'm so glad we could put that li

was thinking... the weather is so lovely to

r I'd delivered my defiant note, was another twist o

me, a flicker of t

ould see he hadn't read my note yet, or if he

s nice, Lil

turned to me. "Elara, you can

em? Was

tly, then a small, cruel

ry from the constant emoti

ce flat. Whatever. Let

oment, was gone. I was just