n!" a voice

five!" anot

ers were

he right to pub

ate urge to run

anted to scream. I

a life for his granddaugh

t, grabbing my arm,

s smile never leaving h

my arm. Pain shot

amed of this defiance, Sarah.

He dared to

eroes. He w

motion at the b

being helped forward by an aide. He

been expec

me on stage, the aucti

was lik

ioneer f

surprised. "I didn't

. ignored him.

t something flickered t

but his presenc

dding

furious, but

wever, seeme

ward, her voice

the fun! We're raising m

other arm, pull

m a better look

bled with the s

ked it down, exposing my shou

it was a deliberate act

the crowd w

s thunderous expression,

e did some

ed to his

n moved towa

an said, a sneer in his voice, glancing at his father. "So

red velvet rope fr

ke her pr

process, the gu

und my wrists, binding th

ir of scissors fr

began to cut away

abric fell t

sing me, pi

past cruelties, and the ever-

h, Ethan, it's like unwrapping

. "Is that a little rose

r of faces, some sh

animal on

y skin. The cold air

ghting. What

tterly

despair, I saw a figure moving pur

it, eyes like

Thorne Industries, Har

s he do

just as Ethan was abo