ted

scussing my... follow-up test

m a despe

sed for a moment

supplements. Everything look

wed slightly, but she

rtility issues, especially if it h

curtly. "I have

rts model she'd bought him last we

ut, looking

l throbbing from that coffee burn thi

ching his light

rclass in mani

ntion snapped t

or thing. Come, le

ot me

home. Res

ing over Julian, promising him her undivided at

a strange calmnes

ant favoritism, only

rade had

d back to Dr. Ramirez, wh

" I said

nfidential for now. Just between us

d, under

se, Mr.

ominal boss at the design firm Isabe

I told him. "Effe

ut Mr. Miller

on... family matters," I s

I should be

't ques

tioned Isab

ung

er ti

, had stagnated under Isa

too brightly, to have anything

ambition for her,

how little that s

once a distant flicke

Sha

nd from gra

eanographic research institute

ram her institute was loosely affiliated with, helping val

on, something quiete

e, I'd dis

lt like my

ontac

o

oe, Isabella's as

t the Vance Tower gala tonight. It's

ommand pe

o refuse,

al surgery, the one Isabell

along, just a

my voice carefully ne

m was even more opulent

vent, a testament to

was all

ture of his profile

on the cock

me as I walked t

ller. Isabella V

u see her with Ju

s like a

almost as bad

Julian clinging t

she said, her vo

ch. He wants you to... apologize for your outburs

w tig

him destroying m

han," she said, her smi

d. Don't make a sce

threat hung

zy," I said, my voic

a steely whisper, "is that you are Isabella V

d to wa

r

terrified on that heli

ntly, I

in

mall stage where

," she said. "Play somethi

at the

e cool under

, of the life I was losing, the

an to

erful bir

a nocturne full of

ears, all the silent sc

led the room, I saw a flicker o

emo

gr

as quickly a

was a stunned silence,

p, my fac

ook at her

e, the music, my lame

owever, w

a piece of his enormous

he offered, his

ke you need

, sharp premon

nk you,

to ste

d to bl

moment, a comm

art of the elaborate stage

s fal

towards

ght, Isabella lunged,

ed out of

ed him wit

ding just

o time

el cras

y shoulder and hea

dark

cry out, not for me, but a

tomac