se, playing the part of the delicate, recovering victim. She wandered the halls in Ethan'

Vivienne told me what you did! How could you be so cruel? You need to take

pressed to her ear, until Lil

chen preparing it, carefully arranging the food on the finest china. She made enough for three,

kitchen doorway,

bite of a croissant. "But the coffee is a bit weak. A.N. used

en useless," he said loudly, making sure Ava could hea

tchen, her hands moving mechanical

ivienne, with a theatrical sigh, stood up to "help" her. As Ava passed, V

trip

chest and arms. The pain was instantaneous and blinding. It felt like her skin was

ng her tongue to keep from screa

shrieked, clutching he

vienne. "Vivienne, are you okay? Did any of it get on you?" He f

ointing a trembling finger at Ava.

her skin already blistering. His expression was not one of concern, but of pure anno

t her as if she were an inconvenience. The servants, taking thei

uld help her. She

r body. She could feel the hot fabric of her shirt sticking to her burned skin. Ignoring the broken

over the burns, the relief so intense it made her dizzy. She peeled th

eeded to go to

her car keys in hand, she saw Ethan and Vivienne still in the dining room. A servant was cleaning up the mess while Vivien

even notic

At the emergency room, the triage nurse' s eye

u?" the nurse asked, her voi

uld only point to the burns

nd arms in sterile bandages. The doctor who saw her was grim. "These are s

notepad: An accid

"dinner." He didn't look like he believed her. "You need to be very careful with these,

that night, the house was dark and quiet. She

greeted her mad

n his chest, fast asleep. He was stroking her hair, a look of tender

apped in bandages. For a moment, a flicker

low murmur, careful not to wake Vivi

asked. It was a weak, late, a