feel a size too small. I stood by the grand French doors, a glass of champagne in my hand that
aughter bright and sharp. She looked like an angel, but I knew bet
ndfather, tapped a glass with a silver spoon. He stood tall
id, his voice carrying easi
ther's side, a perfect, practiced smile on her face. I fe
ued, "my granddaughter Scarlett has brought
es turned in my direction. I forced myself t
cal student," he said. "And it is with great
ll. Scarlett beamed, holding up her hand where a massive dia
nd her. She took my hand, her grip surprisingly
r smile turning into something sharp and cruel. Her voice dropped to a w
ords, a public reminder of my debt. She wasn't talking
machines beeping a steady rhythm that I couldn't afford.
the grand house was quiet, Scarlett's act drop
cking off her heels. "They all believe
man with a defiant smile and eyes the same shade of blue as Scarl
her voice filled with a strange mix of anger and longi
ghost, a man I had never met but whose shadow I lived in. She would dress me in his old clothes, make
t week," Scarlett said, turning away fr
. "I understand," I
." She handed me an invitation to another high-society event. "Liam wa
ost more per day than I could earn in a month. She was sleeping, her face pale against t
r. For a few more months, a few more weeks, a few more days with her. I
her eyes fluttering op
id, forcing a smile.
she said, her voice wea
e truth. I couldn't tell her that Scarlett was the reason she was i
problem with my mother's treatment. The funding had been pulled. The hos
y hands shaking on the steering wheel. I found her by th
voice cracking. "Why
, feigning surprise
ey for my mother's tre
disappointed me at the gala, Ethan. You were boring. Liam woul
shouted, the sound echoing i
dropping to a deadly calm. "If you want the money
than the last. She wanted public displays of devotion that felt like acts of self-mutilation.
mother, I agreed. I beca
a charity auction, standing obediently by Scarlett's side, when m
s voice was grim. My mother had taken a turn for the worse. There had
world went silent. The laughter from the auction room, the distant m
uel game, her petty punishment
was a blank mask. I walked straight to Scar
dead," I said,
ive thousand," she said to the auctioneer. Then she turned to me,
iliation, the rage of the past year coalesced i
tiful, monstrous woman who h
er send me anything again. You will ne
ack. I could feel her eyes on me, probabl
ome anymore, not really. My old apartment was long gone. My m
feeling began to surface through the pain. It wasn't
ake the knowledge I had worked so hard for. I would rebuild. I would fi
ago, for a national medical research program. A long shot, a program for top
tiative, how can I help you?"
, my voice steady for the first t
had tried to create and starting over, from nothing. It w