lutel

silence. She stood up so abruptly that her chair scraped

s," she said, her voice trembling

ard. "You will do as you're told, Scarlett. You gave your word. Or have you forg

she wanted, the one who would bring her stability. She had lied to him, and he

in the garden, and she had been talking about her childhood. She'd laughed, a genuine, unforced sound. It was a glimpse of a different person, a pe

dly toward Liam. "That was before Liam came back! I

declaration, a direct challenge to the old man's authority. The room held its breath.

You will not speak of such filth

nd I love him! I won't marry a..

, spoken in her own venomous voice. Liam looked at me, then back at Scarlet

me. The worst had happened. The humiliation

months ago. It was heavy, ornate, a symbol of a world I never belonged to. I stood up and walked t

sir," I said, my voice e

lled her into his arms, whispering something to comfort her. She was clinging to him, her face buried in his che

e program. I requested a transfer to a general state-funded project, a significant step down in terms of

on when the door burst open. It was Liam. His fac

k you can just walk away

nothing to do with me anymore

"Scarlett is a mess because of you! You

d it was almost laughable.

ou used her for your mother's medical bills.

his fist connected with my jaw. The blow sent me stumbling backwar

chest heaving. "Stay away from my fam

My jaw throbbed, and a small cut on my cheek was bleeding. But the physica

r without license plates screeched to a halt beside me. Two large men got out. They didn't say a word. They just grabbed me, forced a black hood ov