y's throat. She stood froze

sed to be some hideous, half-dead

nd Marissa, his cold, arrogant stare saying i

ed uncomfortably, stealing quick glances

d, what stood before her looked like trouble dressed in designer

her lip, her mind refusing to ac

the family. He raised his voice at both his wife and daughter. "Hav

herself together and pulled a strained smile. "We weren't

ds came out cold and sharp. "This early? It's alread

He was going out of his way t

anything like t

of a cold slap. "Then I see no reason

fix things. "No, Aidan. Please. I messed

re. She's just nervous. She's scared my sis

eonel, who was already folding back his sleeves. Wh

and delivered a hard

oment, she couldn't move. Her body stiffened, her breath caught. Tears welled up without warning.

eonel to act without hesitation. The sou

e was frozen in place, too shaken to speak. "And yo

air feel suffocating. One raised brow from him was

to her as his wife like it had alwa

ked like they wanted to defend Maris

e never heard you express your joy at your daughter getting

g like that. It's just..." He struggled to finish. Th

d sweet. "Please don't get the wrong idea, Mr. Moore. Mom and Dad were just em

hand it to Marissa-no one played the innocent act better. That teary

r sob stories. "Want ano

clamped her mouth shut, too

rvant. "Bring coffee!" Then he turned to address Aidan,

has it that the woman you handed me had been locked in a mental hosp

Nicole's brows twitch. Things

like a hammer. He finally understood. Aidan had come not to celebrate, but