ke a ghost through rooms that no longer felt like mine.

th model, a sleek, modern skyscraper designed to be the futu

ry in my hands, and was about to head for t

d been in weeks. He looked tired, a flicker of the man I

just clutched th

g a few feet away. "I know

hat you' ve been doing. It hurts me, you know. Every time

nting me with the very first model, his eyes shining with excitement. "Fo

was painful, a phantom limb

the silence. "There' s a big tech gala.

stared

s-like. "She needs to be seen on my arm. But she doesn' t know any

scream. He wanted me to be a ch

said, my v

The flicker of the old Liam was g

not g

y, inspecting another model on the shelf. "It would be a shame if he were

ch like a stone. He would never stop us

spat out.

a silent shadow in a black dress, while Liam paraded Chloe

n? I thought she and L

e seems to have traded u

ect I had earned, and now I was just an object of pity and speculation. I sipped my champagne and thought ab

val known for his predatory business practices. Thorne' s eyes kept flicking over to Chloe

r, her eyes fixed on the necklace. Liam' s

esturing toward me. Liam' s face went pale. He shook his head, but Tho

s pleading face, and then, finally, to me. His eyes

to me, his st

ice devoid of any emotion. "A crucial software

ait

Liam continued, his gaze u

hough a sense of dread was

ge where a band was playing. "He wants you

y mind refusing to

Liam clarified, as if t

e my lungs. "You c

Liam said, his voice flat. "To s

horrified. "Liam, you c

ce promised to protect me. There was nothing. Just ambition. Just a

Ava," he

No

y." He grabbed my arm, his fingers digging into my

was alwa

de me snapped. There was a li

tronger this time. I pulled my a

rprised by my defiance. Then, a terr

and snapped his fin

ck suits appeared at

Liam said to them, his voice l

-