dled all of my father' s posthumous affairs, moving through the tasks like an automaton. The

through. My messages were undelivered. They had found my frantic cal

ving his best life on my dime. He was traveling, posting constantly on social media from Hong Kong, Macau, Korea, and Singapore

like his own precious daughters, how they had denied him a final goodbye, fille

phone and call

two, and three," I said, my voi

arrison," s

than ten minutes later, my

ut off our cards? If you wanted us to come home, you could have just said so! Why do you always have to be so un

bout my father. Not a word of concern. I felt no answering anger, only a profound, hollowi

blocked her number. If your hearts are

affair attended by his military brothers and

to the Sterling f

contacted him. He requested a meeting with me personally. We met in his

r fathers. But your own father publicly stated many times that your future wife would be one of his adopted daughters. And everyone knows

grief inside me had burned away all the naivety, all the

quiet but unwavering, "a coma

e depth of the pain and disillusionment there. He saw that I was not a boy playing game

. "The Sterling family

was a massive event. Though Clara Sterling was in a coma, she was still the city's most beloved socialite, a beautiful, talented girl struck down by tragedy. Many people questioned my motive

the Harrison estate, with nearly all major med

of my tuxedo, when the door was suddenly kicked op

s anger. They looked disheveled, their expensive clothes wrinkled from travel.

ison," she stammered. "

ur fault," I said, waving a

door as she left. The moment t

redit cards for so long, we couldn't even afford plane

ith rage. "Ethan was right about you, Liam!

our plan to travel the world with Ethan was completely ruined! Do you have any idea how disappointed and heartbro

their ruined vacation with Ethan, my car

he heavy oak table. The sou

ng a trembling finger at the

-