the Golden Rose were

ad to smile, to accept his touch, to play the part of

master of

der gesture that was now a grotesque reminde

say, placing a piece of steak in my mouth. "Your

swallow, the food

scles I'd strained in secret, torturous practice sessions. He thought I was

wn on the sofa, his expre

ing my hand. "I need t

y voice perfectly modulated

rn. "She's so young, and this 'Triple Crown' thing... it's a huge weight on he

thing about passing the torch. Endorsing her. It would quell the speculation an

dicate. To hand his lover t

of it took my

smile. "If it will help Sarah, I'll do it. She'

That's my girl. Always so selfless. I'll

d, a Judas kiss that

nvestigator the day after my discovery, a shrewd, no-nonsense man named Jake Rile

eeked of power and control. I started with his desk, then his file

a. It was the one place he'd told me he kept "sentimen

s. A paperclip and a bit of pat

er. There was only one thing: a series o

ainst my ribs. I pul

bossed with a si

ened

tanding awkwardly by a piano. David was beside her, his arm a

ing from the conservatory. Page after page, year after year, it was a meticulously documented shrine t

sessed with he

ings about her, every review, every mention, all carefully cut out an

s filled with handwritten notes on conservatory let

d running cold. It was a step-by-s

he page that made

ne for the year

ain Concerto Competition. Secure a recording contract with Deu

h goal was

of the page, a final e

be solved. Path must

livia R

to the entry. It was just

tion on the same page, also circled in

y car crash w

before her

. It was a gift. He had crippled me

sea washing over me. This was more than just ambition. This was a si

ck, locked the drawer, and le

ver. The time for quiet

ne and sent a mess

cus on the financials. Fin

And I was no long

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