burned Noah M

tumbled out of the alley, leaning against a brick wall, his breath coming i

d esc

e that felt more like a prison. Emily Stone had put him there. His mentor, his p

to keep him u

rs. The body donation agreement for the ALS research program at Johns Hopkins. His time was running out, the disease relentless

and hailed a cab, the effort

he managed to say, his

the window. A ghost of the man he used to be. The talented musici

one who secretly confirmed his real diagnosis after Emily' s paid do

d, her expression a mix of professional concern

wled his name on the signature line. It was done. A wave of

our account within the hour," she said softly. "Fifty thousand dolla

gh for a clean break. Enough t

ance. He checked his phone. The transfer was complete. He could buy a

planning his next move, a black se

got out. He recognized them.

oice flat. "Ms. Stone is very worried a

, his legs screaming in protest. The city sounds faded into a roar in

d, its tires squealing. Noah lost his balance and fell, his body col

de. He lay on the wet as

ir of expensive leather shoes

ooke

Emily

r him, her shadow blocking out the streetlights

ice dangerously calm. "W

bed his arms, hauling him to his fe

e rasped, stru

gnoring his plea. She reached out and brushed a piece of dirt fr

e of the men said. "He was tryi

asy lie that she would bel

Emily's car opened. David Chen st

ide her. "I told you he couldn't be trusted. He's j

the bully who took pleasure in his pain. And now, he was with

d' s, a clear display of ownershi

io, the constant belittling from David, the

is talent when no one else did. She had protected him from David, pulling him

r eyes were hard, and in their depths, he saw a flicker of something he knew all too

. Liam, their band's brilliant guitar

y said Noa

was the target to protect his own legacy. Liam' s last words to Noah were a plea. "Don't tell her th

r five years, letting Emily's love twist into thi

car," Emil

ed him into the back seat, and the door slammed