far below. Noah stood in the middle of the living room

disappoint

refully placed stone. He didn't r

oser. "A career. A home. I saved you from obscurity, and

of defiance in his tired eyes.

he said them. Her face hardened, the mask of c

y prop

he silent room. His head snapped to the s

. It was a symptom of the ALS, the weakening of his diaphragm

contempt. "Pathetic. You can't even stand u

re. You will make music for me. You will do as I say. You w

t fueled her. She saw him not as a person, but as a project

on a table. His eyes fell on her neck. He saw the faint

years ago, a simple silver chain with a guitar pick charm.

he'd been struggling with a new song. David had been relentless, calling him a worthles

back in the studio, she had fired the sound engineer who had laughed at David's taunts. She had looked at Noah

rotection"

Her hand went to her neck refle

had learned long ago that provoking h

eered. "You think because we shared a

deliberate, like a predator circling its prey.

from his. "You are nothing. You are a ghost. A

ards his room. "Ge

n't look back. He closed the door to his ro

e mirror. Over his heart, a single, el

E'

te session did it, two years ago. "So you never forget who you belo

ger. It was a permanent mark of h

bed. He opened it. Inside, nestled on a bed of velvet, was a silver neckl

of the studio. He had kept it safe all the

to the truth, to the man he had been before Emily remade him in the image of her gri