gleamed under the recessed lighting. It was a space I had designed for ho

aking food

I pulled out a saucepan, filled it with water, and found the ginger and brown sug

m into the air, Sarah walked in. She leaned against

o listen to him," she sneered. "St

carefully sli

ut you. He said you're a brilliant architect. It's a shame about

my blood running col

lm. "You saw an opportunity and you took it. You played the pa

ll men are the same. They want what's new and excitin

?" I asked, stirring the ging

aid simply. "Everyt

he warm mug I had just poured. Her eyes narrowed. "I'm g

uld react, she di

n hand directly into the saucep

g shriek fille

led, pulling it out. It was

n, his face a mask of pani

is haste, he knocked the saucepan. It tipped over,

skin. The pain was immediate and shar

g up her injured hand. "She did it on pu

azing with a terrifying rage. I had never seen hi

rd to breathe. "She put her own hand in the water! There ar

"Don't lie to me, Olivia!

my right hand, the one I use

he snarled, his voice a low gr

twi

llowed by an explosion of white-hot agony. My vi

g I saw before I blacked out was Mark scooping a crying Sarah into his arms a

s the throbbing, relentless pain in my ha

right arm was in a heavy cast

re aw

air by my bed. He looked tired, his tie was loos

u doing here?" I whi

reach you. I had my assistant track your phone," he explained

es. He had found m

ing over me. "This isn't... this isn'

your fault." He leaned forward, his expre

speak, and the tears started t

tened in his

ght his girlfriend in with a burned hand and he's treating her like a queen. But the hospital rec

acid. For years, I had dreamed of Mark

als," Liam said, seeming to read my mi

king with a sudden, desperate need to esca

ion me. He just

, being careful of my cast and the bandages on

placing me carefully in the passenger seat. He buckl

r my laptop. With my one good hand, I logged into my accounts. I fo

it to a fraction of its market

phone pinged. Th

ay out of the city, I stopped by the house one last time. I handed th

d poured my heart into. Then I got ba