a mix of excitement and concern. "The project is in

"My mother... she's gone. There's

ly," he said softly. "But sometimes, the greatest pain is a catalys

yself drown in this. I had to

or Kirk Knapp. It fel

for her initial treatments, found the best doctors. He was gentl

urred his words, talking about a wom

o from his wallet

looked a lot like me. It

asn't the one he wanted. I was just a substitute.

elt for him di

part. I endured his moods, his cruelty, his possessiveness.

was healthy, I would leave him. I w

he chance. He too

y screen. A single, cold sentence

re of him and Jaida at an amusement park. They were laughing, a giant

as built on my

t I had once shared with hi

n the dark living room,

Why didn't you answer

him, and all I saw was a cold,

iron. "You made Jaida sad. She's

in my throat. "And how sh

kneel on broken glass again? Or maybe you'd prefer to l

For a second, he looked thrown off. But he

red. "We're going to m

five hundred thousand. Behave yourself. Don't let

A real, sco

bad influence. That's why Kirk had picked me in the first place. I looked enough like h

rced himself on me. The next day, he offered me money. A transaction. That's

the Knapp mans

into Kirk's arms. "Kirk, you're f

ning into a tone he never used with

napp, sir, your grandfather is waitin

hy did he ask fo

e top of the stairs. "Because I wanted

leaning heavily on a cane, made

d instinctivel

this family who had ever

smile vanished when he saw Kirk

ning of this? Have you

Jaida's hand. "Grandfather,

clared, his voice echoing in the c

edding will be in one month. I will