trying to stifle the scream building in h

rayal, every cut and bruise and broken piece of her heart led to this

been aching for month

word was quiet, but

emed to have expected it. He sighed,

nts walked in, carrying large, heavy br

ash. Stacks and stacks

oice flat. "Sign the papers, and it's yo

ney. He was trying to buy her silen

ed. More money. Soon,

he penthouse. The one you alway

ed by it once, when they had nothing. "One d

ce droning on. "The red convertibl

y fantasy. She had laughed and

engineering position at my company

med of. Everything except the one thing she trul

air. She thought of their tiny apartment, the taste of

lled down

whispered.

," she said, looking him dead in the eye. "T

s. He didn't understand her tears. He thought he was giv

s truly gone, replaced by this cold, powerful man who thought love

visit. He brought her a passport, a

is tone leaving no room for argument. "My da

Kianna said quietly.

turning to leave.

smudging the ink before they evaporated, leaving no trace. Just like her.

, miserable downpour. Brayden was suppos

passenger seat of Brayden's car. The caption read: "Sorry, Kianna! The weather is just a

, at Jesse's triumphant smir

the cold water soaking her to the bone, until her te

rprise. He had made his choice, over a

them. Brayden was sitting on the sofa, gently drying Jesse's hair with a towe

st them, a dr

surprised. "You're soaked! I w

she said, her voice devoid of

about Jesse being scared, about the t

he old, worn clothes she had arrived with. She cleared her browsing histor

the trash. The cornerstone of their future. She held i

ingerprint from t

tcase in her hand, she walked ou

she would liv