t sound. Mrs. Harlow sat in her favorite chair by the living room window, a delicate teacup balanced in her hand.

with sleeplessness. She had barely managed a smile since her b

aze flicked to

wrong with you. Honestly, I don't." She set the cup down on the table with a quiet clink. "Twenty-eight y

orway, already weary o

ning," she murmured,

Look at your sister, she is married to the richest man I have ever known, living a life that any woman would envy. And then there is you

She bit down hard on her lip,

ll, I'm suddenly a disgrace?

ck in her chair, her

she wants, gets it. Meanwhile, you- well, it seems you can't even hold a simple relationship together. Men

ne sharper than the last. Claire

you think I wanted things to end the way they did? Do you think I enjoy fee

waved a dism

push them away, or they leave because you don't try hard enough. Meanwhile, Amelia doe

r mother's words carved deep into wounds that were already raw from heartbreak. Amel

inking back tears. "Maybe I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not just to be loved

s rose, unbothere

on't stay. You should learn to soften, Claire. Learn from your

toward the hallway. She didn't care if her mother called after her; she didn't care about another round of comparisons. The m

finally spilled, hot and unrelenting. Claire buried her face in her hands, the weight of her mother

appened. To her, it was just another morning, another lecture. But to Claire

suddenly slowly melted into a twisted s

where a phone lay waiting. "Maybe Mother should first know wha

ng for, dabbing at her eyes as she did. Without hesitation, she pressed 'call'. It di

e middle of the day? I thought you would b

huckled

es from a man who should have been someone else's.

end laughed, the soun

are jealous again. We have been through this

es, though her lips

of jealousy. I'm calling because I need you

of silence, the

xactly woul

on her bed and crossing her legs. "Today. You alr

"He said he would stop by after work. Promised

e sharpened l

. Make sure he doesn't step foot back to that family of his until

mistress gave a ligh

After everything we have done together?

ering her voice to

njoy every second of it. Consider it... a gift from me to yo

ounds like the Claire I love. Alway

joined hers, col

Now, don't fail me. If you do, you w

tress teased. "Adrian will be mine tonight, and I wi

ered, her eyes gleaming

herself, "Let's see, Mother... let's see how much contr