NR

was finally back home. I was bac

r a year and half. It's strange how, despite everything my f

ble for now and it would never be free. I could take ov

thing you own is min

anage, I planned to leave my mark everywhere un

ained standing by the window in my large bedroom, my

hues casting a bright glow

aid, my voice

Garrett, my personal assistant step

, narrowing my eyes. "Don't call me that!" I sai

y, his hands folded beh

w. "Your father instructed me to ask you if you

a few seconds. "The date hasn't be

bride? Have you

he is a substitute and the s

fore Colton spoke. "What abo

, looking at him.

. "You haven't visited for a while and Mr Pie

need therapy anymore. My father put me in reh

rk as I walked to Colton. "I'm not

dn't see me as someone that needed therapy. Or maybe he did. He h

st I do?" he asked

ong time and if father asks, tell him

t stopped. "Your bandage is bleed

dle it myself. Leave!" He left the room a

sed on my chair, taking of

skin around the wound still swollen and tender. It wasn't just a wound. It was an ugly festering th

on his face. I had just gotten back, still reeling fr

eyes glinting with that fam

or my therapy sessions. "Never return to

that little kid was a mirror of how weak I was then. The one I had seen at the hospital the previous day. I hated that ki

************

EL

arching and it yielded nothing. Some of the hospitals I went to ca

y would agree. Xander wasn't perfect, but his proposition felt like a life

e crumpled in disbelief, then solidified into an expression of utter disappro

ng the quiet air. "Don't ever think about do

gile hope shattered, leavin

gain. Just as I put my son to sleep and was abo

knife and went to open the door. I was surprised to see my father s

ze serious as we settled down. "We already made the deal with Conrad Pi

ng to shards. They already made the dea

on and was about to touch him, but I held his hand midway, m

struggling? Or to worry about where his next food will come from? Conrad can give bot

that for me and also invest in your company. Or you just want it to

s over! You're getting married to Conrad tomorrow.

morrow. It will happen tomorrow. I