lexand

ond an eternity of silent screaming. When I finally pushed myself up, my limbs felt heavy, disco

reclusive tech billionaire from a bygone era, a Howard Hughes-like figure who had vanished from public li

no mistake. It was the truth,

ends-or people I thought were friends-sending me links to t

er I didn't recognize. My thumb

, the monstrous diamond sparkling under a chandelier. Her

elp. Looks like he was right. Th

licate diamond bracelet. He' d said it was a bonus for her outstanding work. I' d even suggested the design, thinking

rds of glass. Another message chimed, this one an email with a sub

orld' s most elite software architects and developers. The ones who worked in the shadows, the true geniuses behind glob

hitecture for years," the email read. "Your talent should

the same hour my life was torn apart, a do

y. "I accept. It

e frozen wasteland of my heart. It wasn't much

was all a lie. I thought of the baby. My baby. Not his. Never his. My hand res

ate, insane grasp at a floating piece of wreckage, but it was all I had. I found the law

cond ring, his voice

voice sounding hollow and distant. "I r

coming warmer, almost reverent. "Ms. Alexander. We've bee

reign on my tongue. "I don't

red Warner is your biological father. He's be

lusive tech billionaire. It was too much. It was impossible. But in a world where my seve

the words tearing from my throat.

his voice firm and reassuring. "Your father's resourc

Years, H" written in careful chocolate script. With a surge of cold fury, I picked it up and hurled it against the wall. It sp

e, Ham

y laptops, hard drives, and the few personal items that were truly mine. A

Kacey. It

hed and smug. She was in a hotel room, propped up on pillows, wearing one of Hamilton' s sh

won' t see this?"

e not, silly. She thinks I' m her sweet little protégée. S

his time, laced with a lazy amusement that cut me deeper than

deo cu

t just a betrayal. It was a conspiracy. They had been working together, laughing at me, using my trust and my l

long had I b

he driveway broke the suffocating

't loo