yah

hing I had into my art. I painted with a ferocity I hadn't felt since before I met Harrison. I painted the rage, the

tive soul, a photographer with gentle eyes that seemed to see right through the facade I had built aroun

e for myself in the downtown art scene. I was no longer Aliyah Lang, t

ts' trust to a charity for wildfire victims. The act of signing the papers dr

out, a terrifying, roaring monster that consumed everything in its path. I was alone, crying, until I stumb

was getting closer. I grabbed his

t but didn't let go of his hand. I pulled him along, running blindly through the smoke, away from the heat.

he sobbed, his hands coverin

be brave. "It's okay

burned and my legs gave out. I found a road and flagged down a fire truck. I remember bab

being led out of the woods by another firefighter. His parents were there. They swept

or years, I had wondered what happened to him. When I met Harrison Lang, the famous CEO, I felt a strange pull, a sense of fam

y trauma had given me a scar and a lifelon

warehouse space in Brooklyn, when she walked in, unannounced. She lo

oice tight. "He thinks you should

rom my canvas. "Th

y a sharp, acrid scent in the room. "He can't under

said, dipping my brush in

ou? Hiding away here, playing the starving artist. But

open. Two massive men in black suits stormed in, f

ris

s eyes filled with disgust. "Th

anding on Kassie who was now cowering in the

shed to her side, pulling her in

Kassie sobbed into his chest. "She s

a mask of pure, undiluted rage. This was not the

a low growl. "You've been stalking her for two years. Sendin

a stalker. A rand

ing me forward. His face was inches from mine. "I'm goi

ngers wrapped around my neck, squeezing. The pres

" I gasped, claw

my name," he hissed,

the bitter irony hit me. The boy whose life I h

ecurity, a man named Mike who had known me for years-spoke up, hi

e who she is," he spat, his eyes locked

I collapsed to the floor, gasping

down at me with contempt. "I told

ight. Get her out of my country. I don't w

ing a stranger. He was

klace, a delicate silver chain with a single star-shaped charm-a charm I'd wor

pausing over the delicate silver star. For a split second, I

from the corner, and

crushing the small star in

ece of our shared histor

I had never even heard of, I knew this was the real end. Not the divo

-

ison

ed silver star haunted

ce, the plush leather couch feeling less l

arrison," she said, h

id. "A stalker who has been ha

es that mak

e of profound loss I couldn't name. And I kept seeing that woman's fa

ht observed. "For two years, every session was about Aliy

used to be. I had erased her from my life, from my company,

more to say," I s

," Dr. Albright said, her voice gent

a past that was nothing but smoke and shadows

led me down, down into t

aid, sounding distant and

ou drawing,

er

is

The one who

side me, began to twitch, my fin

right was holding a piece of paper. Sh

e her. But on her wrist, clear as day, was a small,

rison," she said softly. "Over an

ping up my spine. It wasn't Kassie. Kassie

he hell wa