ed at the ceiling for ten full minutes bef

the shower handle all the way to cold. The freezing water hit her skin like needles,

ty sat a row of unopened, top-tier La Mer skincare produ

into the living room. The space was massive, with floor-to-ceiling

aten anything since yesterday afternoon, and th

ng on the marble island was a sleek therma

uttery French croissants and black truff

deep, unsettling suspicion clawed at her chest. This was too coincidental. Even the black truffle was shaved to her exact, specific preference, the croissants baked to the precise golden hue she

nt. The taste was perfect. Without warning, a hot tear sli

her," erased in a single second by a DNA test. She thought of Dannie's m

he had tossed onto the sofa,

it up. Three text messages fro

ack card, her debit cards, and all her lin

fication popped up. A failed pa

hammer of reality smashed into her chest. She

ed in was under the Cain family tr

onto the bedroom door, where the Temporary

s. Walk out that door, and you f

nto the bedroom, picked up the document, and for

nthly allowance. Absolute physical protection

pped, a polite, rhythmic knoc

he door. She checked the video monitor. A middle-a

ely bowed, his posture radiating abso

nt, Mr. Shepherd." He handed her a

sistants rolled in t

based on a careful visual estimation of your silhouette and standard haute couture measurements. If the fit is in any way

ns, the tags still attached. She looked back at Mr. Shepherd.

card. The last wall of he