bling brick building. Aimee handed the driver a f

e flights of narrow, unlit stairs. The hallway

key she had kept for her old single dorm room. She shoved

iolently for three seconds before casting a dim, yellow glow over a narrow

n, but her mind was racing. She walked over to the small sink in the corn

d the edges of the porcelain sink and stared at her red-rimmed eyes in the cra

and opened her laptop. The scr

of resignation to the private research clinic. Hamilton had used his connections to get her th

r laptop to the dusty printer sitting on the floor. The machin

blue scrubs. She folded the resignation letter, slid it

ate clinic was housed in a sleek, glass-fronted building. Ai

drop the envelope off with the administrativ

eyes fell on the receptionist's computer monitor, which had been carelessly lef

t time slot hit her like a physica

c need for absolute proof took over her body. She leaned slightly o

interpret. Follow-up for astronomical HCG levels. Right next to it was the radiologist's preliminary

t tiny fraction of doubt in her mind. Hamilton's c

she tasted the sharp, metallic tang of blood on her tongue. Her hand shook as she

a cup of coffee and complaining loudly about a demanding patient. Aimee qu

pped the manila folder tightly. She needed to hand

knuckles were white from gripping the envelope. She

racing heart to slow down. She rai

. Thorne's vo

ed over a microscope. He looked up and smiled wa

ut the manila envelope with both hands. "I am

ared at the envelope in shock. "Re

was violently shoved open from the outside, sl

air itself seem to freeze. Behind him, in the hallway, Aimee caught a glimpse of Celeste-perfectly