usted her napkin, smoothing out the non-existent wri

. She carried a heavy silver tray holding a plate o

tered against the porcelain. The girl was clearly terrified of Summer,

g smile. She glanced at the small brass pin on the g

n sheer shock at the uncharacteristic k

ace flushing red. She bumped her hi

ed softly, picking up he

yes as she savored the rich, perfectly cooked hollandais

rned. The maid hesitantly placed a custom-made, heavy crystal a

pplements, Madam," Clara whispered, her

oked on h

d violently into her linen napkin, her chest heaving as

lls inside the crystal bottle. A wave of profound

a desperate, pathetic scheme to get pregnant, believing a baby would perma

ement Julian had thrown at her last night. She rememb

utside of Julian's explicit, written consent w

llowing poison pills. Every pink tablet was a step closer to

te from the force of her grip. She stood up abruptly from the

ic vitamins, Clara," Summer stated in a

ermined, her low heels clicking sharply against the floor as

oor and marched over to the marble t

stal bottle. The child-proof lock clicked lo

to the toilet bowl. She watched the bright pink

ush lever. The loud, aggressive rush of

ar down the drain. A profound sense of taking c

ested her hands flat against the cold marble c

ainly not rely on a baby for my survival,"

usive stepmother. She would collect her monthly st

ly with expensive, lavender-scented soap. She was symbolicall

re straightened, her spine aligning perfectly a

g out into the grand foyer with a ren

A chaotic, echoing wave of loud, obnoxious teena