t. The sound vibrated through the floorboards, sig

old hardwood floor, pulling her legs up and

heavy furniture echoed relentlessly. Every thud was a grim r

ones. Then, she forced herself to stand up. Her legs felt heavy

and labeled for liquidation. She stopped in the doorway, staring at the empty shelves. He'd been in federal custody for six weeks now, moved upstate to a facility she couldn't afford to

reading chair and the vanity, but her father's framed ph

e. She traced her father's smiling face with

gle tear escaped, tracking down her pale cheek, but her

fingers brushed against the thick, textured cardstock.

bers caught the dim l

re steady now, the decision hardening into

rang on

, gravelly v

rol

o it was. He knew ex

for a brief second. Then

he corporate debt are cleared in full before I put my name on anything. And I want

She could hear the faint so

will be wired the moment the ink is dry. You'll meet Leo at the Boyle corporate law offices a

her mind already moving to the ne

only your essentials. Th

sed. "Eight a.m

ot be

ne wen

her hands were still. She had just traded her freedom for her father

itcase. She unzipped it and began throwing in basic clothing-sweat

refully picked up her most prized possession: he

last look around the room that he

switch, turning off the light an

pulling the heavy wooden door shut b