spasms. When the heaving finally subsided, she pushed herself up weakly, her reflection in the

f bright

p. It was telling her, in no uncertain terms, that the end was near. The canc

t brought a strange, terrifying cl

Darling, are you alright? Please open the door!" It

y her. She looked at her reflection one last time, her eyes burning with a cold fi

the door and

r, her face a mask of concern. Bianca, looking smugly tr

yton, stopping just inches from him. Her voice, when she spoke,

vering. "Why don't you introduce me? I don'

bewildered. Bianca's tr

nched. "Corrie, d

mily' understands the situation. Eleanor, darling," she said, turning her head slightly to address her mother, "the baby in y

sensing the sudden tension, began to wail. The

silent save for

handed the crying infant to a nann

ned a single paper. As of this moment, I am still Mrs. Cl

ngled ring. She pulled it out and held it up, the broken metal catching th

ut for all of

terrible finality, "this monument to your

ew the ring. It flew across the grand foyer, a tiny, glittering arc of defian

ad begun, the rain coming do

r energy. Her adrenaline evaporated, leaving only the bone-

d to g

through the foyer and out th

re. She just ran, blindly, down the long, winding driveway. The pain in her stomach was a

ing, and collapsed onto the wet aspha

nt black was a pair of bright headlights s

holding an umbrella, rushed toward her

ivated the Find My Phone feature on the number she'd given him, just in case. When h

ce a mask of terror. "Corri

, shivering body. He gathered her into his arms, as gently as if she w

ching the black car disappear down the road. He hadn't moved

-