ly she could barely swipe t

voice was calm but urgent. "I need you to get to the hospital. Your gr

o spin. "What... wh

lm doing nothing to soften the blow. "We need to perform an emer

word came out as

ly out of reach, it didn't even sound real. It was more money than h

dewalk. The city rushed past-a blur of headlights, a symphony of horns-but she was trapped in a bubble of silen

futile search for a savior who didn't exist. The

fog of despair. The contract. The Carlisl

her onl

h crowds, her lungs burning. She didn't wait for the subway; she just ran the

traight to the kitchen. The trash can w

the trash for the night. A sob escaped her lips, a raw, animal sound o

n't just paper; it was thick, expensive cardstock, with the

s trash bins were kept. The stench of garbage hit her, but she didn't care. She found t

filth, her fingers frantically searching. People walking by stared, but sh

gainst it. The thick, smoo

o her chest like a sacred relic, tears of relief and shame streaming down her face.

the driver asked

he fumbled it open, found the private number for Arthur

the second ri

ear. "It's Ava Kowalski. I accept. I accept your off