ripped them in her lap. She was waiting for the verdict, th

led out a small, white cardboard box. He slid it across the pol

. It was a morn

er her, so intense it made her vision swim

and choked with tears she refused to let fall. Her voice cracke

ssion unreadable. His calm was more un

ad of her. Besides, they were strangers. It seemed unlikely that she would want to

head bowed, back stiff, han

a teacher who wants to

ture. His icy demeanor intimidates even the most experienced busine

ung woman, Damian tried to speak in a calmer tone. "I'm

voice trembling with tears. A single

oking pitiful and helpless, evoking

es of paper and handed t

long eyelashes. The corners of her eyes were red and wet. Her irises were

d last night. We were both drugged." His collar tilted slightly wit

he tears that had been threatening now clung to h

drink," he explained, his tone clipped and matter-of-fact. "I felt it ta

her into silence. She

"according to the security footage from my suite'

ng. She saw herself, stumbling into him. And then... she saw herself reaching up, her movements clumsy

yes in shock. It really was

muttered softly, "It's always the girl

but laugh at her: "So my inno

k to his room and take a cold showe

der the effect of the medicine, was in

was delicate and soft, and a delicate,

isiac in the world-it controlled

bitions, her control, leaving only a raw, desperate need for... somethin

sed the line. The righteous anger that had been her shield m

m its foil packet, and swallowed it dry. The bitterness coated her tong

She had cried, she had raged, and now she knew a version of the truth. She wiped

ed, her voice quiet but steady. "Mo

analytical. "I don't need your money, Ms. Foster," he said finally. "As

A broke orphan and a billi

absurd it was, shattering her

oice as calm as if he were dis

outside the window faded to a dull hum. She must have mis

e at him, her expression a mixture of shock and the dawning cert

pression perfectly serious, as if he had

a frantic, trapped bird. The room started