behind her. The click of the

. Her legs gave out, and she slid down the smooth wood of the

at it, at the cruel sum meant to erase her. Then, with a shaky breath, she smoothed it flat and tucked it carefully into the in

around a small, crisp envelope. She pulled out the ultrasoun

ba

wn stupidity, for the love she'd wasted. Tears for this innoce

mphant smirk, burned in her mind. The grief curdle

ipped the ultrasound report to shreds. The pieces fluttered t

er voice raw. "I will protect you. And we will ha

her soul, hard and

ers: clothes Julian had never bought her, books from her college days, a small framed photo of her and her brother, Ae

ck came at

ass of warm milk on a small tray. Her eyes

have this and rest. He's arranged for

, her body ached. She took the glass without a word and dr

limbs felt like lead. She stumbled toward the bed, her mind foggy, and collapsed onto

na's face peering in from the doorway. The housekeeper

etallic click of a key turning

ss too

nsation in her throat. H

sm that sent daggers through her che

es fle

i

up the silk curtains, devouring them with a hungry roar. Blac

wisting the handle. It didn't budge. She threw h

ized her. This wasn't an

icking her out. The

, drowning out the fear. The primal, feroci

here. Her baby w

body. Then she seized a heavy armchair, adrenaline flooding her syst

utward in a shower o

. The fire surged, a beast unleashed. It was

hing her skin. The flames were

a makeshift shield. She climbed onto the wide windowsill, her heart hammering against her ribs. H

ooked down at the har

ng her body instinctiv

ears. Sharp, searing agony shot up her leg. Glass from the shatte

ding screaming. But she was alive. Her purse was s

gnoring the waves of ago

just escaped. It was now a raging inf

en, just beyond the reach of t

ny Ho

hloe could see the cold, s

d hotter than the flames surged thro

ill come back. And

om the burning mansion, away from the life that had been stolen from her.

nto the darkne

tate. The former Mrs. Carlisle, Chloe Turner, was declared dead. Her