n Belle Madrigal's hear

the windows. Long shadows were created by the bedside lamp's dull glow, which highlighted the bag that

s as she zipped up a black duffel bag, her ha

ped out by Alis

were incon

days, how Gabrielle's icy tone had cut the thin thread that

hat she had anticipated. However, she al

fingers. A flight to Seattle, one way. It was far enoug

s that had plagued her for weeks. Everything bec

She had lost weight, heavy bags were bruising under her eyes, and her once-vibrant skin

her child, was e

ser. The woman who had entered Alistair Kensington's world was no lo

fem

was gaining

n she heard a strong

r body locked in p

her. Nobody was awa

nock was louder

she slipped towards

ie

Low. male. N

Madri

ught. She did

t talk to you, Miss M

by her intellect to ignore it, to turn away, a

open the do

were chiselled into something unintelligible, and his face was keen. His evaluative,

heart

as a

d, "Who

business card out of the pocket of his coat

hill run dow

grabbing the card.

hy

d. "Because you don't abandon the Ke

lose in, making the s

shed, practiced voice. "And mistakes don't en

the twisting in her stomach.

d with something sini

fingers into fi

ath. "Miss Madrigal, do you know what h

shivered w

dn't r

voice and moved clos

rld sw

owing to the man's shadowed face, to

o keep her voice steady. "A

fe. You won't be the only one in danger if yo

pounded

osed, so confident, made

ainst her abdomen. She had exercis

whisper, "Wh

partially packed suitcase. "That f

e racing. Who el

ring into the dark passage bef

you'll re

ckly and shallowly. Sh

er suitcase, her

he street, a black car in fron

hrough its tinted win

no coincid

ved as a

ten memories. The fear of rain hung heavy in the gloomy sky, making everything appear greyscale. In order to protect

the damp dirt beneath her feet. A f

Miriam. The name was engraved in gleaming stone, the letters aged yet sharp and authent

ve the wind as she whispered, "M

er made the words seem incon

ere. However, there was just silence, the ki

, and her eyes wandered to them. She knelt down and laid them carefully on the gra

on Alistair's rejection and his complete disregard for the past two days. Every call was

d to make

ld feel the life there as though it had always been there. She said, "I'm

a sudden gust of

umed. He had been something completely different in his bed that

tho

nd power, she was now simpl

her fingers

to be brok

long breath. "Mom, good-bye," she

lut

oze as she took

ki

was very slight, hardly mor

eyes were burn

of fate; the child develo

nce she took that pregnancy test. Running was no l

ken as her phone bu

creen, she wiped at her eye

nown n

unded as she

aware of he

the screen as she squee

hen came t

spine as she gazed at

as a pr

pocket and moved away from the c

ir's people, another warning, or a ghost fr

ad, the wind blasted through the cemetery. With each stride s

ay was her ride

ortunity to get away before

cemetery's edge, she

it at th

nd of a

quic

ne

le but lethal tra

ntuition

r with sleek black metal, no headligh

slo

t one second, her breath s

sque

ve. However, it

t prod. It was an enc

r body's abrupt jerk. Her hands scraped the gravel, her si

rld sw

un

apa

here in the distance. Deliberat

raise herself, but

g, yet a piercing, lo

s ali

of her vision,

rything