n Mccr

voice so low and tight wit

e. She held up the poodle, wiggling its little body. "Isn't Fifi adorable? I thought the

ave of white-hot rage through me. I took a step forward, my han

ted, stroking the dog's fur. "Jackson gave

on't give him a reason. I unclasped the diamond bracelet on my wrist, a seven-carat monstrosity Jackson had given m

cast-offs. I want this." She deliberately dangled the dog ju

abbing for the dog, for my locket. Kaila shrieked and scrambled back, pulling the

ned in genuine panic as her body tilted backward, her arms flailing. She tumbled

teps pounding up the stairs. Jackso

time to see Kaila's form disappe

rd, his arms outstretched, and caught Kaila just as she was about to plummet to the ston

anded, his voice thick with panic as his ha

edge, my heart hammering

hest, her body wracked with theatrical sobs. "Jackson! O

dn't give you back the necklace! I didn't know you hated me that much! Please, don't be mad at me. It was an acci

the sheer audacity of her lies.

y an arctic coldness that froze my blood. "You gave her the necklace," he said

oice cracking. "It was my grandmother's! Y

saw a flicker of something in his eyes-guilt? memory?

ion. "Kaila is alive. She likes it, you should have given it to

dmother's locket, and he had still ripped it from my neck and given it to his

" I repeated, my vo

d your promise to be obedient. You have hurt Kaila. This time, a simple

dark shadow over me. "You will go downstairs. You will

to stand there? You want to hum

on," he snarled, taking a step closer. "Or would you pr

my mind. A shudder of pure terror ran through me. My fight

voice hoarse. "Don't

in a distant anchor in a sea of despair. I wou

h and rags was placed on a small table beside me. The few remaining party guests, along with

y, my hands moving without conscious thought, polishing a single pair of Jackson's shoes he'd placed on a stool before me. Each buff of the clo

a face contorted with malicious glee. Gretchen Cross. Her family were rivals of the Walters, and she had alwa

h venom. "Look what we have here. The high and mighty

tion slithered

e had my father's company blacklisted for a month bec

d. She lifted her foot, the razor-sharp heel of her shoe p

to a grotesque mask of triumph, "it seems y

l down with vicious

oat as a blinding, white-hot pain shot u

l sound, as I cradled my

sperate, searching. I saw him. Jackson was standing on the se

nt, I thought I saw him lean forward, as if to intervene. A tiny, pathetic f

k. Jackson's movement paused. He looked down at her, and when he looked b

ears, I heard his voice drift

time she learned

of absolute despair. He wasn't just allowing it. He was sanctioni

that ripped through my soul. It was the final betrayal, the l

nd darkness. The last thing I saw was Kaila

rything w