The Scapegoat Fiancée: I Am No Substitute

ssi

, the delicate porcelain with the gold rim that m

tting for a

ove the fireplace didn't

o proud of your

I'd scavenged from a box of cast-offs in the attic. It

s gripping a crystal wine glass, her f

d you look like a wraith. Could

on, Mother. The Sephora was clo

ed reputation over blood, grunted

nte wal

guiding

r. The m

blonde waves. She leaned heavily on Dante's arm, acting as if the simp

high and breathless. "Oh my god,

hug me. She just cl

he head of the table for himself. He seated Chiara

r end, opposite him. The d

l scallopini. My favor

ssing a manicured hand to her templ

he butler to dim the chandel

down at her plate. "I can't cut t

d by the performance. It was

without blinking, the man who controlled the un

an to cut her meat into

said soft

ssion. Then she looked at the bowl

" she w

es

the skin... it gets

ent. Even my fath

. She was showing me that while I serve

cond. His eyes flicked to me. I held h

s, there was

ands, he carefully peeled the skin off the fruit. H

eyes locked on

sn't a loud snap. It was the quiet

loudly against the parquet f

" my father barked. "

ve,"

red, his voice regaining its co

ooked at him. I saw the w

ed the woman who killed a man to save her own skin, while the woman

mother hissed. "

arasite," I

his face reddening. "You are a Salinas

cool plastic of the burner phone. My

The language of the cell block, the language of the cartels

viejo cobarde." (Your daughter is a

t speak Spanish, but he understood

g," I said

my father shouted, spittle flying from his lips

st time. He was still ho

oment you let the

pack a bag. I didn't look back at

past the guards who looked co

s mid

y-fifth bir