Broken Ring, Billionaire Secrets: Watch Me Shine

er fingers were white where they gripped the strap

rolling through data on his iPad, his fac

ice was flat, professional, devoid of any warmth. "As we discussed previo

ith dry cotton. She wanted to ask why. She wanted to ask if there was

ng up. He tapped the screen of hi

to rest. My nurse

preparing for the next VIP patient in the next room, leaving Elodie alon

hneider family for ten years, did not look in the rearview mirror as she slid into the back seat. He simply

uiet. To

from her purse. She star

r a voice. Even if it was impatient. Even if it was cold. She just needed

resse

ang

ic

n lit up immediately with

mee

inted window as the city blurred by, the grey steel of the s

over the driveway like a mausoleum. It was a massive struct

air conditioning was always set to sixty-ei

er, bustled past the hallway

didn't ask about the appointment. She d

e clipped. "You didn't approve the dinne

," Elodie

sharp sound of annoyance,

e of the sofa, her knees pressed together. On the marble co

lit

the stone table made

tification banner stretch

e from

stomach, sharper than the cramps

e swiped the screen. The passcode was

nloc

ext. It was a PDF attachment titled

erary for a party tonight. A celebration for Katina Bartlett'

te was

third weddin

croll

't wait to get away from the gloomy atmospher

te. I'm wearing tha

d the iPad on

edges of the cold marble sink and dry heaved until her eyes watered

a stranger. Her skin was pale, her eyes sunken. She look

ad been the perfect accessory. She had dim

lled it s

had been holding onto, the one from before the heartbeat stopped. She had planned

he grainy image

ist and dropped it into the

licked against the marble floor. The sound

on the lights. She walked straight to the walk-in closet, pu

un the

pared it six months ago, on a night when Keyon had told her she

ut the div

able, uncapped a fountain pen, a

o the paper and signed Elodie Dickson. The pen scratched t

pped t

ership rather than affection. Her fingers were swollen from the medical procedure and th

, harder, until

't comi

t, bitter laugh an

er gowns, color-coordinated by season, h

d down a battered canvas duffel bag. I

shirts. Two pairs o

out an old, thick laptop. It was scratched, heavy, and looked like

e laptop i

ipped

g room. She didn't turn on the lights. She sat in the dar

wa

se settled around her

s, cutting through the darkness like searchlights. T

front door unlock. T

pensive scotch. He reached for the light switc

d when he

sitting rigid on the sofa

ark?" he asked, his voice thick with