ia Si
s dug into my skin like an iron vise, the pressu
always used his physical
stumble in my flat shoes, but I bit down hard on the inside
ak door off the side of the stage and dr
ent thud instantly cut off the roar of the repo
e slammed into the cold plaster wall. A dull, heavy a
slammed both of his hands against the w
g onto my cheek. "Do you have any idea what
some, furious face. My eyes were completely d
He pulled back his right fist and smashed it int
't flinch. I had survived capital wars that wiped out entire family
aved. He instantly dropped the aggressi
g with fake condescension. "Claudia, listen to me. Bi
oke my cheek. "You know you are my real
like he was carrying a deadly disease. The di
ke softness on his face vanished,
im, Claudia. Look at yourself. You are unemplo
gne. "Without my name and my resources, you wouldn't eve
pire was built on my hidden labor call me a parasite. I suddenly reali
ond of hesitation, I grabbed the engagement
ng a cheap, cloudy sparkle. His assistant had bo
raight at his chest. The metal hit the la
e sharp clatter echoed in the silence as it ro
no anger, no sadness, no inflecti
stared at me like I had grown a second head. He genui
nst his chest, and shoved him out of my
pun around, his face twisting into hysterical
ty!" he screamed, his voice echoing off the walls. "I will
ld brass doorknob of the exit
my shoulder. I looked at him the exact w
en and stepped out into th
r face. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a
/1/114478/coverbig.jpg?v=f8a932816c6fc6028c17ec3001d863e3&imageMogr2/format/webp)