n the floor ne
-ceiling windows of her apartment. The London streets below are slick with rain. She pre
g echoes fr
s around, her eyes darting
phone. The notification on the
has accepted
pty text field. She types out the first words that come to her mind:
reen shifts. An incoming FaceTi
reads: Green P
ath. She swipes the green
s instantly. Her voice is ice-col
u sent the request. Good girl. As long as you cooperate,
edges of the phone so tightly her knuckles turn white. "Show me the cat right now, or I block B
. He knows his daughter is impu
" Gree
era fee
udy in their Long Island estate. Standing near the massive fireplace is Mrs.
terrified, b
on her chest lifts slightly. She exhales a sha
sion is stern. "You will maintain daily contact w
She opens her mouth to
sound cuts through the
ress shoes stepping onto the hardwood floor of the study. Th
She instinctively pulls th
" a voi
ying a magnetic, gravelly texture, yet it is completely devoid of warmth. It is the voice
Corp acquisition..."
ntary shiver down Adaline's spine
instantly. His posture straightens. His face twists
dripping with deference. "You
ath catches i
rr
y at the edge of her phone screen,
djusts his phone. For a fraction of
her's desk. The sleeve belongs to a dark, immaculately tailored suit. The fabric looks imposs
arron asks. His tone is flat, completely
's mind
father as an equal-no, as a superior. The realization makes her stomach twist. If this man has that much
les with the phone, turning the camera so the scr
hrust into the view o
om crying. Her blonde hair is a tangled mess around her shoul
raises her free hand to co
dio, she hears
mm
is no interest in his voice. There is no surprise. It i
rence hits Adaline l
gressive pride. She drops her hand from the lens. She g
mmands. His voice is tight with forced c
forces the corners of her mouth up into a wi
e says. Her voice is sha
the red end-
e oppressive presence of
Her heart is hammering against her ribs. She cannot get the sound of that
or dispenser, and fills it with ice water. She drinks it in three huge gulps. The freez
lass down with
on the sof
s back slowly, as if the
WhatsApp message from
ens th
l deliver the cat to your a
text. Her brow furro
t. He bypassed Green entirely an
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