llway faded. Carlisle a
the door, feeling nothing but the cold tile again
pression as impassive as if he were observing a piece of faulty equipment. There
precise, unemotional instrume
up, baby. You're stronger than you know." But he
once so full of light and love, were now vacant, hollowed-out things. They
hat seemed to take all the energy she had left, s
scattered pages of the Bone Marrow Donation Informed Consent Form. Her eyes lingered on the words-th
Mason's face. He assumed she had
didn't go f
ason, and with a surge of raw, primal strength, she rip
rd of tiny white scraps, which fluttered down like snow, landing on her belly,
s eyes and felt a grim satisfaction. L
finally cracking to reveal a sliver of cold a
as fixed on the doorway, as if
, heavier this tim
himself strod
hair out of place-a cruel contrast to her own disheveled, broken state. He took in the scene-the confetti of torn paper on th
had faced each other since
had memorized, adored, and trusted. Now, it was the face of a strang
ed tear in the silence, scraped
reach. His tone was flat, as if discussing a minor st
hich stock to sell. She had
ugh her as she realized: he was looking at her the way a farmer assesses a crop before harvest. Not with love. With appraisal. The mom
scaped her lips. "The optimal time to harv
lightly, addressing the medical staff who had quietly entered behind
gery. Forced ind
nduced. T
kull. Termination. That was the word they used for en
going to kill their children. He was g
a volcanic eruption of rage and grief. Her whole body began t
k violently, as if they could feel her fu
a raw, broken scream. "Carlisle Reyes! You will go to h
flash of surprise. He seemed genuinely taken aback by the ferocity o
replaced by an even deeper,
ear. A sudden, warm gush of fluid broke free from between
, a futile attempt to hold back what was alrea
er had
ous, tearing pain far more intense than anyth
lly, a desperate, futile gesture of protection. Through a
pression unchanged. He adjusted his cufflink-a small, preci
oom," he commanded, his voic
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