time Clara arrived at her rented
orway and looked at the worn
rom the water she had used to mop ea
The razor she had saved every spare cent to buy for him sat on the nightstand.
ment proved that Zachar
y could never return
her phone
e screen. "I'm meeting an important client tonight, so I probably
e tugged at C
e night with Emily? Maybe he was with the Hop
yet he still lied to her and carrie
ubbed them and wrote a b
.
g, Clara went to wor
r and far harder tha
y, the owner stopped her at the en
her the wages she was still owed
office building and watched the cleaning su
-time jobs were gone
supervisor by the arm. "Please be honest w
r came from above. Word is that you offended Mr. Bennett last night, and everyone in the circle already knows. H
ied off as though staying near Cla
uilding, cold dread
ow he was shutting her out of work-stri
se inside her when her phone
number of the local cl
htened, and she a
ll night, and the dehydration is severe," said the familiar nurse in a panicked voice.
get the medicine right away! Ple
ival for the presidency of the Medical Association. The opponen
death. Her father survived for only anoth
onsumed the smallest amount of poison, but
ired an expensive import
Clara opened her banking ap
housand dollars per vial. Her ac
e yesterday. But Zachary had told her his startup lacked enough in
teeth, found his nu
hone rang until the cal
deep breath, sh
answered on he
about the money I sent you
that you know his real identity, learn your place and quit hanging on to him. He's having dinner
houted into the phone, unable to stop her voice from shaki
gnored her and
od still. Every sound seemed to slip
th everything she had. She never imagined he could be
lage while gathering herbs. Blood covered him, and he could barely breathe. S
thing, and she trusted him. Clara promised to support him. His eyes were
business, she followed him. She worked three part-tim
erything he wanted wit
he offered him, yet he had only seen her as a convenie
a as she fought to keep
ver wasted another cent on a man, sh
d another five thousand dollars t
eep breath, searched for Brenda
xpensive private gigs and knew
ter offending Mr. Bennett, you actually thought calling me
was a mistake. I know I put you in a bad position, but I'm desperate for money. Pleas
is looking for a contract wife for three years. He wants someone discreet who understands boundaries and can take
hut her
ready ground her dignity into the dirt,
it!" she
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