The Billionaire's Secret Bargain

E

the news Jess broke last night has worn off after we spent the better part of the ni

in to secure the space and Jess can't get any more lo

to help but I want to

ho

s weekend is about spending it with Mom. I pad out of my room and stroll to hers.

irpy voice sounds in the h

pushes open the do

I ask, moving for the curt

o get a little work done with Lucas," answers Mar

" Maria whispers, gen

know something is wrong. My chest tightens in

s trying not to panic. She checks the IV line and fee

e blood drain from my

I rush forward the second Maria cu

y, pushing her hands on her che

to my mother makes a cold terror

om

Her voice jolts me and I dash out of the room madly to get my

atch Maria urgently beating my mother's chest and puffing air into

my head. Not even the arrival of the ambul

s to do anything, I watch t

rning sun cast long s

the labored breathing of Maria beside me crashes around my min

morphs as the paramedic

m to bring her back but the

es blur with tears, and my min

Maria is behind me, nodding with her hands hol

face of my mom, the lifeless

b. I take her hand and it's cold as ice. Something ins

astillo

sterday. Jess has been trying to feed me. Maria

able to bring myself to do anything but c

ve her and I nev

voice cuts through the haze and reaches me. "He

ripped my mother from

me her strength when she looks just as drained as me. Her shiny blonde hair

r was he

nown, Pen. I'm sorry," he finishes, clears his

it but she always had it with her and never told me who the scarf was from. Whoever gave it to her must've been someone special. I'd l

or a moment before re

. Just let me know wha

r be fine. The hole in my heart will never be fil

I stare up at Lucas and can

tmosphere. No matter how hard I try to picture the handsome stoic lawyer he'd become, I'v

I pull my gaze away from

nds up a grimace. My face has forgotten how to

for his briefcase. He drops it on the cof

a parting kiss on my head and I'm almost telling her to stay. She's part of t

front door opens and closes and a distan

even say

minique Castillo, of sound mind and body in the event of my death will my estate, companies, assets, various collections, and all my acc

, wh

he next six months will lead to Penelope forfeiting her rights to the inheritance whic

tand," Jess takes the wor

ucas who speaks sl

ristian Hilton or lo

omething come alive in me once