Breaking Through His Walls

s could land in the morning or evening-or cruelly, both. The pay from O'Martins was great on paper, but in reality, the demands left little room

I had spent nearly every night the previous week at the hospital, curled up besid

the air felt... off. The neighborhood, usually hushed by this time, buzzed with commotion. Voices echoed,

my building-clustered,

ered to someone beside her, "T

udrey. Something must

my phone. No

edy... Left with her sick brother and college alm

unded like

sked, struggling to

expression grave. "Your place was

process. I ran up the steps, past

o

hing w

ergency surgery. The heirloom bracelets Mom le

had vacuumed the l

No words. No scream. J

ressions, murmuring like I was some tragic character in a drama. Turns out, I

utside. "Nothing important was taken," I lied, o

de, I sh

-

lights and expensive silence, Ethan O'Martin

said, swirling the glass like the weigh

d a brow. "Why

sterday's meeting?" Ethan asked,

tional tech conglo

a top candidate. My stats, m

forward. "So wh

s old-fashioned. Big believer in the 'American dre

d on his wine.

nection. But if landing this contract means playing house, I'll do it. A cont

unds like emotional suicide-for the girl especially.

s, rules, timelines," Ethan said, brushin

do you even find

Finding her won't be the hard part. Getting h

is glass down,

ract-does it real

e city skyline reflec

ns ever

-

n't s

re

it made the loss echo louder. The stolen money, the few valuables I'd held onto

ket. My head pounded from crying. Audrey was still in the hospital. And the o

Pale skin. But I had to show up for work. Missing a day at O'Martins might as well be a deat

uilding like a ghos

ed up and gave me a long, uncertain glance. I guessed th

t want

d my li

ord. My hands trembled occasionally, but I forced them stead

by the weight of my p

. He neve

r once, there was no smirk on his face, no thinly veiled sarcas

d slowly, "com

ing I wasn't dizzy from

sharp comment, something cold. But instead, he just s

d," he started, his v

ched. I nodded

ntinued, "among other th

ure how he kne

" he added casually, like it was nor

g back," I muttered. "And I have m

your b

harply. "How

on rent. That you've been rotating your shifts around hospital visits. That

hether to be an

s. "And I also know this-when pushe

. "Then I guess

or a moment, th

ld you there'

"What kind

behind his desk, and looked out at the

ed a

ed into the roo

id, almost laughing, t

ly. Legally. Fo

skipped.

perate. And desperate people are reliable

what? A logical solution

enough to pay for your brother's surgery. And the rest.

oat we

whispered. "You d

you to play the part. Smile when needed. Sta

e exact moment to destroy what

pit

mbled as I

I bre

r brother. The doctor wants

ks max without the surgery" rang

the phone, my h

He was still watch

asked,

le logic-and for the first time, I realized just how far

parted t

door cre

els and tighter smiles, looking

for me?" she

I didn't. I'm in the midd

od fr

him to me. "Is sh

the room snappe

idn't d

d, "She's exact

-

ve his offic

nst the marble floor. Her expression-a mix of disbelief and barely

ck in Eth

ill. Cal

ady knew I w

uth? He wa

feeling like the ground bene

asked softly, hating how

gh a folder before sliding it across to me. "

urse

evable. You'll move into my house. Appearances, parties, photos. Y

oth. Like velvet

rward?" I

way with enough money to fix your life-and I walk into th

as i

as c

hing I should

the doctor's voice. Two weeks max

der in front of me

the part?" I asked, mo

ne giving instructions on how to d

the emotionally distant boss-but a man who always got what

.. he wa

no

ed a so

e cheapest o

alm. "I'm not sure I can live like that. Li

u're fine. You pretend you're not exhausted. You pretend you're not about to

e it sound

se to my eyes,

front

n front

did somethin

ed me a

ent

quiet presence of someone who wasn

e tissue. Then

rst week's payment

"Immediately a

lip, pulse roa

one co

me

care possible-before, during, a

't hesitat

desk with a shaky hand. My

othing will ev

ng breath, I s

a M

that sealed

ickly, my knees n

h and composed. "We'll

choked out. "J

ly. "We're on a

ve, heart hamme

na?" he cal

d at th

just slightly. "P