The Woman Who Died To Live

r ribs. Alistair's presence fille

, her voice barely a whisper. Sweat prickled her palm

o a cold smile. He knew sh

rateful? I provide you with a roof, with purpose. Your family i

brushing her cheek. She flin

, Elara. Until I

ing her captivity. Her attempt to deflect his suspicio

t her movements were still restricted. Diana's eyes blazed with a furious jealousy. She must hav

d, grabbing Elara's arm, her nails digging in. "Pl

na," Elara said, t

Elara's head hit the paneling with a d

with rage. "He's mine. He was always mine, until I decided I

face, the sound sharp in th

ide. Pain shot through Elara's ribs. She curled into a ball, trying to protect he

oug

cut through the

er kick. She turned, her expression sh

ed me!" Diana cried, pointin

lara, crumpled on the floor, then ba

word, slapped her so hard she staggered

ous, each word precise. He wasn't looking at Diana with anger for hur

he continued, his gaze chilling. "You will no

iated, could only nod, t

simply looked at her, his expression proprietary. The intervention wasn't for her. It was a declaration of

in his private office all day, not at her small desk, but standing beside his, anticipating his

of letters, his movem

apped, witho

quent confrontation. As she unstoppered the heavy glass bottle, her fingers fumbled. The bottle tipped,

ified. "I... I'm s

spreading stain, then up a

sive. He didn't raise his voice. He didn'

r blood, a small drop from a hangnail, mixed with the blue ink on the

frantic efforts for a

ut," h

r cheeks burni

ndowless office. He placed a small, unmarked bottle of an

Then she remembered the tiny cut

hese to you," Davies said, his

Elara sa

"He dislikes...

g unreadable. He'd been harsh, dismissive about the ink. But then this. It just added to her confusion, made her feel more off-balance. He immediately followed this

er woman who had been with the Sterling family for decades. She was

g silver in the pantry – another of Alistair'

ld," Mrs. Gable said s

ust kept rubbing the

er. More intense. Especially about thi

surprised by the

her gaze knowing. "Sometimes, the ones who shout the loudest are the o

He hates my fami

nd obsession can look very similar, dear. E

erspective, but Elara couldn't bring herself to believe th

llies. Diana was there again, invited by Alistair's mother, who seemed to enjoy stirring drama. Alistair

ead, he focused an unsettling amount of attention on Elara,

reached out and pulled Elara onto his lap. In fro

e burning. Murmurs w

arrying clearly. He stroked her hair, his touc

ting her, to provoke a reaction from his former fiancée. To show Di

iliation. Alistair's public display had hit its mark. But it was Elara who bore the brunt of the shame, her di