ia'

ont steps. My breath caught in my throat as I watched in horror: a bulldozer was crashing

ws with earpieces. My eyes darted to the ground-my succulent garden, the one I'd

as happening-but I'd

silk pajamas-I stood tall on the sto

med, voice cracking. "Who are you

ient times where warlords could just take what they wanted.

out from behin

him in waves. His usually perfect hair was disheveled, strands falling across his forehead. His dre

ybe he

eyes

nearly

ated. But behind it, tightly c

harp. "Why'd you st

e, couldn't breathe. My phone, still connected, slipped from my fingers

ily. That Clark family in Port City. He found out you had his baby and disappear

you, who's gonna

f course I knew tha

t brutal takeover of the business empire-never showed his face

w standing in

the man before me looked like he had been devoured by a

choked, my voice barel

he crushed remains of my once-beloved plants. He didn't stop until h

his tone deceptively calm. "Abando

outh-but noth

pped. "Don't yo

ded the villa like statues. My assistant's warnin

d already

He was Henry Clark

he scene before me, my body gave out. I slid down the

Mr. Clark,"

musement. It was the laugh of a man wh

is cuff with mechanical precision before g

," he said, his voice razor-sh

glance. In this upscale neighborhood, even bulldozers didn't cause pa

what th

la... with a child. There had always been whispers. That

y yard like an avenging storm, thei

at the hem of his pants,

pletely, terribly wrong. If you want to punis

would be the one left behind to face the judgm

t care a

di

treet. He looked back down at me-this mess of a wom

u're afraid o

closer, pressing behind him, trying

n, lowering his voice to a veno

know what sha

curled at

d vanished... did you ever think

hing. But n

n't ha

softly, "is wh

ye

ite the fury and humilia

ached

ap me. No

ull me t

r word, Henry Clar

k into

into