Leaving Ashes, Finding Her Sky

e mansion. My mind was a fog of pain. Hi

what y

Ava. I will protect you." All lies. He had wat

was so lost in my misery that I didn' t see th

r my head. I was dragged int

of waves and a man s

money, or you' ll never see your pr

as tied up next to me, sobbing hysterically. The man on the ph

ed him. "Let me go. It'

down," I tried

. Tonight, you' re going to see just how much

after, a briefcase ful

rmaine," he said

led. "I' ve changed my mind. You ca

would choose. It was always he

Chandler said, his voice

stopped crying, her face turning a

eked, suddenly launching herself at Jerm

r by the hair and slammed her

of metal in Jermaine' s hand. A kn

. I threw myself at Chandler

s target. The knife plunged

g scream and collapse

e. He kicked Jermaine aside and t

rled, his voice a low, terrifying g

ave you," I stammered,

f hate. "If I had known you were this

nd carried her off the boat, leaving

e deck, my body num

buzzed on the deck. The screen lit up wit

ncy: 24 hour

washed over me. I was

I dragged my exhausted body home and wrote a will. Everything I had-which was nothing more t

to medical science. "Just please," I told the nurse, "com

bed and closed my eyes

open. Bodyguards. Chandler' s men. They pu

pital. Chandler was the

ed. "She has a rare blood disorder. She need

handler, I can' t. The doctor sai

atience gone. "You' ve lived a life of luxu

n' t be selfish, Ava. Do this one last thing

e into the op

to be on her deathbed, sit up in her bed in the adjoinin

u idiot," she mouthed through the g

oice, though unheard, was clear in my

o the doctors in my

k needle. I felt a sharp, brutal

y bone marrow. They

cre

n blew me a kiss. "I' ll

d always imagined a peaceful death, drifting away i

orphanage. The candy bar. The hospit

ar slid do

I thought. I hope w