Ten months of sin

ived. Years of waiting, of uncertainty, of desperate prayers...finally, a great opportunity.... Sh

atingly calm smile.and his phone in his hand. Without thinking, she rushed to him, thr

in . Literally....because she shove

instinctively brushing his cheek,

" He asked confusion writt

rembling with rage. "When you don't pay back, 'I'm' the one

cked. I knew they'd never approve me without a backup, and you..." He stepped closer, lowering his voice, "you're the only one

lapping him again and melting int

ickly, sensing her wavering. "Dinner.

est, scowling. "You? Cook? Last tim

reful. Please? Let me do this for you."

nally muttering, "Fine. But if you burn my

n, stealing one more kiss on her

,I have to finish up with something quickly " he said, while look

rched towards her room, into her closet, throwing open the doors. If she was going to let him get away with this dinner stunt, she might as well lo

-

The sharp crack of a fist against her jaw sent her sprawling to the cold concrete floor. Her c

man hissed, grabbing a fistful of Lil

gue, refusing to give her attacker the satisfaction

me swinging, the heavy i

gh the chaos. The cellmate froze, b

crouching beside Lilithe. Her eyes, unusually sharp

n, softer, almost protective: "Don't give them a reason to break you." she

n. For the first time in weeks, she felt the

d said as she dragged the cellmate out of

-

seat, his knuckles drumming absently against the steering wheel.

eaker, and the deep, clipped voice

as been in prison for a while ; killed her husband. Boyfriend in the picture, cheater and a lea

eyes narrowe

lowered, almost as if

mot

nded heavy i

htened around the wh

air left Alexander's lungs like a punch to the chest. He stopped the car in an instant ; stepping on th

mu

lood of his father and his little sister before vanishing into the shadows of histo

now

ed to Samuel... w

e lit years ago, one Samuel himself had sparked with death and betrayal. His mind

no answers, chasing ghosts. And suddenly, here she was; a

il

d like an innocent curios

lexander knew,

sked, but was more of a warning

ht. Samuel's name lingered in his mind like a curse, his thoughts clawing at the po

e like steel. "Every detail about Emily's mother;where she's been, who she's seen, if sh

the swift reply t

ined motionless, his hand hovering ove

dn't want to bel

; then the vow he made all those years ago would come roaring back to life. A vo

y, through anyone... I will finish i

his torment, his only tether to ju

that promise threatened to collide with the fr

fly, the image of Emily's smil

f this is true

*

nst her body; one sleek and red, the other a soft silk black. She

nd. With a sigh, she tossed the

el

I'm afraid you left earlier without completing the blood draw for the surgery. It's ve

her excitement. "Wait, I thought you to

ke long, I promise. Just a small draw, and th

sed across her bed. Dinner with Michael... Now this? Her che

Emily. We'll be

ly tossed the phone back onto the bed

*

down slowly, the polite smile he had worn slipping from his f

d, her heels clicking softly against the tile. Her

ing. She tapped a manicured finger against the desk. "Now,

hard, his Adam's apple

nd remember, no one must know about this.

her whisper colder than the fluorescent lights above. "If y

his gaze, his silenc

with a final glance at the closed do

-

er off guard. The door swung open, and there stood Michael, his arms overflowing with grocery bag

aken aback by the effort. Michael, who usually charm

g there, eyes wide, an

ly. Then, guilt flickered in her chest. She tightened her grip on her jacket. "I have t

by her smile to argue. "Fine. But don't keep me wa

lipped past him, leaving the scent

-

her name at the desk before being ushered quickly into a small

ust need a few pints of blood to start the t

needles but told herself it was for a good cause. She closed her eyes as

ew heavier, her skin clammy. A wave of dizziness h

?" she whispered

er gaze. "Almost done

armrest, too weak to protest. She felt herself slipping awa

rper-eyed than the rest, froze at the sight o

. "Are you insane? That'

out, blood dripping onto the floor. She quickly pressed

guiding the half-consci

n the corridor. They stopped by the hospital canteen, where the nurse

You need your

The bread felt like sandpaper on her tongue, but she

a single, terrifying tho

asn't right

's all" Emily said while holding on to dear life. " I don't know why they are doing this especial

sked, holding onto the nurses hands. Her eyes

hild's mother. That's why I am confused,I don't know why they need more

LY'

the pain and anguish I have had to face, but no, it was just fate mocking me'. I thought to myself. I sat on t

. This changes everything now. What's the point? When I c

point of li