Together We Rise From Ashes

Carpent

came from Kade or Carlisle. No flowers, no calls, no inquiries about our well-being. It was as if the Carpenter sisters had been surgica

saw him. Carlisle. He was rushing down the corridor, his face etched with concern, a bouquet of expensive f

the door read:

followed him, keeping to the shadows of the hallway. We watched a

ing radiant. And next to her, Kade was gentl

clutching Kade' s hand. "Giving birth was the har

r nightstand and stroking her hair. "Shh, Flo. We' re

rfect, sickening tableau of d

. Beside me, Charlene did the same. The phantom pain o

r flesh. "Let' s go," I choked out, pulling her a

awyer' s office. Tomorrow at 10 a.m. Be there to sign the papers. If you are not, I will file for a

again. And again. A flood of angry, demanding texts followed. I turned my ph

city' s central security council and filed an official report about the hit-and-run, de

rave. "This is a serious accusation. Why

handle it ourselves. We were in the hospital, officer. Alone." I pushed a file across the desk. "I' ve already

He stamped the report. "We wil

d: He looks just like his daddy, don' t you think? The message had been sent to a group chat that included half of Gotham' s

ild, while the world remained igno

clean, cold f

night, there were thirty-seven misse

eak. "I went to the house. It' s empty. You cleared out your thin

s no game

o Charlene? She won' t answer any of Carlisle

been listening on speaker, snatched the p

ve worship of that manipulative snake you call a stepsister. Marrying you was the single greatest mistake of my life, but it' s one I'

mediately blocked

at our door. It was Florence, holding her newb

es in a dramatic display of remorse. "This is all my fault. The boys... they just worry about me so

ctim. Trying to manipu

ved. "Are you here to give me your perm

yes narrowed. "I just want u

d dangerous. "Stop playing the v

, Florence let out a theatrical gasp, clutched her chest, and del

e saw Florence on the ground and me stand

e so hard I lost my balance and crashed against th

Florence' s side. "Flo, are you okay

h unharmed, he turned back to me, hi

flat, non-pregnant stomach. The fury in his eyes

ce trembling for the first time. "