From His Prison To Sweet Freedom

Cob

of Aether, Jason's tech empire. My heart was a dead w

ked up with pity in her eyes. "Mrs. Rodriguez, I'm so sorry, but Mr

a dying mother-in-law, too busy for his grieving

anila envelope. I felt nothing. The grief was a constant, dull ache,

s glided out. She was dressed in cream-colored silk, looki

ing with false concern. "Are you feeling better? T

ll ever be," I repl

r. "I need you to give this t

eyebrows rose slightly.

n my mouth. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. "Turns out

e asked, a hint of challenge in her tone. She

nd dead. "Because he won't see me,

ore she masked it with a sigh of compassi

ilk dress whispering against the floor. She didn't knock. Sh

long table, surrounded by his executives. He looked up as Genesis entered, and t

pered something in his ear

't even glance at the words stamped on the front. He simply picked u

p, right there in front of his

d once sworn he couldn't live without me had just signed away our mar

fered me another pitying smile. "It's done. Remember, Alya, letting g

nd, our fingers brushing. Her s

out of the building

s a thirty-day cooling-off period. Thirty more days in

eakfast in bed. He bought her extravagant gifts. He hung on h

e, small box. I held her favorite porcelain teacup in my hands, its delicate pattern a painful reminder of he

e you c

d in the doorway, a frown

th us for years, answered softly. "Her

"Oh, Alya. You shouldn't be sad. Your mother has been released from her p

voice thick with tears and rage. "Y

't stand the sight of her, the sound of her voice. I just

ime, I saw a flicker of something other than serene enl

her mind. A way to "help" me.

speaking to one of the grounds

em. Non-venomous, of course. We're going to he

Miss Caldwell... Mrs. Rodriguez i

hardening, laced with the authority she knew she no

per bowed his

an exhausted sleep, clut

ely aware of my bedroom door creaking ope

cold, smooth, and heavy sli