d executive corridor toward the elev

n. Kenneth stormed out, his face twisted in frustrati

around her upper arm with bruising force. "You don'

Frieda twisted violentl

bank, drawing the stunned gazes o

his free hand, grabbing a heavy, steel-spined financial ledger binder from

!" a secre

is rage, Frieda instinctively twisted s

rner of the binder struck her

ac

da stumbled hard, her back slamming agai

, bright crimson blood welled from the split skin, trickling down

eth

der, which hit the floor with a dull thud. The breath caug

orward, his voice cracking. "

t scream. Sh

back of her hand and wiped the blood from her face

her eyes was completely gone, rep

nd a small velvet jewelry box. Seeing the blood, a flash of secret

e velvet box into Frieda's hands. "Kenneth was just upset... please don't hate him! Th

box in her hands. A cheap, patron

kle escaped

allway with a chilling, desperate irony that made t

as he shoved Clarabelle aside to reach for Frie

s hand away with

of pearls, and whipped her arm forward, slammi

n

pearls scattered across the marble floor,

ching her stinging cheek

harp whisper that cut through the room. "Keep your disgusting charity. Ke

i

oors glided op

into the car and pressed

tood frozen among the scattered pearls, watching th

zation struck him square in the

and caught a cab to a quiet

d a stern warning: "Severe emotional distress combined with blunt trau

and pulled out her burner phone, d

youthful, energetic voice answered, "Frieda?

Valley tech prodigy, and the only person in the entire Sh

u to breach Sharp Enterprises' internal server. Recover the I

. Did that bastard Kenneth do something to you again? Wh

e raw backend code showing Chloe altering the l

linic window at the setting sun. She knew

n showed the name Dilan Ferguson-her older stepbr

wered t

ust landed in New York from Silicon Valley. I heard what Kenneth has

d worn all day shattered. A single tear tr

she whispered.

rom the clinic and drove her straight to the Scott f

tate, Kenneth stood in the

the discarded emerald bracelet. The clo

stood in the silence of his own home, su