LOGINHe leans forward, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial, deeply unsettling whisper as he stares directly into my green contact lenses. "In fact... you don't have to be a maid at all, Candy. I can make all of this manual labor disappear with a single phone call. If you can just agree to be my pri
"Look, Naomi, if Dennise catches you in here, she’s going to—" The distinct, heavy sound of the deadbolt locking echoes through the quiet kitchen. My entire body goes completely rigid. My instincts scream at me, a cold shock of adrenaline instantly shooting straight to my fingertips. That isn't th
I smooth down the front of my oversized, scratchy maid uniform, my fingers tracing the small bruise on my chest from where Caroline's finger violently ripped my dress open at the cemetery yesterday. My skin still feels raw from the humiliation, my eyes are burning from crying all night over Owen, a
The striking, facial structure. Sydney is an absolute, undeniable replica of the woman in the vintage photograph—Tobias’s mother. The almost psychotic protectiveness Tobias has shown toward Sydney from the very first moment he met her. The massive financial safety nets he threw under her, the fact
Before I can even open my mouth to apologize for breaking into his house, Tobias speaks. His voice is incredibly quiet, completely devoid of its usual sharp authority, yet it carries a heavy, haunting weight that pins me right to the carpet. "For years..." he murmurs, his finger continuing its slow
I stand frozen on the gravel path, the engine of Sydney’s departing car roaring in my ears. I watch the taillights of her vehicle bounce over the cemetery threshold, disappearing completely from sight, and with every inch of distance she puts between us, my heart shatters into a million jagged, irre
I stand at the threshold of my suite, my hand frozen on the brass handle. The hallway behind me is bright, buzzing with the fading sounds of a film crew packing up for the night, and my security are both standing where they usually are a distance from my door, but inside my apartment? Darkness. M
I force the image of Sydney’s cold, beautiful face out of my mind. I push the memory of her floral scent into a dark corner and focus on the woman standing in front of me. I open my arms, offering a small, sad smile. "Come here." She hesitates for a heartbeat, then collapses into me, burying her f
A crystal vase, the one I bought Georgia on her last birthday in Greece, shatters against the wall just inches from my head. Water and shards of glass spray across the silk duvet, but I don't move. I don't even blink from the shock impact of it being near my head. "You piece of shit! I hate you!
"Alright, everyone! That’s a wrap on Scene 42. Take thirty, and when we come back, we tackle the finale!" Jeffery’s voice booms across the studio, and for the first time today, I actually let out a breath that doesn't feel like it’s being squeezed out of my lungs. My shoulders drop about three inch







