Chapter 20

By the time Briony finally made it back to the studio, dawn was already breaking. Utterly exhausted, she changed into pajamas and collapsed into bed, falling

asleep almost instantly.

She had no idea how long she'd been out when a frantic knocking at the door jolted her awake.

Her eyes flew open and she stared at the familiar ceiling, breath coming quick and shallow. It took her a moment to gather her wits.

She'd been dreaming.

In the dream, she was standing above a river of blood, so vivid it made her shudder. Somewhere in the distance, an infant's cries echoed in her ears...

From outside the room, Hannah's voice rang out. "Briony? Are you awake?"

Her lashes fluttered. Briony pushed herself up, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.

The room spun as she stood, her body heavy and unsteady.

"Briony? Briony..." Hannah's voice grew more anxious.

"I'm coming," Briony croaked, forcing herself upright and shuffling to the door.

the door swung open, Hannah let out a

death. It's ten o'clock and you still

had happened to

if not a creature of habit; she never slept

she

rasped, her

a once-over. "You don't look fine. Are

lifted a hand to her forehead. It did

overworked lately," she said. "A few days of rest and I'll be good

Briony's forehead. "You've

take something for the fever and sleep it

sure you don't want to go to

sure. I just need some

Briony retreated to her bed and lay

in, clearly unconvinced. "There's a nasty flu going around. You really should get

the year. Have finance pay everyone's salary in advance— cover twelve months-and give each person a year-end bonus of, say, twenty thousand. We'll start our holiday tomorrow, and won't reopen until

shock. "That's a

well this year, but with those numbers, the total payout would be

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