Chapter 2052

After Cecilia left the detention wing, Norman fell into step just behind her, his briefcase clutched like a shield.

"Could you draft a settlement agreement? I want the court to consider a light sentence for Scorpius."

"Of course," Norman replied with a single, solemn nod.

They slid into the back seat of the sedan, doors thudding shut against the gray afternoon.

Cecilia leaned back, eyelids sliding down as fatigue pooled behind her eyes and darkness swirled, merciful and silent.

Time blurred until her phone shrilled. She jerked awake, glanced at the screen, and saw it was the director of the psychiatric hospital calling.

"Hello? What is it?"

"Ms. Smith, the patient named Stella Ross insists on seeing you. How would you like us to proceed?"

Cecilia's lips curved, the smile cold enough to frost glass.

"Still pretending she's unstable, is she?"

"She seems far more lucid now-probably dropped the act," the director answered.

"Understood."

She had assumed Stella could keep the charade alive indefinitely. Apparently, the walls of a psychiatric ward were rougher than the fantasy she'd woven for herself.

partition. "Driver, to the psychiatric


in the eye and take the measure of the

herself meant little to her now-hardly more

not forgotten the harm

had already met her reckoning. Perhaps Stella's turn

the air smelled of disinfectant and

and bruises mottling every inch of exposed

arrived yet?" Stella asked, voice shaking so

smile. "Ms. Smith said she

drifted through the ward like

that single title, and jealousy flared so hot it scorched

thin bitter

now, isn't she?"

muttered. s


dull, unfocused, as though someone had blown out the candle behind them. You thought playing insane would buy you time, a quiet hideaway. Instead, every hour in this place has been a slow, exquisite torture. Jail might be kinder

leaned close to a nurse and spoke under his

nurse nodded briskly. "Exactly. She never

up the corridor. "Director-Ms. Smith has

"Understood."

strode off to

friend of Zachary-the director's

the

rushed to the sleek sedan that had just rolled to a

business heels clicking on the concrete. "Where's Stella

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