"I'll leave you two to talk," she said, rising gracefully from the bed. As she passed Clayton, she touched his arm gently. The door clicked shut, leaving the two of them alone, unsure of how or who would break the silence. Clayton finally crossed the distance between them. The mattress dipped slig
Olivia blankly stared at the diamond solitaire in Clayton's hand. Everything made sense now, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place. Her parents opening up the topic of marriage at dinner and their unexpected decision to attend a birthday party, all of it hadn’t been random at all. They had pla
The car pulled up to iron gates that opened automatically. A line of luxury vehicles stretched ahead—Bentleys, Rolls Royces, and other cars that could make anyone faint with their price. "Remember to smile," Mrs. Hilton said, checking her reflection in a compact mirror. "Mayor Thompson will be her
When Olivia arrived home after her long shift at the hospital, she was still grappling with whether to attend tomorrow's event. But upon entering her room, she realized it was no longer up for negotiation. Her adoptive mother had made sure she had no excuse not to attend. In her closet hung a stun
Dr. Wilson pulled out a worn case. Inside was a stethoscope. "This was my father's. He passed it to me when I completed my first solo surgery, and now I'm passing it to you. It's been in my family for two generations of doctors." "I... I can't accept this. This is too much. It should go to your chi
“CODE RED. CODE RED. DR. HILTON TO EMERGENCY.” Olivia's butt barely touched her office chair when the loud voice boomed through the ceiling speakers. "Not now," she whispered, pushing herself up, regret in her blue and green eyes as she eyed her Starluxe coffee. Today was particularly grueling. Th
Olivia arrived late because her car broke down in the middle of the road. It took the auto repair shop personnel thirty minutes to arrive and tow her vehicle. She took a cab to the Bradford Estate. The party was in full swing when she entered. The music was loud enough to break her eardrums, and
After the graduation ceremony, the Hiltons held a party for Olivia, and the whole graduating class was invited. Mrs. Hilton raised her crystal glass high in the air and made a toast, "For my daughter who graduated at the top of her class and whose awards and certificates could fill this room like
Four years had passed, and time had worked its strange magic. Olivia's eyes, which had once made her a target of cruel bullying at the orphanage and caused Clayton Bradford to call her a freak, had become her most striking feature. At seventeen, Olivia walked the halls of Cordova Academy with a gr