The house we built was made of glass, cedar, and light.It sat on twenty acres of private, wooded land in upstate New York, far away from the concrete canyons of the city, the flashing cameras of the press, and the shadows of Thorne Tower. There were no armed guards standing in the corners of the living room. There were no biometric locks on the bedroom doors.There was just the sound of the wind in the pines, and the crackle of the fireplace.I stood in my massive, sun-drenched studio on the second floor. The wall facing the lake was entirely made of windows. I was painting, but it was slow work. I had to stand back from the canvas because my nine-month pregnant belly kept getting in the way of the easel.I pressed a hand to my stomach as a sharp, sudden kick jabbed against my ribs."Easy, little one," I murmured, rubbing the spot. "I know you're running out of room in there, but masterpieces take patience."The heavy oak door of the studio creaked open."Are you lecturing my daughte
Last Updated : 2026-02-24 Read more