"The surgery was a complete success," Dr. Evans said, his tired eyes crinkling at the corners. "The graft held perfectly, and his heart rhythm is as steady as a drum. He's in recovery now. It'll be a few hours before he wakes up, but he did brilliantly, Mrs. Vance."

Clara couldn't breathe. The mass

Julian didn't know how long he walked. His expensive leather shoes were ruined, his feet blistered and numb from the cold. By the time he reached the upscale, gated apartment complex where Serena lived, the sun was beginning to set, casting long, mocking shadows across the manicured lawns.

He bypa

The fluorescent lights of the family courthouse hummed with a low, oppressive buzz.

Clara sat at the petitioner's table, wearing a sharp, tailored navy suit. Her posture was perfect, her expression unreadable. Beside her sat her ruthless divorce attorney, Sarah, who was casually organizing a thick