Forrest watched with a cool detachment, his tone calm but resolute. "Striking someone without asking for the reason first is wrong. Hitting her? Even worse."


    The room fell silent.


    He stepped in front of M, standing his ground. His gaze flicked to Giselle, who was sobbing into Lysander''s arms, then shifted back to Lysander himself. Forrest wore a gentle smile, but his words cut deep.


    "From where I''m standing, it looks like the Harvey family is throwing their weight around trying to use power and numbers to bully my friend, who''s never had any advantages in her corner. Ms. Harvey, I''d love to hear how you managed to push someone as kind and gentle as my friend to this point. That''s a talent in itself."


    "What''s any of this got to do with you?" Lysander''s voice grew cold. He gently moved the woman in his arms aside and made a move for M, but she sidestepped him.


    He tried to close the distance again, but Giselle clung desperately to his sleeve, her tearful voice trembling with grievance. "Lysander-"


    He frowned, but stayed put.


    M stood just behind Forrest, nowposed her eyes sharp and icy as they swept across Lysander''s face, then over Giselle, still sobbing with her face in her hands, then Rosalind, Charles... finally circling back to Giselle.


    The other woman refused to meet her gaze, just kept crying.


    M spoke coldly, each word like the slice of a knife, her meaning unmistakable.


    "You''re not the least bit afraid of karma, are you?"


    People like them-who treated lives like they were nothing-made her sick. Breathing the same air as them was revolting.


    She spun on her heel and pushed through the crowd, leaving without looking back.


    Her steps were brisk. Right now, her aunt''s failing health worried her far more than anything here.


    "Leaving now?" Forrest asked as the car sped down the highway through the deepening night, heading toward Maplewood Grove. He nced over at M, who sat beside him, her expressionposed to the point of being unnatural.


    He already had a good sense of what had happened—but M''s calmness seemed almost too much.


    And...


    "Didn''t you say Giselle was trying to force you out of the country? You still don''t know what tricks she''s got up her sleeve. If you leave now, you could be walking straight into danger."


    "Forrest, I don''t have a choice."


    M gripped her gold-threaded clutch tightly, turning her face toward the window. Half her face was swallowed by the darkness, her lips trembling ever so slightly. "Forrest, I can''t even bear to think-what if, what if..."


    She couldn''t finish the thought.


    But Forrest understood. What if something happened to her aunt? What if this was thest time she''d ever see her?


    She couldn''t risk it.


    Her aunt was her only family, the guiding light of her childhood. M had never allowed herself to imagine a day when that light might go out. The thought alone made it hard to breathe.


    When family is at the edge between life and death,


    No matter how hard the road, even if it''s the end of her, she had to be there.


    Otherwise, she knew she''d regret it for the rest of her life.


    She would never be able to forgive herself.


    Seeing she wouldn''t be swayed, Forrest sighed. Though worried, all he could do was start making calls to contacts in the Federal Security Bureau, arranging a private jet as quickly as possible.


    "Oh, one more thing," M said, her brow furrowing with concern. "Because of some issues, it''s not easy for me to leave the country right now. Is that going to be a problem?"


    "Don''t worry. I''ll take care of it," Forrest answered, his voice steady as ever.


    They reached Maplewood Grove in no time.


    M packed hastily, making sure to bring all her documents. While waiting for word from Forrest''s contacts, she sat down to exin everything to Miranda.


    She didn''t really want Miranda toe with her.


    Who knew what was waiting for her on the other side? All she could hope for was that her aunt''s friends and allies in that country would offer some protection. Sophie had already hired private security to guard the hospital, and the same level of security would be at the airport when she arrived.


    Even so, M still couldn''t rx.


    Her aunt had met up with some old friends for dinner before the emergency call came there was no telling if any old enemies were involved.


    She had to go. Hiding forever would solve nothing.


    But she couldn''t let Mirandae along, too.


    She was willing to risk her own life, but not her best friend''s.


    "I''ming with you. That''s final," Miranda dered, her tone leaving no room for argument. “M, remember when I crashed my carte at night and nearly ran into Rnd and his gun? Even then, I called you for help without a second thought. I dragged you into my mess because I trust you-so why can''t you trust me now?"


    "And besides, I''ve been overseas more than once. I know more people over there than you do. Besides your aunt and me, do you have anyone else you trust as much?"


    M fell silent.


    "Rx. If things get hairy, I''ll make a run for it." Miranda grinned from where she sat cross-legged on the couch, rocking slightly. "But if you think I can just sit back and do nothing while you''re in trouble-no way. I made a promise: I''ll never leave you alone again."


    "And anyway, it''s just Giselle. Are we really supposed to be scared of her? That bitch-she''s going to get what''sing-"


    Before Miranda could finish, M pulled her into a fierce hug.


    She held her closest friend tightly, throat thick with emotion, unable to find the words, so she just held on even tighter.


    Miranda smiled, gently patting M''s back, and whispered in her ear-


    "M, don''t be afraid."


    "This time, I''m putting my life on the line too. Go all in-no matter whates, I''ll


    be right beside you."


    "We''ll fight them together."