Chapter 2

Arthur stopped.

"Your stomach? I'll come with you." There was a faint edge in his voice beneath the concern.

"You can't come into the women's restroom." I kept my voice level. "Let Vanessa take me. She should be close by."

"Vanessa... she went to check on the dinner schedule for me." Arthur's hand tightened slightly around mine. "I'll walk you to the door."

Master, that woman is standing right across from him. They were just looking at each other. She's smiling!

I took a slow breath, pulled my hand free, and let my white cane tap against the deck.

"Okay."

The corridor to the restroom was quiet. Only the tap of my cane broke the silence.

Arthur held my arm — tighter than usual, as if afraid I might slip away.

"Scarls," he murmured near my ear, "after tonight, we'll be together forever."

Once, I would have thought those were the most beautiful words I'd ever heard.

Now they made my skin crawl.

At the restroom door, I felt for the handle and pushed it open.

"I'll wait out here." Arthur let go.

I stepped inside, locked the door behind me, and leaned against it, chest heaving.

Master, don't drink anything he hands you. He put a heavy dose of sleeping pills in your champagne. He wants you to "slip" at the poolside and fall into the water — make it look like an accidental electrocution.

Atlas's voice came from somewhere near my feet.

I looked down. Everything was black, as always. But I could feel it — I was certain of it — his soft, warm head pressing gently against my leg.

"Atlas... is that really you?" I whispered, somewhere deep inside my mind.

It's me, Master. I didn't move on. I'm staying to protect you. The driver who hit me — Arthur paid him. He hired someone to kill me. Because I bit Vanessa when she snuck into your study. They were afraid I'd ruin everything.

Tears broke free and slid down my face.

This ten-billion-dollar fortune was what my parents left behind to protect me.

And Atlas — we had lived side by side for years. He was my eyes.

He died under someone else's wheels because he was protecting me.

How much pain was he in, at the end?