The yellow taxi pulled up to the curb outside the luxury high-rise in Tribeca. Everly reached into her clutch, pulled out the last few twenty-dollar bills she had, and threw them onto the passenger seat. She pushed the door open and stepped out into the biting wind.
She walked straight through the revolving glass doors of the lobby. The night doorman started to stand up, his mouth opening to stop the bleeding, disheveled woman, but Everly didn't even look at him. She walked with such terrifying purpose that he froze.
She stepped into the private VIP elevator. She reached out and punched in the security code Carson had drunkenly muttered months ago.
The keypad beeped green. The doors slid shut silently.
Everly watched the digital numbers climb higher and higher. She reached down to the silk ribbon tied around her waist. She untied it, wrapped it tightly around her bleeding left hand, and pulled the knot hard with her teeth. Her eyes were completely empty.
The elevator chimed. The doors opened directly into the massive, open-concept penthouse living room.
Everly stepped off the marble floor of the elevator. The room was littered with expensive designer shopping bags and high-end baby toys.
Giana was lounging on a massive white leather sofa. She wore a sheer silk robe, holding a crystal flute of non-alcoholic champagne, laughing into her cell phone.
At the sound of footsteps, Giana turned her head. When she saw Everly standing there, covered in dried blood and dirt, she gasped, the crystal glass slipping from her fingers and shattering on the floor.
Everly didn't say a word. She moved across the room like a ghost out for blood, her steps fast and silent.
Giana dropped her phone. She scrambled to stand up, trying to mask her panic with a sneer. "Look at you. You look like a homeless beggar-"
Everly lunged. She shot her hand out, grabbed the front of Giana's silk robe, and slammed the woman backward onto the sofa cushions.
Giana shrieked. She threw her hands up, her long acrylic nails clawing wildly at Everly's face.
Everly didn't flinch. She used her other hand to grab both of Giana's wrists, pinning them down with a strength born of pure adrenaline.
"You killed him," Everly snarled, her teeth bared. "You are going to pay for his life."
Before Everly could do anything else, the heavy oak door of the master bedroom flew open. Carson rushed out, wearing only his dress shirt, his hair a mess.
He saw Everly pinning Giana down.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Carson roared. He crossed the room in three massive strides.
He grabbed Everly by the back of her shoulders and yanked her backward with brutal force.
Everly was caught off guard. The violent pull lifted her off her feet. She stumbled backward, her heels catching on the rug.
Her back slammed directly into the sharp edge of the solid marble coffee table.
A sickening crack echoed in her ears. Blinding, white-hot pain shot up her spine. Everly gasped, the air completely knocked out of her lungs, and she crumpled onto the wool rug.
Carson didn't even look at her. He immediately pulled Giana into his arms, his hands frantically checking her stomach. "Are you hurt? Did she hit the baby?"
Giana burst into fake, hysterical tears. She buried her face in Carson's chest. "She tried to kill our son, Carson! She's crazy!"
Carson turned his head. He looked down at Everly writhing on the floor. His eyes held nothing but absolute disgust.
"You are a vicious, insane bitch," Carson spat.
Everly gritted her teeth. She pushed her hands against the floor, forcing herself to stand despite the agonizing pain radiating from her spine. She pointed a shaking finger at Giana.
"She murdered my grandfather!" Everly screamed, her voice cracking. "She shoved that ultrasound in his face on purpose!"
Carson rolled his eyes. He let go of Giana and walked over to the sleek oak desk in the corner. He pulled open a drawer and took out a leather-bound checkbook.
He grabbed a pen and scribbled a series of numbers across the paper. He ripped the check out, walked back over to Everly, and threw it directly at her face.
The paper fluttered through the air and landed at Everly's feet.
"That is five million dollars," Carson said, his voice dripping with condescension. "It's your hush money. You will sign the NDA tomorrow, and you will get out of New York."
Everly looked down. The blue Chase Bank logo stared back at her.
A low, dark laugh bubbled up from her throat. The sound echoed off the high ceilings, sounding completely unhinged.
She bent down slowly, wincing as her back screamed in protest, and picked up the check.
Carson crossed his arms, a smug look crossing his face. He thought she had finally broken. He thought money had won.
Everly looked him dead in the eye. She gripped the edges of the paper and ripped it in half. Then she put the pieces together and ripped them again. And again.
She raised her hands and threw the shredded pieces of paper violently into Carson's face. The tiny white squares rained down over his expensive shirt and the floor.
"I don't want your filthy money," Everly said, pronouncing every word with lethal precision. "I am going to make you both bleed."
She turned her back on him and walked straight toward the elevator.
