Her response was immediate, firm, and final.

"There's no 'what if.' In my heart, my family is all dead. And even if they existed, I don't need them."

The words came out cold, as if she’d been rehearsing them for years.

Eliana figured out why Alexander had come to this hospital. Her brother had probably wanted to find out where she was, but judging by Alexander’s reaction earlier, she could tell Samuel had not told him anything.

And for ...