"Come with me," he said in a tone that allowed no refusal.
[Where to?] She signed.
"Stefanie is discharged from the hospital. She's throwing a recovery party. She asked for you."
He looked straight at her, his voice low and firm. "Venice, you won't disappoint me... will you?"
Venice gave a soundless, bitter laugh, then nodded.
Just four more days. She only needed to endure four more days—then everything would be over.
—
The recovery party was held at a villa with a pool, brightly lit from end to end. The champagne tower sparkled under the chandeliers, crystal flutes glinting like stars.
Stefanie stood at the center in a white evening gown, surrounded by a group of admiring friends, her smile radiant.
"Mr. McAuliffe really dotes on you," said a girl in a yellow dress enviously. "He even booked this Magnolia Villa for your celebration! Do you know how rare these are? Two hundred million, limited edition in the entire Los Angeles!"
Another chimed in, "That's nothing! When you had that allergic reaction, didn't he call in every top expert in the city overnight? And when you still weren't better, he even flew in specialists from overseas!"
"Ugh, you're making me jealous!"