Now she understood why John had thrown it in her face that she had sold herself.

“Dad, how could you accept this?”

Peter remained silent, unable to look her in the eye.

Elizabeth closed the contract and stood up. Anger burned in her throat, but she refused to cry there.

She expected an explanation from her father, but it was Helen who spoke, with unusual gentleness.

“Elizabeth, we only had your best interests at heart.”

“My best interests… or yours?” she retorted bitterly. “It seems you’ve been