Chapter 16

• I hoped I wouldn’t have to marry Howard. As I walked down the corridor, a sudden grip on my wrist startled me. Before I could react, I was pushed into the medicine storage room, and the door slammed shut behind me. It was Howard, and he looked furious—just as he always did.
• His eyes burned with anger, and I could feel the tension radiating off him like heat from a fire. I had often wondered what it would be like to see him with a normal expression, perhaps even smiling. But in all the time I had known him, I couldn't recall a single moment when he had looked anything but serious or upset.
• “Why did you say that?” he demanded, his voice low and intense, echoing off the sterile walls of the small room. I could feel my heart racing, caught between the urge to defend my decision and the fear of his reaction.